The Star

The bigger the star the bigger the tent, but what if the start is so big that there is simply no tent big enough for it? Do you let the start go without a tent? In a way yes, you leave the star out for all to see, to embrace it and to love it at its most vulnerable state. It's out there, in the open for  all to see, exposed in a way; but being exposed shows its true innocents. There's no shield of fabric nor coat of make up to cover up its past scares, bumps and bruises. It's just there, but in this it emits beauty, like non ever seen before. And to each man this beauty gives hope and a new meaning. 

Year 11 Evaluation Scripted Performance

Year 11 Evaluation Scripted Performance  

1.     Give a brief synopsis of the play

Lord of the Flies is about a group of boys from all backgrounds of life. The boys have been sent away to military camp for many reasons which differ from character to character. Some have been sent to the military camp to toughen up; some have been sent because they have behaviour problems others have been sent for their own safety to escape the war.

Lord of the flies has so many different meanings depending on where you are looking at it from.

There are 3 main characters:

1.     Ralph

2.     Jack

3.     Piggy

Lord of the Flies is a representation of the true colours and attributes of mankind. It shows different sectors of society through the characters.

Ralph shows the elected laddered who only wants the best for everyone under him. He assesses his power by trying to stand out by his actions. At the start everyone is in love within but as time goes on they start to notice that he is no different from them which cause a rebellion.

Jack represents the military, he has agonistic manor, always looking for trouble and war where this is none or could be sorted out peacefully. If we where to look at Lord of the Flies as a family, he would represent the breadwinner, as he is the one who goes out of his way to search for and find food whilst insuring the safety of others. He is also a dictator, what he says must go or else. He creates a fear of the unknown, which makes others to conform under him as he provides a feel ‘false’ safety,

Piggy is the most realistic of all characters, which cause others to become annoyed.  He tells the truth and only the truth not spearing anything. He knows how things should be and comes up with an action. Because of his intellect the other children find anything about him which is different about him from them; his size. This cause him to become shy and withdrawal from the group. He uses others as he voice to pass on his agenda.

Lord of the Flies was originally a novel written by William Golding in 1954. William Golding was born on the 19 September 1911, which would make him 102 years old if he was still alive (April 2014). This would also make Lord of the flies 60 years old. The title of the novel comes from the Arabic for one of the manifestations of the Devil. Baal-Zebub - or Beelzebub - means 'lord of the flies'.

William Golding was born in Cornwall, which is in England on Monday 19^th September 1911. From a young Golding was interested in writing novels. He wrote his first at age 12. Golding’s parents urged him study Natural Sciences at the University of Oxford, but he later did change to focus on English Literature.

Golding also has a past time in arts, as he worked as an actor, director, producer and poet. He did later become a school teacher in a boy’s public school. Some would describe Golding as incisive character because he is always changing, whilst others would describe him as a perfectionist; always look for the right path.

Another thing to add to Golding is that he joined the Royal Navy in 1940 a year after England entered World War 2. He was a lieutenant in command of a small rocket ship. While carrying out his duties he ordered the destruction of German ships and submarines and he shelled German troops from sea during the D-Day landings.

Having a firsthand view of the effects of war had affected Golding’s view of humanity and evils which it is capable of. Golding was horrified by what war revealed about people's capacity to harm their fellow humans. He was appalled by what happened in the Nazi concentration camps, and by the way the Japanese mistreated their prisoners. He was appalled too by the consequences of the British and American mass bombing against civilians - and even by what he himself did as a naval officer.

Golding resumed teaching after the war which is when he stared to write novels. Lord of the flies was published in 1954 and became a bestseller in both Britain and the United States.

In a book called Coral Island by RM Ballantyne, published in 1857, 100 years before Golding's book, three young British boys are shipwrecked on a desert island and have to survive without any adults. Brave and resourceful, they thoroughly enjoy their experience and there is never a hint of trouble. As one of the characters, Peterkin, says, there was indeed no note of discord whatever in that symphony we played together on that sweet coral island.

From his experience as a teacher, Golding knew that the idyllic life of Coral Island could never exist in real life. So, he set out to write a novel that showed his ideas about the darker side of human nature starting from the same basis: boys stranded on a desert island, away from all civilising influences. Lord of the Flies was the result.

