1. The schoolchildren in Lord of the Flies are left alone on the island without adult supervision. Does this account for the change in their behavior? Explain.
2. The group of schoolmates is made up entirely of boys. Do you think a group of girls would have acted differently under the same circumstances?
3. At the beginning, Ralph is chosen as the leader of the group. Is he a poor choice for leader from the beginning? Why does the group stop paying attention to him? Why do the boys begin to follow Jack as their new leader?
4. Why do the boys seem less eager to build the fire as time passes?
5. Who is “The Beast” really? Why does the nightmare that haunts the “littlun” become a reality?
6. Sometimes people do things-especially wrong things-when they are part of a group that they would never do alone. Why is this true? Can you remember any examples from your own experience or from your reading?
7. Why do the children pick on Piggy? Is their behavior in school in any way related to the way they act when they are on the island?
8. Today, some young people join gangs. Do they do this for the same reason that the boys join Jack’s tribe?
9. If you were an adult in charge of the boys after they were rescued, how would you treat them? Would you punish them? If so, how? If not, why not?
10. Some contemporary young people attribute their drug and alcohol abuse to “peer pressure.” How does this “peer pressure” manifest itself in today’s society and on the island?
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