Chapter Eight Responses

Vocabulary and Text Structure
Why may the author have chosen one word over another?
In chapter eight, on page 126, Golding writes, "The two boys glared at each other through screens of hair." Screens is an interesting word choice here, as I would never have thought to describe hair as a screen. However, once I dug deeper, I realized why Golding used the word screens here. A screen is used to divide a room, which is exactly what is happening during this dialogue. There is a figurative screen separating Jack and his tribe from Ralph and the original tribe. The divide has finally become so wide that the whole foundation breaks, and Jack can't take it anymore. He runs away, and offers everyone else to opportunity to join him. Golding could have used many words here, such as "strands", "clumps", or even just "their", but if he did that, then this sentence loses almost all of its importance and meaning. It is able to show the reader through symbolism that the tribe is in disarray, and that not even Ralph will be able to fix it. The reader doesn't know at this point if Jack is just having an outburst and will return at nightfall, or if he is seriously leaving the tribe. Only by seeing the screen between the two tribes can the reader truly understand what has happened.
Inferences
Where does the text leave matters uncertain or unstated?
The text leaves matters unstated on page 134, where Golding wrote, "A little apart from the rest, sunk in deep maternal bliss, lay the largest sow of the lot." This is the pig that Jack and the hunters target and kill. The unstated part about this is that the book specifically refers to the pig as a sow. While this may not seem important if you were just reading the book, it is actually very important in showing us how far Jack and his tribe have fallen. The sow is the mom, and has piglets. To specifically go after a mother, with children, is absolutely evil, and it is exactly what Jack does. Why target the mother when there are other pigs around, with much less guilt involved. Jack goes after the sow because he wants to cause pain, anarchy, and chaos. The piglets will certainly be thrown into disarray, as will the rest of the pigs after seeing the mother of so many piglets brutally murdered. Jack goes after the most powerful figure in the group, which is just like when he attacks Ralph during the assembly earlier in the chapter. He knows that an organism can't function without its head, the tribe can't function without Ralph. So not only does this text shows us how dark and evil Jack can be, it also shows us just how smart and cunning he is.
Golding uses the title, Gift for the Darkness, for chapter eight. This is done because one of the main parts of the chapter is the sacrifice of the sow's head to the beast, which is the darkness referred to in the chapter title. This is so significant because this gift to the beast only unleashes it more when Simon stumbles across the "Lord of the Flies". The Lord of the Flies tells him exactly what the beast is, that it is within them, something that they can never rid themselves of. The irony here is that later, when Simon goes to tell the tribe the truth about the beast, the beast shows itself, as the tribe mistakes Simon for the beast and murders him.
Word Study:
Tremulous (pg. 126) Jack's voice went up, tremulous yet determined, pushing against the unco-operative silence.
If something is tremulous, it is shaky or quivering.
The kid's voice was tremulous as he was giving a speech.
Rebuke (pg. 128) Piggy gave up the attempt to rebuke Ralph
If someone rebukes something, they express sharp disapproval or criticism.
The boy rebuked his friend's argument.
Fervor (pg. 133) If Jack was astonished by their fervor he did not show it.
If someone has fervor, they have intense and passionate feeling.
The crowd chanted with amazing fervor.

Vocabulary and text structure
When is figurative language used and to what effect?
On pg 133 Golding uses figurative language" he was happy and wore the damp darkNess of the forest like his old clothes". This would describe a comparison between his real clothes and the outer color of the forest. This would describe his damp wet clothes being compared to the wetext or gloomy dark forests appearance.

Vocabulary and Text Structure
Why may the author have chosen one word over another?
In chapter eight, on page 126, Golding writes, "The two boys glared at each other through screens of hair." The words screens could be an alternative word due to how people don't usually describe hair with screens. They probably describe hair like strands of hair,etc. The word screen could be something to split something or to keep someone or something captive. I would compare this to ralph and his friends being separated from jack and his friends.
The author uses the title gift for the darkness to potentially tell us when the author said he sacrificed something for the beast.
Vocabulary
Fervor: passionate feeling
Demented: someone different
Rebuke$: to deny someone

Vocabulary and Text Structure
Why may have the author chosen one word over the other?

