Lord of the Flies Comprehension Test
Chapter 1 (14 marks available)
1) What colour is:
a. Ralph’s hair? Fair
b. Jack’s hair? Red
2) List 3 things you find out about Piggy in chapter 1? Fat/asthma/ glasses/ lives with Aunty/ can’t swim
3) What is the thing that most excites the boys about being on the island at the start of the novel? No grown ups
4) What might the physical ‘scar’ of the plan wreck suggest about Golding’s views on humans and our relationship with
the world? Humans damage natural world/ like Garden of Eden
5) What are 2 good ideas that Piggy comes up with in this chapter? Use conch to get attention/ make inventory of boys’
names
6) What is Jack in charge of at the beginning of the novel? choir
7) Complete the quotation:
‘Let’s have a vote/’
‘Yes.’
‘Vote for chief.’
‘This ……toy…………………….of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch.
8) Why does Ralph nominate Jack to be in charge of the hunters? To give him a role/ chance to be in charge of something
too/ so he doesn’t become jealous
9) Complete the quotation:
‘Echoes and birds flew, white and pink dust floated, the forest further down shook as with the passage of an
enraged …monster……………’
10) Jack doesn’t take the opportunity to do something at the end of chapter 1, and vows that next time he will. What is it?
Kill the pig
Chapter 2 17 marks available
1) a) How do the boys decide to use the conch during their meetings? Hold it to speak
b) What might the conch be seen as a symbol of? democracy
2) List 2 books that the boys refer to in Chapter 2 as examples of what they hope their time on the island will be like.
Treasure Island/ Swallows and Amazons/ Coral Island
3) a) What animal does the boy with the birth mark first compare the beastie to? snake
b) What could this be seen as a religious allegory to? Snake in Garden of Eden
4) How does Ralph react to the conversation about the beastie in this chapter? Tries to deny its existence
5) What does Jack suggest using Piggy’s glasses for in chapter 2? Lighting the fire
6) a) Why do the boys first come up with the idea to build a fire? So they can be rescued and return to civilsiation
b) What is ironic about how the fire is used at the end of the novel? Used to kill
7) Why does the signal fire end up going out? Boys get distracted
8) a) Name the 2 animals that the fire that breaks out in the forest is likened to. Squirrel/ jaguar
b) Number the order that the animals come in. 1) squirrel 2) jaguar
9) a) Who is the first person to die on the island? Boy with birthmark
b) How could this be significant in the context of who the Nazis persecuted? Killed people with disability
10) Finish the quotation that describes the sound of the fire that is raging in the forest:
‘The separate noises of the fire merged into a …drum-roll……… that seemed to shake the mountain.’
, Chapter 3 10 marks available
1) What weapon does Jack use to hunt with? Sharpened stick
2) Is Jack successful with hunting the pig at the start of this chapter? no
3) Why is it taking the boys a long time to time to build the huts? Keep wandering off
4) Finish the quotation:
‘He [Jack] tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was …swallowing…….him up.’
5) What is Jack and Ralph’s first argument about in this chapter? Building fire/ hunting pig
6) How do Jack and Ralph believe the littlun’s feel in this chapter? scared
7) Finish the quotation:
‘If you’re hunting sometimes you catch yourself feeling as if -.’ He flushed suddenly.
‘There’s nothing in it of course. Just a feeling. But you can feel as if you’re not hunting, but - being hunted…;
as if something’s behind you all the time in the jungle.’
8) Who is the other boy that helps Ralph try and build the huts in this chapter? Simon
9) How does Simon help the littlun’s at the end of this chapter? Gets them fruit from top of trees
10) Where does Simon go to at the end of this chapter? Into heart of forest
Chapter 4 12 marks available
1) What is the generic title given to the younger boys in this chapter? Littluns
2) Why did Roger throw the stones ‘around’ Henry and not ‘at’ him? The taboo of his old life. The memory of policemen
and school teachers etc.
3) What reason does Jack give for painting his face? Camouflage to catch the pig
4) Complete the quotation: ‘ ___ The mask______ was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame
and self-consciousness.’
5) Give three reasons why the bigguns viewed Piggy as an ‘outsider’. Fat, asthma, didn't do physical work, specs
6) What did Simon see that excited everybody? Ship
7) Why was their hope dashed? Fire had gone out
8) What are the hunters chanting when they return from their first hunt? Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood
9) What happens to Piggy’s glasses in this chapter? Jack breaks one lens
10) How does Golding show Simon’s goodness in this chapter? He retrieves Piggy's glasses and shares his meat with him
Chapter 5 11 marks available
1) Who makes a strong case that the beast could not possibly exist? Jack
2) How does the boys’ fear of the beast help Jack? He manipulates it to make them rely on him.
3) Why does Ralph call a meeting late in the evening? He wants to put things straight. The others haven't been pulling
their weight. Wrong priorities.
4) Who helped Ralph to build the shelters? Simon
5) What does Simon say the beast is? Bonus mark for a direct quotation 'maybe, it's only us.'
6) Complete the quotation: ‘__Bollocks_________ to the rules’
7) What happens at the end of the meeting? Jack ran off and the boys followed him
8) Why is Ralph reluctant to blow the conch again? If the boys don't come back, the conch will be meaningless.
9) Why is Piggy insistent that Ralph remain chief? He's scared of what Jack would do without Ralph to protect him.
10) Who do Piggy and Ralph wish for a message from, at the end of the chapter? Grown ups.
