The Fire is another great example of an otherwise ordinary object being of special significance to the story. You'll want to pay attention to:
- What the fire is
- When it appears, what happens when it appears, and how the story is affected when it appears
- What it's function is (what it is used for)
- How the characters view the fire
...And, MOST IMPORTANTLY, how the the meaning of the fire CHANGES for the boys over the course of the story
The fire is extremely important to the boys because they believe it is their one chance they can be rescued, and go back home. If a ship out at sea sees the fire, they might come and see what it is ll about and find the boys. Some characters view the fire differently than others, for example Jack doesn't really think the fire is that big of a deal (which is probably why he let the fire die out while he and the rest of the hunters killed the pig) but Ralph thinks the fire is crucial to their survival, making sure it continues to flame at all times. I believe the boys are not really sure which person to follow or agree with because they are torn between the two boys.
ReplyDeleteUmmm...perfect answer?
ReplyDeleteVery good, Katherine. You hit the nail on the head with the fire symbolizing hope and rescue. I really like how you talk about the boys being torn with the importance of it, though. There is going to be a "moment" later in the book when the symbolic meaning of the fire, Simon, and Jack coincide and you'll see how it all turns out.
Just to add on to Katherine's idea: I think that when the fire runs low or burns out, symbolizes that they lost all hope of being rescued.
ReplyDeleteI think that on the island they need to get their priorities straight because they aren't all on the same page about what is more important on the island. They all have different opinions about what is more important... fire or food. I agree 100% with Katherine and Nick
ReplyDeleteI also agree with everybody that the boys think that they're only chance of
ReplyDeletebeing rescued is the fire. I also think that the fire a type of security
not just from the beast but from there homesickness.