This was my part of the session "No Student Is an Island," regarding approaches to Lord of the Flies

1. CONNECTING
STUDENTS’ READING
THINKING AND
WRITING
By: Carolyn C. Walter

2. Ask a Genuine Why Question
Why are the “littluns” included in the book?
35-6, 59-61, 67, 79, 84-5, 101, 117, 142, 151-2, 155, 166, 190, 200-1
Why can Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric hold out against joining Jack’s tribe?
37-8, 64, 84,93-4, 96-8, 109-110, 132, 139-40, 164, 167, 169, 179, 182,
Why is Roger “a terror” (189)?
22, 43, 60-2, 120-1, 135-6, 159-60, 175, 180, 182, 188-90, 192, 194
Why is Piggy Ralph’s “true” friend? (202)
15-6, 21, 24-5, 34, 45, 65, 78, 92, 129-30, 139, 165, 196, 11, 14-5, 18, 101, 108, 118-20, 122, 131, 164, 186
Why do perceptions and descriptions of the conch change?
16, 20, 22-3, 33-5, 38, 42, 44, 78, 88, 92-3, 101-2, 124,140-1, 150-1, 155-7, 168, 170-1, 180-1, 196

3. Why does Ralph shudder?
After asking his second question, Ralph "shuddered violently and moved closer to Piggy" (92).
Ralph "shudders" (105) when confronted with his full view of the Pacific: "it seemed like the breathing of
some stupendous creature" (105).
Reporting to Piggy about what he had seen on the mountaintop with Jack and Roger, Ralph “shuddered
violently” (124).
When Piggy reaches out to touch Ralph's shoulder, "Ralph shuddered at the human contact" (157).
After Ralph's rescue from the savages by the naval officer, he begins to cry for the first time on the island:
"great shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body" (202).
Define shudder cold, chills, uncomfortable, fear
“to shake suddenly
not in control of shaking
and violently as in
shake because or extreme
horror of scary memory
disgust”

4. Close Analysis of Language

5. Further Practice
Define Words
Ask Questions
Make Associations and Connections Move Beyond the Literal Level
Student Directions: Briefly identify the context and the literal meaning of the quotation below. Then, with as much
depth as possible, focus on key words and phrases to explain the deeper meaning and connections to the book as a
whole.
Going alone to Castle Rock to look for the beast on the boys' second exploration of the
island, Ralph "forced his feet to move until they carried him out to the neck of land" (105).
On this narrow strip of land, Ralph notices that he is "surrounded on all sides by chasms of
empty air. There was nowhere to hide" (105).
Ralph "shudders" (105) when confronted with his full view of the Pacific: "it seemed like
the breathing of some stupendous creature" (105).
Continuing to watch the waves, Ralph notes, "Then the sleeping leviathan breathed out, the
waters rose, the weed streamed, and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar" (105).

6. ASSIGNMENT: TO HAND IN for Chapter 8: At the beginning of the chapter, Ralph “shudder[s] violently” (124) while talking
to Piggy. Identify three or four pieces of evidence on pp. 124-5 to “A point of gold appeared . . .” that help you to answer the
question, “Why does Ralph shudder?” Use this evidence in a paragraph of no more than one page to support your thesis claim,
which is your answer to the question posed.
SCORING SHEET
A. I
II
III
B. I
II
III
C. I
II
III
D. I
II
III
E. I
II
III
F. I
II
III

7. Chalk Talk

8. Parallel and Contrasting Evidence
Directions: Reread the sections of chapter 5 (p. 92) and chapter 10 (pp. 156-7) where Ralph shudders. Look for parallel evidence
and try to identify the differences between the two incidents. Complete the plan sheet below in which you identify three parallel sets
of evidence; some evidence has been provided for you. In searching for parallel evidence, look for Next, highlight key words and
phrases that help you think about your evidence beyond the literal level. Look for differences within the paired quotes.
Set #1:
Chapter 5: Context and Evidence: Hesitant to call another meeting after the first one has broken up after a vote on ghosts, Ralph asks
Piggy, "The trouble is: Are there ghosts, Piggy? Or beasts?" (92).
Chapter 10: Context and Evidence:
Set #2:
“I’m Frightened. Of Us” (157).
Chapter 5: Context and Evidence:_________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 10: Context and Evidence: _______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Set #3:
Chapter 5: Context and Evidence: “Ralph shuddered violently and moved close to
Piggy” (92).
Chapter 10: Context and Evidence: When Piggy reaches out to touch Ralph's shoulder, "Ralph shuddered at the human contact" (157).

