Saturday, April 3, 2010

What rule does Ralph establish?

In Chapter 2, Ralph, Jack, and Simon return from their first expedition on the island and hold an assembly. After Ralph explains to the group of boys that they are stranded on an uninhabited island, Jack interrupts him and says that they'll need hunters to kill the numerous pigs. Ralph then creates the first rule on the island. Ralph comments that they cannot have everybody speaking at once during the assemblies, so they will take turns holding the conch shell to address the group. Whenever a person is holding the conch shell during a meeting, no one is allowed speak over them. This system of taking turns is both democratic and civil. The conch shell is an important symbol of civility and structure throughout the novel. As the story progresses, Jack begins to speak over others and breaks the rule of not talking when someone is holding the conch during an assembly.

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