In chapter 8, on page 130, Golding writes, "The skirts of the forest and the scar were familiar, near the conch and the shelters and sufficiently friendly in daylight." The word skirts could be an alternative word because people don't usually call the floor of a forest a skirt.

Vocabulary and Text Structure
When is figurative language used and to what effect?

In the chapter, on page 125, Golding writes, "The sound of the inexpertly blown conch interrupted them. As though he were serenading the rising sun,[...]" this is a hyperbole because you cannot actually serenade the sun.

Vocabulary

contemptuously (pg. 124) "said Jack contemptuously,"
Friendly Definition - in a scornful way that shows disdain.

blundered (pg. 127) "He blundered out of the triangle toward the drop to the white sand."
Friendly Definition - make a stupid or careless mistake; act or speak clumsily.

heed (pg. 127) "He leapt down from the platform and ran along the beach, paying no heed to the steady fall of his tears;"
Friendly Definition: pay attention to; take notice of.

Vocabulary and Text Structure
When is figurative language used and to what effect?
Inferences
Where does the text leave matters uncertain or unstated?
At the end of chapter 8 the author leaves out why the lord of the flies says what he says. Acting like he was gonna keep them on the island forever, yes it was in his imagination but why did he think of those words?
  The title in chapter 8 "Gift for the Darkness" was used by Golding to show jacks evil side. And at the end when jack put a pig head on a stick Simon meets it or as its called the lord of the flies. He tells him the evil is in all of them and they can not get rid of it.
Word Study:
Sympathy (pg.128) He sought for help and sympathy and those
If someone feels sympathy they have feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else's misfortune.
Many people feel sympathy for the poor.
Obediently (pg.133) Followed him obediently.
If you do something obediently you are complying or willing to comply with orders or requests.
Well trained dogs listen to their owners obediently.
Cynicism (pg.137) Were dim inactive cynicism of adult life.
If someone things cynicism they have an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest.
Communist leaders could be an example of cynicism.

Inferences - How do the parts build to a whole?
On page 143, Simon is talking to the “Lord of the Flies” which is the pig’s head that they put on a stick. He says to Simon, “There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And i'm the beast…. fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill.” the lord of the flies is saying that the beast isn’t the dead pilot that came from the air or the beast from the water. The lord of the flies is saying that the beast is the boys themselves. The evilness that they brought to that island is the beast. The Lord of the flies is telling simon that he is the beast and that he exists in everyone. The lord of the flies portrays the beast by taunting simon like the other boys do.
2) Why did the author name this chapter “Gift for the Darkness?”
This chapter is called “Gift for the Darkness” because jack and the other hunters kill a pig, and leave its head as a gift to the beast, so that the beast won't bother them. The beast is evil, the beast is the darkness. The beast is the gift itself.
1) Demented (134) - “one piglet, with a demented shriek..”
If someone is demented, they are driven to behave irrationally due to anger, distress, or excitement.
He was a demented criminal with skills.
2) Burrowed (134) - “with a row of piglets that slept or burrowed and squeaked.”
If an animal burrows, they make a hole or tunnel, especially to use as a dwelling.
Moles burrowed away underground.
3) Laden (132) - “they were laden with fruits.”
If something is laden, it is heavily loaded or weighed down.
She brought a basket laden with tomatoes.

Opinion, Arguments, Intertextual Connections
What is your opinion about the text? What evidence do you have to support it?
At the start of chapter 8, Piggy is legitimately concerned about what they saw at the top of the mountain side. Pg.124 "Are you sure? Really sure, I mean?" Which I don’t think that’s a good sign for the brains of the group to be freaked out. Piggy has done everything with reason and intellect and if he's all of a sudden actually scared then that means something big. It says in the text that Ralph was depressed after Jack left because I think that if Jack has left then he knows more will follow suit and if he can't keep Jack under control how is Ralph supposed to keep everyone else from following Jack's awful example. This is another turning point for the book when people start to pick their inner savage ways over order and reason. One by one all the little children sneak away from Ralph and go to join Jack's tribe. Which is what probably knew they would to begin after he humiliated Ralph by making him out like he was just as scared as the littleuns. The way society has lived its life for so long now choosing the easier more satisfying route than the route that should be taken to insure their safety and freedom.