9. From Analysis to Formulating the
Thesis Claim
Database: Why Does Ralph Shudder?
1. Hesitant to call another meeting after the first one has broken up after a vote on ghosts, Ralph asks Piggy, "The trouble is: Are there ghosts, Piggy? Or beasts?" (92).
2. After Piggy responds negatively to his question, Ralph muses, "Suppose things are watching us and waiting?" (92).
3. After asking his second question, Ralph "shuddered violently and moved closer to Piggy" (92).
4. Going alone to Castle Rock to look for the beast on the boys' second exploration of the island, Ralph "forced his feet to move until they carried him out to the neck of
land" (105).
5. On this narrow strip of land, Ralph notices that he is "surrounded on all sides by chasms of empty air. There was nowhere to hide" (105).
6. Ralph "shudders" (105) when confronted with his full view of the Pacific: "it seemed like the breathing of some stupendous creature" (105).
7. Continuing to watch the waves, Ralph notes, "Then the sleeping leviathan breathed out, the waters rose, the weed streamed, and the water boiled over the table rock with
a roar" (105).
8. Acknowledging the truth of Simon's death the morning after, Ralph says to Piggy, "That was murder" (156).
9. Trying to convince Ralph that neither Ralph nor he was involved in Simon's death, Piggy declares, "It was an accident . . . and that's that" (157).
10. When Piggy reaches out to touch Ralph's shoulder, "Ralph shuddered at the human contact" (157).
11. Although Ralph protests one more time that "we were" in the dance, he finally agrees with Piggy that "I was on the outside too" (157).
12. After Ralph's rescue from the savages by the naval officer, he begins to cry for the first time on the island: "great shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his
whole body" (202).
13. Ralph "wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy" (202).

10. From Analysis to
Formulating the Claim
Creating Complex Inferences
How does evidence #1-3 answer "Why does Ralph shudder?"?
1. Hesitant to call another meeting after the first one has broken up after a vote on ghosts, Ralph asks Piggy,
"The trouble is: Are there ghosts, Piggy? Or beasts?" (92)
2. After Piggy responds negatively to his question, Ralph muses, "Suppose things are watching us and
waiting?" (92).
3. After asking his second question, Ralph "shuddered violently and moved closer to Piggy" (92).
Write a claim regarding this evidence:
Use the analysis and thinking you've done to write a cause-effect thesis answering the question "Why does Ralph
shudder?" Your thesis may be more than one sentence. Use one or more of these connectors to show the
relationship among your ideas: although, but, because, as a result.

11. Assessing Claims
#1-3
A. Throughout their beginning stay on the island Ralph was overwhelmed by the intensity of his fears coming
together because of the many possibilities of threat. He then found reassurance and confidence through Piggy’s
logical reasonings.
B. Ralph shudders when he’s afraid or uncomfortable of the unknown.
C. Ralph shudders because he is afraid of the unknown and living nightmare.
D. Ralph is paranoid about happenings on the island that are troubling the boys.
E. Ralph shudders because of imaginary outside factors that cause him to seek comfort in Piggy’s logical reasoning
and human contact.
F. At first Ralph’s fears are prompted by vague possibilities within the environment that pose no immediate threat.

12. Assessing Thesis Statements
Possible Thesis Statements:
A. Ralph shudders because he is forced to face different situations that force him to come back to reality.
B. Initially, Ralph shudders because he is intimidated and afraid of the unknown; as a result of the atrocities committed by some
of the boys on the island, Ralph shudders because he is afraid of human nature.
C. Although Ralph initially fears vague, external forces, his fears become increasingly specific and internal as his time on the
island lengthens.
D. All of the horrible aspects of the island and the things that have transpired on the island have totally ravaged the boys of their
civilized life. As a result, Ralph shudders because of all the things that have happened to him.
E. Ralph shudders first at the fears of land, unknowns, and humans, and as a result he breaks down in spasms under a more
supreme authority.
F. Ralph shudders when he feels intense fear. At first this fear is of an outside source, but as time goes on it becomes an
acknowledgement of the fear of the nature of people, including himself.
G. Although Ralph always feels vulnerable on the island, the source of his fear and his acknowledgement of it becomes
increasingly defined.

13. information available on the
NCTE Ning
after 11/22