2.     What specific research did you do? How did this help develop the drama?

I have 5 pieces of research each contains a different aspect which will help the development of the play. I did research because sometimes in life it is better to look into the past to help you look into the future. Each piece of research brings a new insight to background of the play. My 5 pieces include:

1.     Themes

2.     Character profile of Piggy

3.     Plot

4.     Context

5.     Character Analysis

Themes:

Through my research I discovered that there where a total number of 7 themes running throughout the play;

1.     Things breaking down

2.     War

3.     Violence

4.     Relationships

5.     The Island

6.     The lord of the Flies

Once I had done the research it was clear to see the theses themes running though the play. I felt it was important for theses for the audiences to gain an understanding of these themes and also to be impacted by these themes as Lord of the Flies carries a lot of messages if you are willing to listen.

Character profile

To develop my character which was Piggy, I wanted to get a deeper understanding of him. I was still going to play him in my own way of how I depicted he showed be played but i want to gain someone else’s understanding of the peculiar character of Piggy.  

Plot

There is always going to be a fear of the unknown to remove this fear, I researched what was happening in the play. By doing this It made it easier for me to learn the lines that I had because I knew why piggy was talking in the way he was. It also helped me to determine my next move because I knew what was going to happen.

Context

Everyone and everything has a motive and reason why it happened. The same goes for Lord of the Flies. I would describe myself as poet in my own right, before I create anything I must have been affected by what is happening around or willing to explore and reason it through words. Everything and one has a story behind them, that’s what makes them who they are today.

William Golding had a motive of why he wrote Lord of the Flies. Something with such an interesting name must have an equally interesting story. I felt that it was my job to find out what the story was and also to put a face to the name

Character Analysis

I feel a character profile can sometimes be biased but an analysis states the facts but goes into greater depth.

3.     What character did you play?

The character that I played was Piggy. William Golding never actually states Piggy's real name in the book. His nickname is representative of the cruelty of the schoolchildren, how they choose to call him an insulting name, instead of ever asking his name. Although in some versions of Lord of the Flies where it has been made into a film they give him the name Danuel Pipoly.

Piggy is a care giver, because others refuse to show him any he shows them how to care. He looks after the ones. No one truly apprentices him. Piggy can at times come across as arrogant but this is only because what he has said will happen has happened and when he said it they all refused to listening. Piggy’s arrogance is actually excitement.

 

I created my very own mood board of characteristic I associate with Piggy.



 

4.     What specific research did you do to develop this character?

Out of my 5 pieces of research 2 of them where to do with Piggy.

The first was character profile of Piggy, which outlines 10 key attributes that are important.

·        He has physical disadvantages because he is fat and asthmatic and is short sighted. Without his glasses, everything becomes a blur.

·        He is very intelligent - in Chapter 1 it is his idea to make a list of names, and it is he who realises that no adult knows the boys are on the island. Later he suggests making a sundial and hats. "What intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy." Ralph recognises Piggy could think: "Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains."

·        However, he does not speak as grammatically accurately as the others:" How can you expect to be rescues if you don't put first things first and act proper". Perhaps this is to suggest he wasn't as well educated as the others and that he is not from the right class of people to be a successful leader. At the time the novel was written most power was still in the hands of the middle and upper classes. "Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and certain disinclination to manual labour."

·        He is embarrassed by his nickname, and he behaves with dignity when Ralph betrays the name to the others. We never know his real name.

·        He is kind and considerate to the littluns. He helps the boy with the birthmark talk about the 'snake-thing' and helps Percival talk about the beast. He is later often left to care for them when the others are exploring and hunting.

·        He has the most mature attitude of any boy on the island. He scornfully sees the other boys "Acting like a crowd of kids".

·        He is pragmatic. When Simon dies, Piggy tries to convince Ralph there was nothing they could have done: "It was an accident... and that's that".

·        Like Ralph, he believes in civilised values and clings to what creates order: "I just take the conch to say this. I can't see no more and I got to get my glasses back". When they go to the fort to confront Jack, he shouts "I got the conch!" to try to show Jack that he has a right to be heard.