Chapter 8 is titled "Gift for the Darkness"
I think that means that as soon as Jack decided to quit and become his own group that's when he stopped listening to any real good moral part of him. He became a slave to the Devil pretty much. Doing what the Devil would have done in that situation. It wasn't much of a surprise to anyone that was following the book that Jack would turn this leaf over and show the side of himself that’s been waiting to come out. Not only is Jack one of the gifts that the "dark side" has received but also a ton of little boys always willing to be of service. They move away from where Piggy and Ralph are and make themselves isolated to get the full effect of being their own tribe and making something of themselves that otherwise with Ralph would not have happened.

Babble(129)-"The boys began to babble."
talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way
Pelted(132)-"Beyond the screen of leaves the sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced in the middle their unending dance."
attack (someone) by repeatedly hurling things at them.
Furtive(137)-"They looked suddenly furtive."
attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive.

Key Details
How did the author develop the argument, explanation, or narrative?
"You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?" Finally, the head states explicitly what Golding has been implying all along- the beast is part of the boys, it is their evil. In it’s own way, it is the reason the boys cannot leave the island- literally because their fear of the parachutist prevents them from lighting a mountain fire and metaphorically because the have become obsessed with hunting and power. The beast is not a far off enemy that needs to be fought and defeated. The beast are the boys. It is something that will never be defeated because of human nature. The evil is so much closer than we think.
Vocabulary & Text Structure
When is figurative language used and to what effect?
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" The irony is that by trying to hunt the beast and appease it with the pigs head, the boys only allow it to strengthen it’s power and hold within them.
Why did Golding titled chapter eight "Gift for the Darkness"?
Taken literally the gift might be the sow's head and guts left as an offering to the beast by Jack. Symbolically the gift is probably Jack himself. By giving credence to the imagined beast and treating it as a primitive god Jack has in effect given himself over to the real beast, the darkness or evil within himself.
Pelted (132) "Beyond this screen of leaves that sunlight pelted down and the butterflies..."
Definition - to attack or assail with repeated blows or with missiles
Sentence - If you dare try to pelt on the cop, he'll arrest you.
Demented (134) "One piglet, with a demented shriek, rushed into the seas..."
Definition - crazy; insane; mad
Sentence - Someone is insanely demented after that concert.
Awed (141) "Samneric came, talking in an awed whisper."
Definition - an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like
Sentence - If someone had an awed then I'll be afraid.

General Understanding:
What is the key idea/theme of the text? What is the evidence?
The Main idea of the chapter is the increasing desire of power in Jack who is tired of living under rules that maintained harmony in the group, he separates from the group to be Chief of his own tribe, and the creation of a real beast. On page 137 Jack's tribe made a gift for the beast, but looking closely to this topic, Simon is the only one that can notice the real meaning of the "gift" (since he represents the spiritual thinking that can understand this topic) , hearing the negativeness that the Lord of the Flies represent; the pig head confesses that he is the real beast, the beast made by man, also reveals what distortion the kids was the hunt of pigs, killing; that made up things as they are now.

Inferences:
How do the parts build to a whole?
Golding separates notoriously the paragraphs to move describe the situation of the other tribe, briefly the author talk about the creation of the "Lord of the Flies". By this the reader have a point of view of each character of the story to complete an anecdote that illustrates clear the idea that Golding wants to reflect; the most important part of this chapter is the last chunk were the author illustrates the point of view of Simon, acknowledging the meaning of all the situation and the causes of the whole problem.

