5.1.4
Naming
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Naming
Names in the novel are very significant.
Jack Merridew
- Jack is the only main character for whom Golding provides us with a surname.
- There may be a number of reasons for this:
- Jack is important to the story and the wider moral around the inner savagery of humans and how dangerous it can be.
- Jack himself feels that he is the most important person on the island – he is arrogant and self-centred.
Jack cont.
- Reasons cont:
- Jack feels that social class is important – his surname is his family name, and he comes from an upper-class family.
- Therefore, he feels that the other boys ought to know his social status. He also looks down on Piggy, who is from a lower class.
Piggy
- Near the start of the novel, Piggy wants Ralph to ask him his name but Ralph does not.
- Piggy tells Ralph that he just doesn’t want anyone to use the nickname he gets in school: Piggy.
- Ralph immediately latches on to the name, and he is the one who reveals it to everyone else.
Piggy cont.
- Piggy is never viewed as important enough by the other boys to deserve a real name (possibly due to social class, possibly due to him being visibly different to them).
- Jack has an unhealthy, violent obsession around hunting and killing pigs – this links to his pure hatred of Piggy, as well as Piggy’s violent death.
The Littleuns
- This collective name refers to the young group of boys on the island.
- These boys represent the younger, weaker, more vulnerable members of society.
- The very adjective “little” suggests that these boys need to be protected and cared for.
Roger and the Littleuns
- The name of this group shows Roger’s evil nature immediately.
- Rather than caring for them (like Simon does), he throws rocks near them to scare them – with no provocation from them.
- Most of their names are not known to the reader.
Pawns
- The Littleuns are used as pawns in the fight for power on the island.
- Eventually, they join Jack’s tribe because he offers some protection from the “beast”.
1Context
2Story Analysis
2.2Chapter 2
2.3Chapter 3
2.4Chapter 4
2.6Chapter 6
2.7Chapter 7
2.9Chapter 9
2.10Chapter 10
2.11Chapter 11
2.12Chapter 12
3Key Characters
4Key Concepts
5Writing Techniques
6Recap: Main Quotes
6.1Characters Quotes
6.2Text Structure - Quotes
6.2.1The Sound of the Shell - Quotations6.2.2Fire on the Mountain - Quotations6.2.3Huts on the Beach - Quotations6.2.4Painted Faces & Long Hair - Quotations6.2.5Beast from the Water - Quotations6.2.6Beast From the Air - Quotations6.2.7Shadows & Tall Trees - Quotations6.2.8Gift for the Darkness - Quotations6.2.9Gift for the Darkness - Quotations 26.2.10A View to a Death - Quotations6.2.11The Shell & the Glasses - Quotations6.2.12Castle Rock - Quotations6.2.13Cry of the Hunters - Quotations
Jump to other topics
1Context
2Story Analysis
2.2Chapter 2
2.3Chapter 3
2.4Chapter 4
2.6Chapter 6
2.7Chapter 7
2.9Chapter 9
2.10Chapter 10
2.11Chapter 11
2.12Chapter 12
3Key Characters
4Key Concepts
5Writing Techniques
6Recap: Main Quotes
6.1Characters Quotes
6.2Text Structure - Quotes
6.2.1The Sound of the Shell - Quotations6.2.2Fire on the Mountain - Quotations6.2.3Huts on the Beach - Quotations6.2.4Painted Faces & Long Hair - Quotations6.2.5Beast from the Water - Quotations6.2.6Beast From the Air - Quotations6.2.7Shadows & Tall Trees - Quotations6.2.8Gift for the Darkness - Quotations6.2.9Gift for the Darkness - Quotations 26.2.10A View to a Death - Quotations6.2.11The Shell & the Glasses - Quotations6.2.12Castle Rock - Quotations6.2.13Cry of the Hunters - Quotations
Practice questions on Naming
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1
- 2Reasons Golding gives Jack's surname:Fill in the list
- 3Who reveals Piggy's nickname to all the other boys?Multiple choice
- 4Why do the Littleuns join Jack's tribe?Multiple choice
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