·        Piggy and the conch are destroyed together by the rock Roger levers. Thus both intelligence and the symbol of authority are dead, so we know that there is nothing left to stop Jack gaining full control.

·        At the end, Ralph mourns the fall through the air of "the true, wise friend called Piggy".

By use of this research of this research it helped me understand the background of piggy and develop him in my own way. “Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and certain disinclination to manual labour.” My own understanding of this is that piggy is lazy and does not like to do manual labour. This is way I made piggy act like he was above helping to put out the fire. So I used the handkerchief to fan myself whilst watching the others work.

This character profile is someone else perception of piggy so there are pats which I disagree with such as   “However, he does not speak as grammatically accurately as the others:" How can you expect to be rescues if you don't put first things first and act proper". Perhaps this is to suggest he wasn't as well educated as the others and that he is not from the right class of people to be a successful leader.” In my view I feel Piggy is from a higher class than the other boys but because he has been bullied so much he stared to withdrawal which caused he’s speaking skills to decline.

5.     How did your Character fit into the play?

Piggy is the very intellectual with sight problems, a weight problem, and asthma. He is the most physically vulnerable of all the boys, despite his greater intelligence. Piggy represents the rational world. By frequently quoting his aunt, he also provides the only female voice.

Piggy's intellect benefits the group only through Ralph; he acts as Ralph's assistant. He cannot be the leader himself because he lacks leadership qualities and has no rapport with the other boys. Piggy also relies too heavily on the power of social convention. He believes that holding the conch gives him the right to be heard. He believes that upholding social conventions get results.

6.     Describe how you used different tones-volume-pace in your voice to express the emotion of your character?

The definition of:

Tone:  How you want to make your voice sound and what characteristics are associated with it. For example if you use harsh tone you can be showing anger, frustration or and annoyance.

I used a subtle tone when Jack and the hunters had all left to find the pig, and Ralph felt like going because he felt Piggy undermined his authority. By use of this tone it calmed down the situation and allowed for piggy’s view to be her. If an aggressive tone was used it would have provide what Ralph was saying to be true.     

Volume: Volume is how loud or quite your voice is. By using a lot of volume you can show an opinionated, boastful character, whilst using a small volume can show a shy, fragile character.

Piggy is a shy withdrawn character, so he does not use a lot of volume. This something which I am not using to because most of the characters which I have played know loud and loud and not afraid to use it, where as Piggy is still trying to find his voice and where he fits in. Piggy has a loud voice and uses it to grab the attention of others, rather than a weapon.

Piggy is the first character to speak, he a soft volume at the begging but no one listens so he raises his volume to grab their attention which works.

Pace: Pace is the speed of which you use your voice.  For example A fast pace can show excitement whilst a slow tone depression.

Piggy is quite a nervous character, to show his anxiousness I used a fast pace. He uses as soon as he has caught everyone’s attention. He uses a fast tone because he sacred that he has caught everyone’s attention and does not know how they will react.

Simple Precise Exaggerated Clear Slow, I used SPECS when we were all around a dwindled fire. The situation at the time is that everyone had become excited because we caught a glimpse of a ship and instantly thought it was or way off this island. Piggy had been saying we should do things properly from the start but they paid no notice. They then tried to ignite the fire but it was hopeless this caused the other characters to feel down hearted.

Piggy too was upset because he also wants to get off the island. This is when I used SPECS to cause all the other characters to feel what he was feeling because he has been saying that they should do thins properly. By using SPECS the other characters felt worse about themselves.

7.     Describe the tech rehearsal - what did you do to help this run smoothly?

The tech rehearsal was the first time that we preformed a full run through of the play, without any scripts, with all lights, all the music. I feel it was an eye opener because if something went wrong we just had to run with it in a way that not even the audience can tell that nothing had gone wrong.

Doing this meant we had to work as unit. I feel what we did to make this run smoothly. We have all been together for the past 2 years. In those 2 years we have learnt how to tell each other’s characteristics and we have learnt when each other need help, by simply looking at their body langue and hearing different tones in their voice.

I think this is what helped make the tech rehearsal.

8.     Describe how you used different body language to show the different emotions of your character- link this to 3 specific moments?

