Unit 5Unit 5

Literary Term FocusLiterary Term Focus

1. Allegory1. Allegory

• A narrative that serves as an A narrative that serves as an extended metaphor.extended metaphor.

• Written in many forms including Written in many forms including poems and stories.poems and stories.

• Main purpose is to tell a story that Main purpose is to tell a story that has characters, a setting, as well as has characters, a setting, as well as other symbols, that have literal and other symbols, that have literal and figurative meanings. figurative meanings.

Allegory continuedAllegory continued

In In Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies there is a there is a deliberate symbolic deliberate symbolic superstructure. superstructure.

• Jack’s masculine Jack’s masculine name and name and perverted form of perverted form of leadership link him leadership link him with dark forces.with dark forces.

• Piggy’s “soft” Piggy’s “soft” name and name and ignorance link him ignorance link him with innocence.with innocence.

Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies is an allegory is an allegory on three levels:on three levels:

1.1. PoliticalPolitical

2.2. ReligiousReligious

3.3. PsychologicalPsychological

As a political allegory-As a political allegory-

• State of the world when Golding wrote State of the world when Golding wrote was at the end of WWII.was at the end of WWII.

• World was divided into two camps, the World was divided into two camps, the free world and the Soviets (much like free world and the Soviets (much like the two camps of Ralph and Jack).the two camps of Ralph and Jack).

• Cold War Era- fears of atomic Cold War Era- fears of atomic destruction.destruction.

• Novel serves as a warning to the Novel serves as a warning to the leaders of the world.leaders of the world.

As a psychological allegoryAs a psychological allegory

• Characters personify the different aspects Characters personify the different aspects of the human psyche (the id, the super ego, of the human psyche (the id, the super ego, and the ego).and the ego).

• Jack= id= part of the unconscious mind that Jack= id= part of the unconscious mind that always works to gratify its own impulse.always works to gratify its own impulse.

• Piggy= super ego= part of the mind that Piggy= super ego= part of the mind that seeks to control impulsive behavior. Piggy seeks to control impulsive behavior. Piggy reminds others of responsibilities.reminds others of responsibilities.

• Ralph= ego= conscious mind that mediates Ralph= ego= conscious mind that mediates between id’s demand for pleasure and between id’s demand for pleasure and super ego’s social pressure.super ego’s social pressure.

As a religious allegoryAs a religious allegory

• Setting is like the Garden of Eden.Setting is like the Garden of Eden.

• Perfect island with good food, Perfect island with good food, weather, water.weather, water.

• Beastie is the snake in the Garden of Beastie is the snake in the Garden of Eden.Eden.

• Two people represent the fall of Two people represent the fall of mankind.mankind.

• Allusions to Cain and Able and Christ.Allusions to Cain and Able and Christ.

2. Symbolism2. Symbolism

• Plays an important part in the Plays an important part in the development of the plot.development of the plot.

• Technique that Golding uses to give Technique that Golding uses to give significance to certain objects and people significance to certain objects and people that represent something else.that represent something else.

• As you are reading pay careful attention to As you are reading pay careful attention to these items that are symbols: glasses, these items that are symbols: glasses, conch shell, the island, and war paint. conch shell, the island, and war paint.

• You will definitely find more but these are You will definitely find more but these are the most notable.the most notable.

3.Bildungsroman3.Bildungsroman

• Literally means a Literally means a formation novelformation novel

• Describes the Describes the “coming-of-age” of “coming-of-age” of an untried/naïve an untried/naïve youth.youth.

• Pay attention to Pay attention to what happens to what happens to Jack and RalphJack and Ralph

4. Deux ex machina4. Deux ex machina

• Unforeseen rescuer.Unforeseen rescuer.

• An officer is this in the novel.An officer is this in the novel.

5.Irony5.Irony

• An implied discrepancy between An implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant.what is said and what is meant.

• Rampant throughout the novel.Rampant throughout the novel.

• Golding is a master at using this as a Golding is a master at using this as a technique to affect the reader.technique to affect the reader.

• All three types evident in the novel All three types evident in the novel (verbal, situational, and dramatic).(verbal, situational, and dramatic).

6. Oxymoron6. Oxymoron

• A figure of speech A figure of speech that combines two that combines two contradictory contradictory terms.terms.

• Look at the title- a Look at the title- a lord and flies?lord and flies?

7. Allusion7. Allusion

• References to a well known person, References to a well known person, place, or thing in a work of literature.place, or thing in a work of literature.

• Pay attention to the idyllic adventure Pay attention to the idyllic adventure novels Golding references novels Golding references throughout the book. He was quite throughout the book. He was quite critical of them in real life.critical of them in real life.

8. Themes8. Themes

• A unifying idea or recurring elementA unifying idea or recurring element

• Look for these as you read the novel:Look for these as you read the novel:

A) The nature of evilA) The nature of evil

B) Man’s need for civilizationB) Man’s need for civilization

C) Innocence and its lossC) Innocence and its loss

D) PowerD) Power

E) Blindness and sightE) Blindness and sight

F) Loss of identityF) Loss of identity

9. Tone9. Tone

• The writer’s attitude towards his The writer’s attitude towards his material and/or readers.material and/or readers.

• Golding’s tone is that of a lecturer.Golding’s tone is that of a lecturer.

• He tries to teach us and warn us He tries to teach us and warn us about our own evil.about our own evil.

• Maintained throughout the book.Maintained throughout the book.

• Writing style is neutral.Writing style is neutral.

10. Style10. Style

• Author’s manner of expression.Author’s manner of expression.

• How a writer or speaker says what he How a writer or speaker says what he says.says.

• Usually through diction, syntax, choice of Usually through diction, syntax, choice of literary techniques.literary techniques.

• Golding’s style is using a simple story to Golding’s style is using a simple story to convey a weighty idea. He uses all of the convey a weighty idea. He uses all of the literary terms in this power point as literary terms in this power point as techniques to reach his readers.techniques to reach his readers.