The name of chapter eight might be my favorite want so far, "Gift for the Darkness" easy to understand what is the gift (the pig/the Lord of the Flies) but, Darkness; Isn't the pig supposed to be a gift for the beast? After all there is no beast; we can assume that they are just putting the pig to represent only the figure of a fear of the kids. But after the "talk" with Simon the Lord of the Flies gives a key idea to acknowledge the name of the chapter. The darkness of the forest is fear and the increasing distortion of the innocence in the kids that start killing but worst, enjoying it, a gift for the fear, a gift that makes bigger and bigger the beast that the kids are creating, because the Lord of the Flies is a creation of the humans, the real beast, as the pig head said indirectly.

Word Study:
1. Contemptuously (page 124): '“Green candles,” said Jack contemptuously. “We can’t eat them. Come on.”'
showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; disrespectful
2. Rebuke (page 128): "Piggy gave up the attempt to rebuke Ralph. He polished his glass again and went back to his subject."
to express sharp, stern disapproval of; reprove; reprimand.
3. Fervor (page 133): "If Jack was astonished by their fervor he did not show it."
great warmth and earnestness of feeling.

Vocabulary and Text Structure
Why may the author have chosen one word over another?
Golding uses the word sow instead of mamma pig because a sow is more like an adult female pig and this is more like a pig reference then a mamma pig.
Vocabulary and Text Structure
When is figurative language used and to what effect?
Golding uses personification in pg. 140 when the forest bursts into a uproar. To show the forest is angry and is trying to scare the littluns away because when Jack tells Roger to stick the sow's head on a stick. I guess the sow or The Lord of Flies got angry for them disturbing the animals.
Golding calls this chapter, Gift for the Darkness, because the darkness is the evil on the island or the beast. And Jack and the hunters kill the pig for food and sacrifice for the beast.
Word Bank:
Smut (pg.140) ...fire like a sprinter at his mark and his face was half-hidden by hair and smut.
If something is being a smut, then it is a small flake of soot or other dirt.
All those black smuts from the engine.
Batty (pg.143) They think you're a batty.
If someone is a batty, then he or she is crazy; insane.
You'll drive me batty!
Iridescent ( pg.138) They were black and iridescent green and without number.
If something is iridescent, then it gradually change colour as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes.
Examples of iridescent: soap bubbles, butterfly wings and sea shells, as well as certain minerals.

*Text depending questions
- Which details support the key idea?
In pages 139 and 142, these passages : " We can't keep one fire going. And they don't care, and what's more, I don't sometimes. Supposing I got like the others." And:" Let's go to this feast and tell them the fire's hard on the rest of us. And the hunting and all that, being savages I mean... must be jolly good fun." Support the idea that human's inside nature is the savageness and not the order and civilization. Because the 1st passage is part of a conversation bethween Piggy and Ralph, in which Ralph suggested that he is starting to be like the other boys (savage and careless about being rescued from their savage environment.) And , in the 2nd passage, when Ralph talks to the other boys, he says that being savage must be "fun."What he said suggests that inside him, he actually wants to behave savage. In conclusion,and taking into account that that Ralph is one of the few boys who still are civilized, Golding said that even the ones with more common sense and civilized hide a savage nature inside themselves.
- What is the author's purpose for writing?
In pg. 144, in this passage: " You're not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island. So don't try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else we shall do you?" Golding's purpose is to foreshadow Simon's murder to the reader, through writing in 3rd omniscient person what the Lord of the Flies warned to Simon; becuse further on the story what the boys do is to kill him.
-Why did Golding titled the 8th chapter as "Gift for the darkness"?
Because in this chapter, Jack and his hunters kill a female pig and put her head on a stick as a gift for the "beast." And the "beast" is actually the darkness inside all of the boys.