Isolation- There was a point in the play, where even Ralph turned had turned on Piggy. Piggy only wanted Ralph to show his authority to the others but he got angry. At this Piggy felt so lonely and isolated which was made even worse by the other boys laughing.

I decided to show isolation by reverting to as small a shape as possible. By doing this it showed how small Piggy felt at the time even though he was the biggest. He was also in corner because he was isolated from the other boys.  

Pride- Piggy has been ignored so much through the play that as soon as Ralph acknowledges that what Piggy is saying is true he is overwhelmed with pride. This cause Piggy to puff out his chest and try and get attention and get some recognition from the other boys by trying to wave at them.

Shaken- After everyone has surrounded Piggy and Ralph chanting “Hunt the pig, Kill the pig.” Piggy was shaken at that moment the only instinct that came to Piggy was to hide behind the one whom he thought was able to protect him, Ralph. At the same time Jack was playing a cat and mouse game   Piggy, trying to obtain eye contact. Piggy still vulnerable is trying to find somewhere behind Ralph.

9.     Give 3 clear examples that link to specific moments in the play- What were the strengths of both you and your group’s performance?

Forest fire- In the forest fire we start to see how the boys can still stay as 1 unit. it gives the audience hope that the boys will be okay. I feel the reason why this scene is a strength is because we get to see such diversity in the characters. We see the pain and arrogance of piggy whilst seeing the compassion of Roger for the other children, it is as if all the characteristics have been switched. I feel all the actors did it so effortlessly whist showing diversity which is why I feel it is a strength of the performance.

Split screen- In the middle of the performance it was clear to see 2 packs, on lead by Jack and the other lead by Ralph. Jacks represents society where the is total chaos  but is still held together some how, Whilst Ralphs group represents a totally functioning society, where everyone knows what they need to be doing and when they need o be doing it.

I feel this scene is a strength because of the power of the split screen. The split screen represents 2 different ends of the island. I feel this scene conveyed this well, what made it a strength  was the way that words would follow from one side of the island to another. It was in sync.      

Last scene- One of the most spectacular moments in the performance was the last scene. in this scene there is so much going on, which could be easily washed over the audience if not done properly. There was a lot of violence going on in this scene which helped to convey a message of destruction. The scene was a highlight of the play because it helped it go out with a bang.    
 

10. Give 3 clear examples that link to specific moments in the play- What were the weaknesses of both you and your group’s performance?

On watching back of the performance I feel that there was 3 specific moments that could have been approved. 

Fighting- I feel the first scene at the end could have been improved. I do not feel that my reaction to the punch from Ralph was slow, which made it to seem less realistic. It could have been improved if my reaction was faster.  

Marching- I think the singing at the start was a weak point because, we did not all start at the same time so some seemed out of sync with others. At one point when we were singing it seemed like it lost volume and faded but as soon as the group realised  this we picked it up and increased our volume.

Focus- I feel the finally thing that we could have done is to been more focussed from the start. If we had done this from the start we could have got a lot more done.

11. What aspect of the play did you most enjoy?

The part of the play that I most enjoyed was the forest scene with the glow sticks. I enjoyed it because it seemed so neat and mystical, with the groups positioning. I felt, looked and sounded like and actually forest. It had a  finest to it. In my Opinion the glow sticks where the icing on the cake it made the scene seem more spooky and gave it an airy atmosphere.

12. What aspect did you find most challenging?

The most challenging aspect of the Play for me was learning my lines. I was told that Piggy had the most lines in the play. I had trouble remembering my lines. I had read and read my script many timentimes to try and remember theses lines but it was not working. I knew what my ques where. Ms Jackson helped me a lot to learn  my lines. When I practised my lines with Ms Jackson, there was someone there to help me if I  forgot a  word and to also read the other characters lines.This made it easier for me to learn.

13. What will you do make sure you will overcome these challenges in your next performance? - Give 3 clear examples. If you are not taking Drama next year - What have you learnt from this experience that will help you in later life? 

From a young age I already knew what I wanted to become, from reading what I've typed above your probably thinking an actor. If you are think that then you are wrong. When I grow ( I still have a lot of growing to do) I want to become a doctor.  I've always wanted to become one and nothing's going to change that, but that will not change my love for drama. 

