The SparkNotes message board on Lord of the Flies has a signal to noise ratio that is better than many message boards. However, it could be much better. There are too many people just begging for help for their essay that’s due in tomorrow.
You are the most lively and bright bunch of young people that I have had the pleasure of sharing this novel with, so I reckon you can improve things on there, even at this stage in your studies.
I would like you to go to the message board and make at least one positive contribution to at least one of the threads on that board. To do this you will need to sign up for an account but this is free, and you can opt out of receiving any newletters or information from sponsors if you wish. If anyone doesn’t have an email address, or you don’t want to use your own address, you can use your school email account (<yourlogonnumber>@mcauley.org.uk).
I would then like you to add a comment to this post, pasting in a link to your message board post (eg.http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1230784&t=348390&w=1) – just select the address of the post from the address bar, copy it, then paste it into your comment).
If anybody’s struggling with the technical aspects of this, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of people in the group who can help you out! You might also wish to take a look at some of the Lord of the Flies resouce links on the Lord of the Flies page over on this site (click on the link over there ➡ )
I look forward to reading your posts and comments (if the internet and the school network are behaving themselves: if not you’ll just have to crack on with Chapter 8).
It would obviously be preferable for your posts to include some evidence of the understanding you have been gaining as we have studied the novel, by contributing an answer to someone’s question, or adding to an ongoing discussion, but you may have an interesting question of your own that you would like to post.
Heald English 
No problem Mr. Heald. I’m finding this useful. By the way what else could Piggy’s glasses represent apart from intelligence and common sense of the group?
Emma (and everyone!),
When you look at a symbol (or a metaphor or simile) it’s worth considering not only the most direct thing(s) symbolised, but also at the connotations of the thing used as the symbol or image.
For example, if you say glasses represent intelligence and common-sense, what might the use of glasses to represent them indicate? Well, the glasses are used to light the fire; to get round a problem. So they also signify the practical value of intelligence: it’s not just a mental quality. On the other hand the glasses are easily broken (one of the lenses is smashed early on). maybe this represents the fragility of intelligence and common sense, how they can easily be overcome by accident or force?
They also of course help people to see, so maybe there is symbolism of inward sight, or insight, there.
Does that help?
Yeah. I replied to this other blog thingy on the sparknotes saying it’s used to light the fire, which is used to get them rescued. So perhaps it could also represent hope and chance of rescue. And when Jack punches Piggy and breaks his glasses, I thought this could signify how little Jack cares of rescue. When I read on I thought about this and got the impression Jack really is in it for the long run.
Sir the comments I’m leaving on sparknotes are under the username cheeseroxmysox (hey, its easy to remember. lol). I have currently opened a new thread on sparknotes asking about Simon and the pigs head at http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1234343&t=349320&w=1 so if anyone wants to help me out then please feel free to reply to my thread. I’m trying to get as many idea’s about the idea of ‘pigs head- figment or not’ as I can. Thank you.
Comment by Emma-Louise — November 23, 2006 @ 3:21 pm | Edit This
http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1234346&t=346177&w=1
sir thisis the link to my comment my userename is mark92
http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1237316&s=3&t=349320
here you go
http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1237339&s=3&t=350121
Sir, this is the link to my comment under the username moleman3.
Here’s the link for my post on sparknotes. Username – Philippa_K
http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1237342&s=3&t=349376
Sorry – link didn’t come up. Here you go!
http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=451&m=1237343&s=3&t=34932
heres a long post with lots of words……