Saturday, December 14, 2013

What exactly is the boys' savage chant in Lord of the Flies? Since there are quite a few versions I have seen at the end. Such as "Kill the pig,...

The first time the chant is used is in Chapter 4 after the
boys kill the first pig:


readability="5">

Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her
blood.



It is
repeated at the end of Chapter 4 during the re-enactment of the pig hunt when Maurice
pretends to be the pig.


readability="5">

Kill the pig.  Cut her throat.  Bash
her in.



Later it
is used when Robert is the pig.  The chant changes
slightly:


readability="5">

Kill the pig! cut his throat! Kill the
pig! Bash him
in!



The chant
returns to the original version when Jack's tribe gathers in a circle just before
Simon's death:


readability="5">

Kill the beast!  Cut his throat! Spill
his blood.



This
chant is repeated four times.   Notice the substitution here of
beast for pig.  It is the beast that they want
to hunt and kill now, not a pig.  This last time the chant adds another command:  "Do
him in!"  This addition echoes the Lord of the Flies ultimatum to Simon, ordering him to
"play" or else others will "do him."  We see here what "do him" actually
means.


I like this question because analysis of the words
shows a growing savagery on the island and ties together hunting and the pig
re-enactments ultimately resulting in Simon's death.  It would make an interesting
essay.

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