During my 2 years on this course I've lot and lot that will forever stay with me, it's been an experince. It's an experince that I have loved. It's taught me a lot. Like I've said before I'm not going to change my career path but drama has taught me something that I will need to use no matter what I need to do.

In drama we become different characters, I say become them because they are now a part of us. You develop them whilst developing yourself. Physically you take on the character, you are in tune with every movement, you know where they are feeling pain, you do what they do.

Emotionally you change, you can feel when your character is withdrawing, when the character is at their happiest. They say the key to the soul is throw the eyes, and with every look  and emotion you get a look into the characters soul.

When I become a doctor I know I'm going to come incontact with lots of different people, I will never know what I'm going to expect. New day new drama. I love meeting new people, through drama I've learnt how to feel what theses people are going to be feeling, and how emotions are going to be running.

I do not believe that drama is something that can be taught it is simply perfected. It is not perfected by an individual but perfected by a body, in this case the GCA drama department. I would compare this department to a doctor, they take you when you are just being plunged into the world(GCSE's in this case). They make you feel better when you are sick ( being sad and doing quickly removes sadness). But best part is that they are always there when you need help( me with my lines for instance). I think seeing this has made me want to become a doctor even more.

Writing this is almost like a fear well letter, but it's not because something great is about to happen.

Research; Lord of the Flies: Themes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/proselordflies/3prose_lord_flies_themerev1.shtml

The main themes that run through Lord of the Flies are: Things breaking down, War, Violence, Relationships, The Island and Language.

Things breaking down

Golding himself wrote of his novel:

The boys try to construct a civilisation on the island; but it breaks down in blood and terror because the boys are suffering from the terrible disease of being  human.

Wiliam Golding

The central theme in Lord of the Flies is that of things breaking down. This is shown in a number of ways. Violence replaces peace, friends turn into enemies, life ends in savage death. Everything degenerates.

War

War is a running theme in the novel, starting from plane the boys were travelling in.

• The boys are on the island because the plane that was evacuating them from Britain during a fictional nuclear war was attacked. Piggy reminds Ralph: "Didn't you hear what the pilot said? About the atom bomb? They're all dead."
• Ralph is proud of his father - a commander in the Navy. So, the character who tries hardest to keep peace comes from a home that revolved around war.
• We know that the civilisation from which they were trying to escape is being destroyed. When Roger stops himself throwing stones at the littluns, we're told:"Roger's arm was conditioned by a civilisation that knew nothing of him and was in ruins."
• The dead parachutist who lands on the island was gunned down during an overhead battle.
• Ironically, the naval officer who comes to their rescue is himself involved in the war. The boys may have been saved from life on the island, but what sort of life are they going back to?

Violence

Violence is always present. It starts as a game, but grows more horrific throughout the novel. For example:

• When he first finds out Piggy's name,"Ralph danced out into the hot air of the beach and then returned as a fighter-plane, with wings swept back, and machine-gunned Piggy."
• When the first pig is killed, Jack boasts,"You should have seen the blood!"
• The ritual 'dance' revolves around violence: "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in."
• The boys become like wild and savage animals: when Jack hunts a pig he is"ape-like"; Simon is killed by the "tearing of teeth and claws"; Ralph becomes like a hunted animal, not a boy, at the end: "He raised his spear, snarled a little, and waited."
• The murder of Simon is particularly horrific because it involves all the other boys - they get caught up in the frenzied chant: "The crowd ... leapt onto the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore."

Relationships

All the friendships and good relationships on the island break down, either through bullying and violence or death.

• Ralph and Jack seem to be friends at the start, yet Ralph knows Jack is hurt when he is not elected chief. This rivalry for power is at the root of some of the violence.
• Ralph finds it hard even at an early stage to get things done. He and Simon are left to build the third shelter by themselves, because everyone else is too busy having fun. The community spirit of the assemblies is hard to maintain.
• Even the littluns' games involve violence and broken friendships. Once Roger watches them playing: "Percival had gone off, crying, and Johnny was left in triumphant possession of the castles."
• As pressure builds, the boys find that they have to take sides. When Jack defies Ralph and goes off alone, he challenges,"Anyone who wants to hunt when I do can come too." He ignores Ralph's effort to make peace.
• Jack's tribe becomes ruled by fear. Most boys don't want to be involved, but have no option. He keeps control by intimidating them and bullying them, such as when he ties up and beats Wilfred.
• Roger rules by terror too. When Samneric are captured, "Roger advanced upon them as one wielding a nameless authority."

