Journal Entry - Lord of the Flies

Steven Liu

May 28, 2012

Journal Entry – How does society formed and falls in Lord of the Flies? What is the significance of the conch? 

     In the Lord of the Flies, it uses the idea of “loss of innocence” to develop through the entire story, from the very beginning were the society begins to form, and to the very last, where the destruction of the society lies. 

     After the plane crash, the kids arrived at this lonely island, and without any adults, they must learn how to survive. In order to learn they have decided to vote for a leader and the eldest among them all is Ralph and Jack, and everyone agrees that Ralph will be the leader of the group; And by voting for a leader, which then became the first sign of the society forming. But after they have struggled, Jack wanted to take over power and lead the group himself. First, the children are separated into two groups; soon enough, everyone else has gone away and joined Jack except for Ralph and Piggy. Under the lead of Jack, although the children have gained shelter, food, and protection, but they never knew that they have lost 

their good in nature. 

     Because the idea of surviving, the children has lost their innocence, everything has turned chaos after the murder of Simon, which also leads to the death of piggy. The idea of “loss of innocence” accurse at the very first moment when the society was formed, and the same concept put to an end to it as well. The significance of the conch represents the society itself. The shell looks hard and strong, but the emptiness causes the shell to breaks apart very easily; the destruction of the society.

Journal Entry - Things Fall Apart

Steven Liu

May 28, 2012

Journal Entry – How does Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart considered as a tragic hero?

     Okonkwo was an honorable clan leader in Umuofia. Since his early childhood, Okonkwo’s embarrassment about his lazy, squandering, and effeminate father, Unoka, was the major thing in his life that driven him to succeed. By embracing these ideals of his father’s, he did whatever he could to not to become someone like his father. Okonkwo’s hard work and valor in war have earned him great position in his clan and financial success which he attains to support three wives and his children.

     Although Okonkwo had successfully became an individual that is completely different from his father, but after the white man had invaded and live among the Africans, Okonkwo seems to be unable to function within this changing society. As a result, his personality and behavior of violence had brought him great deal of troubles and sorrow upon himself. 

     Because of his embracement of his father, Okonkwo had become a manliness, anger, and violence individual. Although he was honored in his clan, and was wealthy enough to take care of his entire family, but having these personality and behaviors within the changing of the society eventually brought him to his own destruction, which led him of becoming a tragic hero.

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Ransom Notes

Squealer's Speech

 Squealer’s Speech

     Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I can tell all of you here that although Napoleon may not be a good speaker, but I can assure you that he is a great leader, and the best choice among us here. Do not fall into Snowball’s stratagem because this guy here beside me, Napoleon, is the guy who really cares about you guys, he is the guy who will fight for your freedom. And by his intelligence, we will succeed. 

     As animals, we have been working for humans for hundreds and thousands of years.While we are working so hard out there for four seasons a year, the humans would be sitting back down enjoying their time, and taking all the goods and benefits after the results of our hard works.They used us to build a nice house for them to live in; they used us to buy the cloths that they wear. They even have the most delicious food in the world, and for all those hard works we have done? What did we get? Nothing.

     Today, we must put an end to this. Today, as animals, we no longer work for the humans, you will work for yourselves and enjoy all the results afterwards.Today, under the lead of Napoleon, you should join the upraising; we shall stand and fight together against the humans for our right and our freedom. Four legs good, two legs bad! Long live Napoleon! 

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