HOW IS THE ISLAND A METAPHOR that Golding uses to expose the truth about good and evil? How does the wilderness of the island, this confrontation between human and nature, provide insight into the boys’ true selves? This week we will explore the island as a symbol, a device authors use to challenge our preconceived notions of society and human beings’ role in the world. Pay careful attention to the language Golding uses to describe nature, how it stands in contract with the boys’ actions, and where that intersects with our discussions around islands as metaphors.

Monday

Our first look at the island as a metaphor: Chuck Noland (get it? NO-land?) in the film Castaway, who is the sole survivor of a Fed-Ex plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, who survives five years alone on a deserted tropical island like that of Golding’s school-aged boys. We will also start reading chapter four, "Painted Faces and Long Hair.”
HW: Finish reading chapter four for homework.

Tuesday

In class discussion: how does Golding depict the boys’ challenges on the island? How is their struggle to survive depicted? We’ll keep notes in the typical Great Books style.
HW: Watch minute 25 to 45 (20 minutes total) from Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization about the foundation of Athenian democracy. Note the similarities between “Sound of the Shell” and the Ancient Greek founding of social order.

Wednesday

Second discussion on chapters one through four: Why is Simon described as being alone? What does he discover about himself when alone? Also, what impact does wearing a mask have upon our behavior?
HW: Read the first half of chapter five for class today.

Thursday

Working on small group exercise on chapters three and four.
HW: Read the second half of chapter five for class tomorrow.

Friday

Returning to the film “Castaway,” to see how Chuck Noland is struggling to survive.
HW: Finish the worksheet on chapter five.