The Island

The island slowly degrades as the story goes on, reflecting the break down of the boys' relationships.

• The island is first seen as like paradise, too good to be true. Ralph thinks: "Here at last was the imagined but never fully realised place leaping into real life".
• However, the island is soon found to contain many dangers. For example, coconuts fall from the trees and just miss injuring Roger, the sun burns them, and the isolation is a curse.
• Ralph reflects at the end that the island once had a "strange glamour", but becomes "scorched up like dead wood".
• All this echoes the Bible story of the Fall of Man, when Adam and Eve were cast out of Paradise as a punishment for disobeying God. The island becomes a burnt wasteland, as if as a punishment for all the violence committed by the boys.

Language

The language used by the boys progressively degenerates.

• At the start of the novel the youngest boys are called small boys. They become little'uns, littl'uns and finally littluns.
• Percival Wemys Madison gradually forgets his name and address. When the naval officer finds them, he has forgotten it completely.
• Jack starts off as Merridew - the name he would have been called at school - but soon becomes Jack, then Chief. His followers - originally the school choir - become his tribe and are eventually seen as savages, having lost their individual identity.
• Sam and Eric become Sam'n Eric and then Samneric

The Lord of the Flies

The title of the novel comes from the Arabic for one of the manifestations of the Devil. Baal-Zebub - or Beelzebub - means 'lord of the flies'.

In the novel, the pig's head on a stick, covered in flies, is a horrific symbol of how far the violence has come. The pig was killed by Jack and his hunters and the head is put on a stick as an offering to the 'beast'. Only Simon really appreciates that the 'beast' is actually the evil inside the boys themselves and it is that which is breaking things up.

So, the title of the novel reinforces the idea that we all have something of the 'devil' within us - and that the 'devil' can be released all too easily.

Research; Character profile: Piggy

Piggy

• He has physical disadvantages because he is fat and asthmatic and is short sighted. Without his glasses, everything becomes a blur.
• He is very intelligent - in Chapter 1 it is his idea to make a list of names, and it is he who realises that no adult knows the boys are on the island. Later he suggests making a sundial and hats. "What intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy." Ralph recognises Piggy could think: "Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains."
• However, he does not speak as grammatically accurately as the others:" How can you expect to be rescues if you don't put first things first and act proper". Perhaps this is to suggest he wasn't as well educated as the others and that he is not from the right class of people to be a successful leader. At the time the novel was written most power was still in the hands of the middle and upper classes. "Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and a certain disinclination to manual labour."
• He is embarrassed by his nickname, and he behaves with dignity when Ralph betrays the name to the others. We never know his real name.
• He is kind and considerate to the littluns. He helps the boy with the birthmark talk about the 'snake-thing' and helps Percival talk about the beast. He is later often left to care for them when the others are exploring and hunting.
• He has the most mature attitude of any boy on the island. He scornfully sees the other boys "Acting like a crowd of kids".
• He is pragmatic. When Simon dies, Piggy tries to convince Ralph there was nothing they could have done: "It was an accident... and that's that".
• Like Ralph, he believes in civilised values and clings to what creates order: " I just take the conch to say this. I can't see no more and I got to get my glasses back". When they go to the fort to confront Jack, he shouts "I got the conch!" to try to show Jack that he has a right to be heard.
• Piggy and the conch are destroyed together by the rock Roger levers. Thus both intelligence and the symbol of authority are dead, so we know that there is nothing left to stop Jack gaining full control.
• At the end, Ralph mourns the fall through the air of "the true, wise friend called Piggy".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/proselordflies/2prose_lord_flies_charrev4.shtml

Research: Lord of the Flies; Plot

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/proselordflies/1prose_lord_flies_plotrev1.shtml

When an aircraft carrying British children who are being evacuated from a war zone crashes on a remote island, killing all adults, the children realise that they will have to survive on their own and no one knows where they are.

They begin life on the island full of excitement, but gradually the order they tried to create breaks down. The civilised schoolboys become savages.

