'The Assembly at Night' is a key scene because it signals the change in power on the island between Ralph and Jack.
When we analyse or write about a turning point, we must include:
•What happens before
•What happens during the turning point
•What the result of the turning point is
So what happens before?
Jack and Ralph have very different priorities on the island; Jack wants to hunt and kill, while Ralph wants to build shelters, maintain a fire and keep order. This clash in outlook leads to conflict when Jack ignores the most responsible duty he has – the maintenance of the fire. A ship passes and there is no smoke – battle lines between Jack and Ralph are drawn.
Ralph fails to humble Jack who has produced meat for the camp. By appealing to the boys’ immediate needs Jack wins favour from the majority of the boys who quickly forget the disappointment of the passing vessel.
Ralph, frustrated and worried, decides to call an immediate assembly. However, it is late at night and Ralph’s decision backfires. He plays directly into Jack’s hands.
What happens during the turning point?
To fully analyse this we must take notes on:
1.Ralph’s motivation for calling the assembly
2.Ralph’s performance at the start of the assembly
3.Ralph’s inability to control the meeting
4.Jack’s contribution to the assembly
5.The concerns and contributions of the other boys
What the result of the turning point is
6. the effect the assembly has on Ralph’s leadership and how we can now see Jack’s emerging dominance
Match the quotes given to each above section. You may want to create a table or use headings to do this. Make sure everyone in your group has the same notes for this part. Then, allocate an equal amount of quotes per person.
For each quote:
•Find the context
•Fully analyse the quote to reveal what it shows about the characters and the changes occurring
Discuss and share your answers to create a table each-like the one you used for your essay!
| Context |
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At the beginning of the assembly Ralph is onfused by his emotions. He is jealous of Jack’s free spirit and the others’ enjoyment of the hunt and the meat. Quote ““Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in.” Ralph watched them, envious and resentful. Not till they flagged and the chant died away, did he speak. “I’m calling an assembly.”” P94 Explanation/Analysis The fact that Ralph is simply watching them, along with word-choice of ‘envious’ and ‘resentful’, shows us that Ralph does not seem completely aware of the descent into savagery and is even jealous of the boys’ embracing of the hunt and the celebration of the kill. The singing and the chanting are symbolic of the new unity and togetherness that the boys feel. Perhaps, Ralph is “envious” because he would like to be a part of the unity of purpose or because he would like to be able to inspire such unity himself. Inversion of the sentence ‘Not until… did he speak’ creates tension and highlights the words to follow, but also explains his inability to speak until the boys were tired and weak- showing his lack of power at this time. Personal Evaluation Give your personal response to the analysis of character and scene you have just completed. In your response, answer/include: •In what ways does Chapter 5 represent a pivotal moment in the narrative? •Sum up your feelings about what Golding is trying to say about Ralph and Jack’s characters,(write a few statements about what each character is like and how you know this- do they show good leadership skills?). •Finally, state what their opposition to one another suggests about the nature of man |
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