*Words I don't know:
-serenade (pg. 125): " As though he were serenading the rising sun." Friendly definition of _serenade: When you sing or play an instrument to entertain someone. Sentence with serenade: He serenaded his mother for her bitrhday.
-iridescent (pg. 138): "They were black and iridescent green and without number; and in front of Simon, the lord of the Flies hung on his stick and grinned. Friendly definition of _iridescent: A play of colors producing rainbow effects. Sentence with iridescent: And she blew thousands of iridescent bubbles.
-astonishment (pg. 139): Piggy looked at him in astonishment. Friendly definition of _astonishment: When you feel surprised about something or you didn't expect it to happen. Sentence with astonishment: And he left the public in astonishment with his poetry.

-Why does Jack leave the group?
---The boys in Lord of the Flies become obsessed by thoughts of the Beast, convinced of its existence. Ralph maintains that "the beast had teeth... and big black eyes." Ralph is the leader of the group, as voted for, even though Jack had been certain, "as head chorister",   that he should be leader. He does have his own group of "hunters," initially the choir and he enjoys the status this gives him. The beast is close to the location of their signal fire so Ralph feels "we're beaten" as without a fire they cannot be rescued. When Jack offers his hunters as a means to fight off the beast and secure the fire, Ralph mocks them, calling them "Boys armed with sticks." Jack is angry about that and storms off (all at the beginning of chapter 8 ). He then summons all the boys by blowing the conch from the platform. At this stage, the conch gets everyone's attention. Jack now has everyone's attention and wants to talk about the beast and tries to use this opportunity to try and take over as chief, calling Ralph "a coward."

-What events cause Jack to eventually leave the group led by Ralph?
---Angelacress (above) has very articulately brought out the major events leading up to the rift between Ralph and Jack. What is especially interesting is Jack's choice of words: "I'm not going to play any more." To Jack, and apparently to the majority of the boys, being stranded has become something of a game, whereas to Ralph it has always been about being rescued. Being rescued isn't "fun." Hunting pigs is fun; feasting is fun; dancing is fun; and - ultimately - killing is fun."

Key words:

1. Glowered "He glowered up under his eyebrows." (127): looked at or stared angrily or sullenly
2. Rebuke "Piggy gave up teh attempt to rebuke Ralph." (128): to criticize sharply; check or repress
3. Demure "...they had stood in two demure rows and their voices had been the songs of angels." (133): odest and reserved in manner or behavior

Vocabulary & Text Structure
When is figurative language used?
On page 133, "He was happy and wore the damp darkness of the forest like his old clothes." This is comparing Jack and the forest to his personality. Jack has a strong personality he does what he wants how he wants because he is a savage. The forest is scary to the kids because of the beast and figuratively jack is the beast.
Why have the author chosen one word over another?
on page 130, Golding writes, "The skirts of the forest and the scar were familiar, near the conch and the shelters and sufficiently friendly in daylight." The word skirts is used as the floor, most times when writing and describing the forest ground it isn't said to be a skirt. Golding didn't use ground because it sounded to plain to be in this book

I believe the chapter is called "Gift for ht darkness" becausehe sow's meat is also a gift for dark/evil behavior.

Vocab: Rebuke "Piggy gave up teh attempt to rebuke Ralph." (128): to criticize sharply; check or repressBatty (pg.143) They think you're a batty.
If someone is a batty, then he or she is crazy; insane.
that man is batty.
heed (pg. 127) "He leapt down from the platform and ran along the beach, paying no heed to the steady fall of his tears;"
Friendly Definition: pay attention to; take notice of.

Why choose one word over another?
Golding writes, "A little apart from the rest, sunk in deep maternal bliss, lay the largest sow of the lot." Golding chooses bliss other than just saying hole. I think he does this to create more meaning to the book.

He made this chapter called “gift of darkness” because this is where the boys decide to give a pig head (the gift) to the darkness (the beast)

Smut (pg.140) ...fire like a sprinter at his mark and his face was half-hidden by hair and smut.
If something is being a smut, then it is a small flake of soot or other dirt.
Pelted(pg.132)-"Beyond the screen of leaves the sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced in the middle their unending dance."
attack someone by repeatedly hurling things at them
Obediently (pg.133) Followed him obediently.
If you do something obediently you are complying or willing to comply with orders or requests.