Chapter 1 - Sound of the Shell

Ralph and Piggy meet on the beach, having survived the crash. They introduce themselves, then enjoy swimming in a lagoon. The island seems a magical place.

Piggy finds a large conch. Ralph blows it like a trumpet, and all the other boys who survived flock around. One group arrives in choir uniforms, led by Jack. The boys elect Ralph as their chief, so Ralph asks Jack to be leader of the choir, who will take the job of hunters. Piggy takes names.

Jack, Ralph and Simon explore the island to see if it is inhabited. They push a huge rock off the top of a hill, shouting with delight as it crashes down.

As they scramble back to the others, they see a wild pig. Jack gets out a knife to kill it, but can't quite bring himself to draw blood and the pig scurries away.

Chapter 2 - Fire on the Mountain

Ralph holds an assembly. The conch becomes a symbol of authority - only those holding the conch can speak.

A small boy says he's frightened of a 'snake-thing'. Ralph reassures him there's nothing to worry about, but Jack wants to hunt, just to make sure!

Ralph says there must be a fire to alert passing ships; Jack and his choir rush off to make one. They grab Piggy's glasses to light it with. Jack announces his hunters will keep the fire going. Piggy tries to encourage them to act sensibly. Yet suddenly the fire burns out of control and spreads through the undergrowth.

The boy who spoke up about the snake-things is missing - presumably burnt.

Chapter 3 - Huts on the Beach

Jack sets off hunting, but fails to catch a pig. He returns to the camp to find Ralph, who has been hard at work building shelters with Simon. Ralph complains the others don't help at all.

Ralph and Jack can't agree what their priorities are - making shelters and getting rescued, or finding meat.

Simon goes off by himself into the dense jungle and worms his way into the thickest part.

Chapter 4 - Painted Faces and Long Hair

Roger bullies three littluns playing, then watches their games. Even they are disagreeing and fighting.

Jack paints his face as camouflage to help him hunt a pig and goes off with his hunters.

Ralph spots a ship on the horizon, but the hunters have let the fire go out, making it impossible for the ship to know they are there and denying them rescue. The hunters return triumphant with a pig, but have to face Ralph's anger. In the argument that follows, Jack breaks half of Piggy's glasses.

They all cook the pig and eat it, although Jack is initially unwilling to share. The hunters are still excited and raise a chant, "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in."

Chapter 5 - Beast from Water

Ralph immediately calls an assembly in the darkness. He tries to clarify his thoughts as he prepares for it, and wishes he could think as clearly as Piggy.

At the meeting, Ralph tries to re-establish rules. Then he tries to confront the fear everyone is feeling about a beast. Piggy claims there can be no beast; Simon suggests the beast is 'only us'. The discussion gets more heated, with boys snatching the conch from each other to talk and breaking the rules.

Jack declares he and his hunters will find the beast and starts a wild dance that Ralph is powerless to stop.

Piggy wishes for some grown-ups to keep order. Ralph wishes for a sign from the grown-up world.

Chapter 6 - Beast from Air

Ironically, that sign appears: late that night, a parachutist's body lands on the island, the victim of an aerial battle. Sam and Eric, tending the fire, see the body and believe it to be the beast.

Jack volunteers to lead an expedition to find the beast. After a dispute about whether the signal fire or finding the beast is more important, they set out to the far rocks, the only unexplored place on the island. Ralph bravely crosses to the rock first to confront the beast, followed by Jack. When it is clear there is no beast, the others come, and they realise it is a great place for a fort.

Jack and his followers want to stay at the fort, but in the end Ralph convinces everyone to go back to the mountain and make a fire.

Chapter 7 - Shadows and Tall Trees

As the party walk back through the jungle, Ralph feels anxious at how dirty and uncivilised he is becoming, and is worried about his position as chief. He dreams of his home, yet Simon reassures him, saying he is sure he will get back.

Jack and his followers approach a pig, but it escapes, then they play at killing a pig - almost too violently.

When night falls, the older ones wonder whether to continue the hunt for the beast or rejoin the little ones. In the end, Ralph, Jack and Roger go on while the others return. They climb through the burnt area of the mountain and when they reach the parachutist's body, the wind makes it rear up. They run away, terrified, thinking it must be the beast.

