Ralph has finally become aware of his extreme
uncleanliness, and he wishes he had the means to cut his hair and clean his clothes
properly. He yearns for a pair of scissors, so he can cut his unruly hair "back to half
an inch." On the beach, he "planned his toilet." In addition to cutting his hair, he
wishes for soap to properly wash himself and his clothes. He wants a toothbrush to clean
his teeth. He has bitten his nails "down to the quick," but he cannot remember when he
had returned to this old habit. He worries that he will "Be sucking my thumb
next--"
Ralph daydreams of the time spent with his father
in a "succession of houses" where it snowed and where wild ponies roamed. When it became
too cold, he could always go inside for warmth. He had a bed to sleep in and a "bowl of
cornflakes with sugar and cream." And there were plenty of books to read to relieve his
boredom and fuel his fantasies.
Everything was all right; everything was
good-humored and friendly.
On
the island, Ralph had none of these things: no shelter, nothing to read, no parents for
guidance, and the continuous conflict that arose between the other
boys.
No comments:
Post a Comment