In chapter six of Lord of the Flies, a sign comes from the adult world--a sign Ralph wished for. What does the parachutist represent? How does Golding use him to convey the truth about adults? (Remember I want these posts to be YOUR opinions, not something you have gotten from search summaries and commentaries; I will not give credit to replies that are not original) (This post closes at midnight on Thursday, April 22nd).
3 comments:
The sign Ralph wished for from the adult world came at night, so Ralph missed it while he was asleep. The parachutist makes it apparent that there is still a war taking place. After our discussion in class, it is apparent that the parachutist represents the ‘beastie’ on the island. Sam and Eric convey the parachutist as the beastie, and they cause all of the other boys to become filled with fear even more. It also symbolizes that humans are the true version of the ‘beastie’. Golding uses the parachutist to emphasize that the adults do not even know the boys are stranded on the island. The adults are caught up in the action of the war, and the boys must become young adults in order to survive. Golding also uses the parachutist to illustrate that every human has a ‘beastie’ within him or her.
GG-0
When Ralph wishes for a sign from the adult world, he shows that he still holds out hope that someone will come to rescue him and the other boys. However, when this sign actually appears, it terrifies everyone on the island. The parachutist is definitely a sign that the outside world still exists; it is exactly what Ralph had been hoping for. However, it ends up doing more harm than good. The fire cannot be re-lit, and all of the boys are frightened. Golding is illustrating that people have to be careful what they wish for. Ralph's wish was fulfilled, but it in turn triggered a negative chain of events. Also, the fact that this adult is a dead soldier illustrates that the adults of the world are not so different from the children on the island. The men of the world fight wars while the boys of the island bicker and argue. The adults do their fighting on a much grander scale. The fact that adults have the ability to fight in wars and lead adult lives is what gives them their authority. In addition, simply the fact that they are older grants them a certain amount of power, just as Henry was able to rule over the two younger boys when they were playing with the sandcastles. There is a fine line between childhood and adulthood because all people, no matter what age, are human.
LSt.-0
The parachutist landing on the mountain represents a lack of control. He fell from the sky, probably because he lost control of his aircraft. Another fighter in the war removed the parachutist’s control over his own body by killing him. Now, on the mountain, his body is at the mercy of the wind, and the boys’ uncontrollable imaginations exaggerate the parachutist’s appearance until they think a beast is loose on the mountaintop. The fear created by the parachutist is beyond the reach of any control Ralph and the other biguns might have over the littluns and themselves, and chaos ensues. Aside from using the parachutist to represent the lack of control, Golding reveals a truth about adults through the parachutist. Adults are the same as the boys on the island. The adults are in conflict over war, like the boys are in conflict over leadership and obedience. Adults are vulnerable; they are not all-powerful beings. Also, adults can be misunderstood, just as some of the boys were on the day of the first meeting. The parachutist is not seen clearly and is taken for a beast, and in a way that represents how several of the boys were judged on their first impressions. When they first came to the island, the boys were not seen for who they truly are; they were judged upon their actions at the first meeting, and those first impressions have defined their place on the island ever since. Piggy is the best example of this. He will always be viewed by the other boys as a bumbling fatty, and no amount of intelligence on his part will change their minds. Judgments about people (adults and children) are made daily based upon first impressions, even in today's society. Ultimately, Golding uses the parachutists to say that adults are simply larger versions of the boys.
JJ-0
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