Lord of the Flies Chapter 1 Worksheet for 13-Year-Olds | Middle School English

Instructions

Read the following questions carefully. Answer each question in complete sentences, using details from Chapter 1, "The Sound of the Shell," of Lord of the Flies to support your answers.

Part 1: Comprehension Check

Answer the following questions to show your understanding of the chapter's main events and characters.

1. How did the boys end up on the island?
2. Describe the first two characters we meet, Ralph and Piggy. What is one major physical difference and one major personality difference between them?
3. What object do Ralph and Piggy find in the lagoon? What do they use it for, and what is the immediate result?
4. Who is elected as the leader or "chief"? Why do the boys vote for him?
5. Who is Jack Merridew? What group of boys is he already in charge of, and what new role is he given?
6. At the end of the chapter, Ralph, Jack, and Simon go exploring. What do they encounter, and why does Jack hesitate to act?

Part 2: Thinking Deeper

These questions ask you to think critically about the characters and symbols in the chapter.

1. The conch shell is a very important object. Besides its practical use for calling meetings, what might it symbolize or represent for the boys at this point in the story?
2. Piggy has many intelligent ideas, but the other boys, especially Ralph, often dismiss him. Why do you think he is not treated with more respect?
3. The boys establish rules almost immediately. What does this desire for rules and order tell us about them and the society they came from?

Part 3: Vocabulary Builder

Define the following words from the chapter. Try to explain them in your own words.

• Efflorescence:
• Enmity:
• Decorous:
• Hiatus:

Part 4: Creative Response

Imagine you have just crash-landed on the island with the other boys. After the initial shock, what would be your first three priorities? List them and briefly explain why each one is important for survival and for the group.

Answer Key

Part 1: Comprehension Check

1. The boys were on a plane that was shot down during a wartime evacuation. The plane crashed, leaving a "scar" in the jungle, and the surviving boys were left stranded on the island.
2. Ralph is described as fair-haired, athletic, and having a calm confidence. Piggy is overweight, wears glasses ("specs"), and suffers from asthma. In terms of personality, Ralph is a natural, charismatic leader, while Piggy is more intellectual, cautious, and logical.
3. They find a large, cream and pink conch shell. Piggy realizes it can be used as a trumpet, and when Ralph blows it, the sound calls all the scattered boys on the island together for their first meeting.
4. Ralph is elected chief. The boys vote for him primarily because he is the one who blew the conch and brought them all together. He also has a "stillness" and attractive appearance that makes him seem like a leader.
5. Jack Merridew is the leader of the choirboys. He is tall, thin, red-haired, and has an aggressive, authoritative personality. He is put in charge of his choir, who are designated as the hunters.
6. They encounter a piglet tangled in the jungle creepers. Jack raises his knife to kill it but hesitates and is unable to. The piglet escapes. He hesitates because of the "enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh." He is not yet savage enough to kill.

Part 2: Thinking Deeper

(Note: Answers may vary but should include similar points.)

1. The conch symbolizes order, democracy, civilization, and authority. The person holding the conch has the right to speak, which establishes a sense of rules and fairness in their meetings. It represents the structured world they came from.
2. Piggy is not respected because he is physically different (fat, asthmatic) and seen as an outsider. His cautious, adult-like way of speaking can come across as whiny, and he doesn't fit the boys' ideal of what a leader or hero should be. They value strength and charisma (like Ralph's) over intellect (like Piggy's).
3. The immediate desire for rules shows that the boys are still heavily influenced by the civilization they left behind. They understand that for a society to function, there must be order, leadership, and agreed-upon conduct. It shows their instinct to replicate the adult world.

Part 3: Vocabulary Builder

(Note: Definitions should be similar to these.)

• Efflorescence: The action of flowering or blossoming. (In the book, it's used to describe the blooming look of the coral reef).
• Enmity: A state of deep-seated hatred or hostility.
• Decorous: Behaving in a proper, polite, and respectable way.
• Hiatus: A pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process.

Part 4: Creative Response

(Note: Answers will vary. Evaluate based on logic and explanation. A good answer will focus on core survival needs.)

Example Answer:

1. Find a source of fresh water: This is the most critical priority because you can only survive a few days without water. I would look for a stream or river inland.
2. Build a shelter: Protection from the elements (sun, rain, wind) and any potential animals at night is essential for safety and health. It would also provide a central, safe place for the group.
3. Create a signal fire: While shelter and water are for immediate survival, the ultimate goal is rescue. A large, smoky fire on the highest point of the island would be the best way to signal any passing ships or planes.