The Sound of the Shell
English Lit: AQA GCSE Lord of the Flies, topic 2.1.1
Ralph and Piggy
At the start of the novel, we are introduced to our two main characters: Ralph and Piggy.
Ralph and Piggy
- At the start of the novel, we are introduced to our two main characters: Ralph and Piggy.
- In the first line, Ralph is described as “the boy with fair hair”.
- The adjective “fair” may have an alternative meaning here.
- Ralph is identified as the boy who will try to be fair and treat everyone equally.
The plane crash
- The two boys emerge at the edge of the island and discuss what has happened: their plane has crashed onto the island.
- They discover that there are no adults on the island.
- Ralph and Piggy notice the damage caused by the plane crash – there is a big burned “scar” on the ground and a tree trunk has been damaged.
Human damage
- Piggy says that the plane had been attacked and had crashed. Then the plane’s cabin had hit the island (causing a “scar” on the land), before being dragged out to sea.
- This exchange shows how the beautiful island has been damaged and scarred due to the actions of humans – the first time in the novel that the evil nature of humans hurts something innocent.
Names
- Piggy coaxes Ralph to ask for his name, but Ralph does not seem to care.
- It is not until Piggy says that he doesn’t care what people call him as long as they don’t use the nickname he was given in school (“Piggy”) that Ralph pays attention.
Ralph's attitude
- Despite Piggy’s wishes, Ralph starts laughing and repeating “Piggy” over and over again.
- This interaction immediately shows Ralph’s uncaring, nasty attitude towards others.
- In his first conversation with Piggy, he deliberately humiliates him.
The Conch Shell
Piggy and Ralph are shown to be very different characters, and we learn of Ralph's desire for power.
Piggy's vulnerability
- Ralph runs into the water to swim and Piggy reluctantly follows.
- We learn that Piggy has “asthma” and does not know how to swim.
- This adds to the suggested vulnerability of Piggy.
Differences
- Ralph reveals that his dad is a commander in the Navy.
- Piggy’s parents are both dead. He lived with his aunt for a while, and then he lived at school.
- Piggy and Ralph are immediately shown to be very different characters.
- The differences between them cause friction later in the story.
The future
- Ralph is convinced that his father will come and save them from the island.
- Piggy tells him that the plane pilot had said that an atom bomb had been dropped and everyone at home was dead.
- He says that the evacuated school boys from England will die on the island, as no one knows where they are.
Power
- Piggy suggests that he and Ralph should explore the island to find any other survivors.
- Ralph smiles and Piggy thinks that Ralph appreciates his ideas and recognises his intelligence.
- However, Ralph is smiling because he thinks that he can be the boss of the island. He craves power.
The conch shell
- Ralph sees something in the water – “a shell”.
- They get the shell out of the water.
- Piggy tells Ralph it's a conch shell and tells Ralph to blow into it to summon the other boys to their location.
Test yourself on The Sound of the Shell
Which characters are we introduced to first in Lord of the Flies?
How have the boys ended up on the island in Lord of the Flies?
Events of Chapter 1
What do we learn about Piggy in Chapter 1?
What is Ralph's father's job?