Chapter 8 - A Gift for the Darkness

Now the threat of a beast is more real, the tension between Jack and Ralph increases. Jack calls an assembly, and when the boys vote for Ralph to remain as chief, Jack declares he is not going to 'play' any more and goes off by himself.

Ralph and the others, knowing that they can no longer rely on Jack and his followers to keep the fire going on the mountain, start a fire down by the bathing pool.

Jack and his small group kill a pig and leave the head on a stick in a clearing, as an offering to the beast. Simon, hiding in the clearing, sees it all. He stays on when the others leave, staring hypnotised at the bloody head, which is now covered in flies.

Jack and his hunters swoop on Ralph, Piggy and the others and steal wood to make a fire for a pig feast. Jack invites everyone to eat meat - if they join his tribe.

Meanwhile, Simon - dehydrated and ill - imagines the pig's head talking to him and mocking him. He has an epileptic fit.

Chapter 9 - A View to a Death

Simon wakes in the night and discovers the dead body of the parachutist. He realises that this must be 'the beast' and, after freeing the tangled lines from the rocks, sets off to tell the others.

Ralph learns from Piggy that Samneric and Bill have gone to Jack's group to get meat. They decide to go too, to eat meat and find out what's going on.

Everyone else (except Simon) is already there, laughing and singing. Jack is in the middle, giving orders like a king. He commands his gang to give meat to Ralph and Piggy, then he asks who will join his group. Ralph protests that he still is chief.

The dispute is interrupted by thunder and lightning which makes the boys uneasy. Jack orders them to dance the pig hunting dance - Kill the Beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! The chant becomes frenzied, so when Simon stumbles into the middle of the group with his news, they kill him.

The parachutist's dead body is lifted out to sea by the wind and Simon's dead body gently drifts away from the beach.

Chapter 10 - The Shell and the Glasses

Piggy and Ralph discuss the events of the previous night without actually mentioning Simon's death, which shows how anxious they are about what happened.

Jack is now a real chief, with a painted face and a tribe of 'savages'. He beats those he's angry with and wields full control.

Ralph, Piggy and Samneric make another fire on the beach to create smoke in the hope of rescue. They feel better when they have completed the work. Ralph relaxes and dreams of home.

Suddenly, the calm is interrupted by Jack and two hunters who invade the shelters and begin a fight. They leave triumphant with Piggy's glasses, rendering Piggy near blind and helpless.

Chapter 11 - Castle Rock

Ralph, Piggy and Samneric hold an assembly with just a few littluns - everyone else is now in Jack's tribe. They are bitter against Jack for having stolen Piggy's glasses, their one chance of rescue. Piggy is determined to get them back, so they set out with the conch. They wish they looked smarter, to prove how civilised they still are.

Painted savages guard the camp while Jack is out hunting. When Jack returns, he argues with Ralph about Piggy's glasses. Jack orders Samneric to be tied up. Piggy bravely takes the conch and stands to speak, despite being able to see almost nothing. He tells the savages to stop acting 'like a crowd of kids', so they become angry. Roger, high on the cliff, heaves a rock loose. It strikes Piggy and kills him. The conch is shattered too.

Jack, unaffected by Piggy's death, claims he is now Chief as the conch is broken. He assumes complete control. Ralph is alone.

Chapter 12 - Cry of the Hunters

Ralph lies hidden and afraid. Everyone else is now part of Jack's tribe. He comes across the pig's head on the stick and, in sudden anger, destroys it with his bare hands.

Ralph meets Samneric who warn him to be careful - Roger is especially dangerous. They help him find a place to hide. He tries to sleep.

Early next day, Jack forces Samneric to reveal Ralph's hiding place. The tribe heave another rock down the mountain near to where Ralph is hidden, but he is not hit. Next they light a fire to try to smoke him out. The fire takes hold.

The situation gets worse and worse - Ralph begins to panic, knowing Jack is out to kill him. He tries to hide, but the savages find him. He bursts out and runs wildly - straight into a naval officer who has landed on the island to investigate the smoke.

The officer is shocked when Ralph says that two boys have died. Ralph claims that he is the leader - then bursts into tears. The officer turns away, embarrassed.