The document is a reading guide for William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies divided into multiple chapters. It provides comprehension questions for students to answer as they read each chapter. The questions test understanding of characters, plot points, settings and themes discussed in the chapters.

1. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 1 “The Sound of the Shell”
Name: ____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. What is the setting at the opening of the story?
2. Who are the first two boys introduced?
3. What physical afflictions does Piggy suffer from?
4. What does Ralph’s father do? Piggy’s?
5. What is it that the boys find on the beach? What do they do with it?
6. Who is Jack Merridew?
7. Who is elected chief? What additional roles are assigned and to whom?
8. What three boys go on an exploration mission together?
9. What does Ralph ask Piggy to do in the meantime?
10. What is the “scar” that is repeatedly mentioned?

2. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 2 “Fire on the Mountain”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. What happens to the first fire? Why?
2. What role has Piggy assumed in the story by this point and why won’t anyone listen to him?
3. What information does Ralph give the boys about the island?
4. What will be the procedure at meetings for someone wishing to speak?
5. What is it that has frightened the small boy? How does he describe it?
6. How does Ralph reassure the boys?
7. How do the boys get the fire started?
8. Why does Jack state that there must be rules?
9. What happens with the fire? What might this symbolize?
10. Who is missing?

3. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 3 “Huts on the Beach”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. Discuss the social and symbolic significance of “home” as it applies in this chapter.
2. At the end of chapter 3, Simon hides in the jungle as evening approaches. Why?
3. How is the progress on the shelters?
4. How are the hunters doing in providing meat for the boys?
5. Who is the only boy that Ralph can count on for help in building shelters?
6. What are the rest of the boys doing?
7. What are the “littluns” afraid of at night?
8. What is the problem between Jack and Scout?
9. How is Simon described?
10. Where is Simon at the end of chapter 3?

4. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 4 “Painted Faces and Long Hair”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. Who is Percival and what does he do that is disturbing?
2. Describe the life style of the “littluns.”
3. Why is Piggy considered an outsider?
4. What causes the big excitement in this chapter?
5. What has happened to the fire and the watchers?
6. How does the fire crisis affect the relationship between Ralph and Jack?
7. How does Ralph assert his chieftainship?
8. How do Piggy’s glasses get broken?
9. Why does Jack paint his face? What might this be symbolizing?
10. What is the chant the hunters sing over the dead pig?

5. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 5 “Beast From Water”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. Why does Ralph call an assembly so late in the day?
2. Ralph tells the group three things that must be followed; list these.
3. What is the fear of which Ralph speaks?
4. What arguments do Jack use to persuade the others that there is no beast?
5. According to Piggy what is it that may frighten others?
6. What does the littlun, Phil, say he saw? Who has Phil seen?
7. Where does Percival say the beast lives?
8. What does Simon say the beast might be? Why is this fundamental to the understanding of the novel?
9. What happens to Simon after he voices this opinion?
10. By this time, why is Ralph so exasperated? What has happened to the meeting?

6. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 6 “Beast From Air”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. Why do the boys think the beast lives in the rocks?
2. Why are they afraid of the beast?
3. What is the sign that comes down from the grownups?
4. Why don’t the boys see this?
5. What do the twins see while rekindling the fire?
6. Again there is a confrontation between Ralph and Jack. What causes this?
7. Where do Jack and Ralph go alone to look for the beast?
8. What does Jack say that this spot would be ideal for?
9. Who leads the way down the mountain?

7. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 7: “Shadows and Tall Trees”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. What habit has Ralph developed while on the island?
2. Simon tells Ralph that he thinks Ralph will get back all right. He says nothing about himself. Why might this be
foreshadowing?
3. How does Ralph feel about wounding the boar?
4. What is the antagonism between Jack and Ralph in this chapter?
5. What is it that Ralph and Jack see on the mountain?
6. What do the boys do after making this discovery?
7. What are the things that Ralph misses?

8. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 8 “Gift for Darkness”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer
to each question.
1. Who calls the assembly meeting?
2. What does Jack say at this meeting?
3. Whose idea was it to move the fire? Why?
4. Who does Jack compare Ralph to?
5. What does Jack ask for a vote to decide? What is the outcome?
6. What does Jack plan to do now? Why?
7. What becomes the big activity after Jack’s departure?
8. Which other boys have gone to be with Jack?
9. After killing the pig, what does Jack instruct his hunters to do about the fire?
10. What does Jack do with the pig’s head?
11. What is Jack wearing when he comes to invite the others to a feast?
12. What things does the lord of the flies tell Simon?
13. What is wrong with Simon?

9. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 9 “A View to a Death”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
1. Why didn’t Simon go to Jack’s party?
2. Where have all the boys gone?
3. Describe the weather in Chapter 9. What might it be foreshadowing?
4. What is the beast that the boys attack?
5. What happens to Simon?
6. How did this happen? Consider how to explain the actions of the mob.
7. What is your mood at the end of this chapter?

10. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 10 “The Shell and the Glasses”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer to
each question.
1. Who was the chief in the cave and what did the symbols on his face represent?
2. Who attacked Ralph and his friends? What did he think they came for?
3. What would have happened if they couldn’t have started a fire?
4. What does Piggy try to persuade Ralph that Simon’s death was?
5. What part did Ralph and Piggy play in Simon’s death?
6. How does Piggy try to rationalize Simon’s death?
7. When Ralph and Piggy confront Sam and Eric what do all four boys claim to have done on the night of the
“dance?”
8. What do Jack and his hunters come for at night? Are they successful?

11. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 11 “Castle Rock”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer to
each question.
1. Why did they assemble in chapter 11?
2. Why did Ralph and Jack fight?
3. Who stole Piggy’s glasses and why?
4. Why won’t Ralph allow paint?
5. What happens to the twins at the confrontation between Ralph and Jack?
6. What does Ralph accuse Jack of being?
7. What happens to Piggy? Describe this in detail using quotes from the story.
8. What happens to the conch shell? What was the conch a symbol for on the island?
9. What does Jack do to Ralph immediately after Piggy’s death?
10.What does Ralph see as he flees from Jack and the hunters?

12. Lord of the Flies: Reading Guide for Chapter 12 “Cry of the Hunters”
Name:____________________________________ Period:_______ Date Due:_____________________
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS______________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions as you read. Provide page numbers to show where you found the answer to
each question.
1. Why were the twins giving Ralph Jack’s plans?
2. What have the boys truly become?
3. What have Sam and Eric been forced to do?
4. What do Sam and Eric tell Ralph that the hunters plan to do to him?
5. How is Ralph forced out of his hiding place?
6. What saves Ralph?
7. Why does Ralph cry?