Read the passage from Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Ralph is speaking. "The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don’t keep a fire going? Is a fire too much for us to make?” He flung out an arm. "Look at us! How many are we? And yet we can’t keep a fire going to make smoke. Don’t you understand? Can’t you see we ought to—ought to die before we let the fire out?” There was a self-conscious giggling among the hunters. Ralph turned on them passionately. "You hunters! You can laugh! But I tell you the smoke is more important than the pig, however often you kill one. Do all of you see?” He spread his arms wide and turned to the whole triangle. "We’ve got to make smoke up there—or die.” How is the universal theme of the tension between freedom and responsibility developed in this passage?
Answer
A
by Ralph’s implication that catching a pig is unimportant
B
through the laughing of the hunters when Ralph speaks to them
C
by the intensity of the way Ralph speaks to the boys
D
through Ralph’s statement that fire is more important than hunting
Explanation
Ralph argues that keeping the fire going is necessary for rescue, so the boys have a responsibility to maintain it even though they are free to choose how they spend their time. By saying smoke is more important than hunting and catching pigs, he contrasts their immediate desires with their duty to work toward rescue. This develops the tension between freedom and responsibility.
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