Chapter 1 (14 marks available)
1) What colour is:
a. Ralph’s hair? Fair
b. Jack’s hair? Red
2) List 3 things you find out about Piggy in chapter 1? Fat/asthma/ glasses/ lives with Aunty/ can’t swim
3) What is the thing that most excites the boys about being on the island at the start of the novel? No grown ups
4) What might the physical ‘scar’ of the plan wreck suggest about Golding’s views on humans and our relationship with
the world? Humans damage natural world/ like Garden of Eden
5) What are 2 good ideas that Piggy comes up with in this chapter? Use conch to get attention/ make inventory of boys’
names
6) What is Jack in charge of at the beginning of the novel? choir
7) Complete the quotation:
‘Let’s have a vote/’
‘Yes.’
‘Vote for chief.’
‘This ……toy…………………….of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch.
8) Why does Ralph nominate Jack to be in charge of the hunters? To give him a role/ chance to be in charge of something
too/ so he doesn’t become jealous
9) Complete the quotation:
‘Echoes and birds flew, white and pink dust floated, the forest further down shook as with the passage of an
enraged …monster……………’
10) Jack doesn’t take the opportunity to do something at the end of chapter 1, and vows that next time he will. What is it?
Kill the pig
Chapter 2 17 marks available
1) a) How do the boys decide to use the conch during their meetings? Hold it to speak
b) What might the conch be seen as a symbol of? democracy
2) List 2 books that the boys refer to in Chapter 2 as examples of what they hope their time on the island will be like.
Treasure Island/ Swallows and Amazons/ Coral Island
3) a) What animal does the boy with the birth mark first compare the beastie to? snake
b) What could this be seen as a religious allegory to? Snake in Garden of Eden
4) How does Ralph react to the conversation about the beastie in this chapter? Tries to deny its existence
5) What does Jack suggest using Piggy’s glasses for in chapter 2? Lighting the fire
6) a) Why do the boys first come up with the idea to build a fire? So they can be rescued and return to civilsiation
b) What is ironic about how the fire is used at the end of the novel? Used to kill
7) Why does the signal fire end up going out? Boys get distracted
8) a) Name the 2 animals that the fire that breaks out in the forest is likened to. Squirrel/ jaguar
b) Number the order that the animals come in. 1) squirrel 2) jaguar
9) a) Who is the first person to die on the island? Boy with birthmark
b) How could this be significant in the context of who the Nazis persecuted? Killed people with disability
10) Finish the quotation that describes the sound of the fire that is raging in the forest:
‘The separate noises of the fire merged into a …drum-roll……… that seemed to shake the mountain.’
, Chapter 3 10 marks available
1) What weapon does Jack use to hunt with? Sharpened stick
2) Is Jack successful with hunting the pig at the start of this chapter? no
3) Why is it taking the boys a long time to time to build the huts? Keep wandering off
4) Finish the quotation:
‘He [Jack] tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was …swallowing…….him up.’
5) What is Jack and Ralph’s first argument about in this chapter? Building fire/ hunting pig
6) How do Jack and Ralph believe the littlun’s feel in this chapter? scared
7) Finish the quotation:
‘If you’re hunting sometimes you catch yourself feeling as if -.’ He flushed suddenly.
‘There’s nothing in it of course. Just a feeling. But you can feel as if you’re not hunting, but - being hunted…;
as if something’s behind you all the time in the jungle.’
8) Who is the other boy that helps Ralph try and build the huts in this chapter? Simon
9) How does Simon help the littlun’s at the end of this chapter? Gets them fruit from top of trees
10) Where does Simon go to at the end of this chapter? Into heart of forest
Chapter 4 12 marks available
1) What is the generic title given to the younger boys in this chapter? Littluns
2) Why did Roger throw the stones ‘around’ Henry and not ‘at’ him? The taboo of his old life. The memory of policemen
and school teachers etc.
3) What reason does Jack give for painting his face? Camouflage to catch the pig
4) Complete the quotation: ‘ ___ The mask______ was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame
and self-consciousness.’
5) Give three reasons why the bigguns viewed Piggy as an ‘outsider’. Fat, asthma, didn't do physical work, specs
6) What did Simon see that excited everybody? Ship
7) Why was their hope dashed? Fire had gone out
8) What are the hunters chanting when they return from their first hunt? Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood
9) What happens to Piggy’s glasses in this chapter? Jack breaks one lens
10) How does Golding show Simon’s goodness in this chapter? He retrieves Piggy's glasses and shares his meat with him
Chapter 5 11 marks available
1) Who makes a strong case that the beast could not possibly exist? Jack
2) How does the boys’ fear of the beast help Jack? He manipulates it to make them rely on him.
3) Why does Ralph call a meeting late in the evening? He wants to put things straight. The others haven't been pulling
their weight. Wrong priorities.
4) Who helped Ralph to build the shelters? Simon
5) What does Simon say the beast is? Bonus mark for a direct quotation 'maybe, it's only us.'
6) Complete the quotation: ‘__Bollocks_________ to the rules’
7) What happens at the end of the meeting? Jack ran off and the boys followed him
8) Why is Ralph reluctant to blow the conch again? If the boys don't come back, the conch will be meaningless.
9) Why is Piggy insistent that Ralph remain chief? He's scared of what Jack would do without Ralph to protect him.
10) Who do Piggy and Ralph wish for a message from, at the end of the chapter? Grown ups.
