Coping Mechanisms

Theme Statement

When an individual is faced with circumstances beyond their control, then they must find a way to deal with their situation.

Definition

an adaptation to environmental stress that is based on conscious or unconscious choice and that enhances control over behaviour or gives psychological comfort

Quotes

“We got to find the others. We got to do something.”(10)- Shows that Piggy wants to take action to deal with being on the island

Piggy moved among the crowd, asking names and frowning to remember them. The children gave him the same simple obedience that they had given to the man with the megaphones. – Even though the boys are in a tough situation they still try to maintain order and structure on the island

Quotes

“The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach. It wasn’t half cold down there in the night”-Piggy thinks that building a shelter is the best thing to do at this point and will help them feel more comfortable during their time on the island until they’re rescued.

“Jack stood up as he said this, the bloodied knife in his hand. The two boys faced each other. There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill and there was the world of longing and baffled common sense. Jack transferred the knife to his left hand and smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair.”- Jack has now adapted to his environment and is thirsty for blood he realises that the only way for him to survive on the island is to become a savage.

Piggy

Piggy uses his intellectualism to deal with being trapped on the island. He tries to avoid his emotions by using logic and common sense

"How can you expect to be rescued if you don’t put first things first and act proper?"

Ralph Ralph tries to deal with the

unfortunate situation by trying to adapt to his surroundings. Ralph immediately establishes himself as a leader when he arrives on the island and tries to establish structure.

"There’s another thing. We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire."

Jack

Jack deals with being stuck on the island by changing his behaviour. Jack separates from Ralph and eventually becomes uncivilized and turns into a savage

“the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.”

Savagery

Savagery is how most of the boys deal with being stuck on the island. Tired of order and structure most of the boys become uncivilized and animal like. They pretend to hunt and kill each other and are no longer the normal boys they once were.

How can this be related to modern life?

People cope with tough situations in different ways

Denial- Someone with a drug addiction can’t admit they have a problem

Fantasy- Someone who is obsessed with another individual may start having fantasies about being with the person they’re obsessed with

Post Traumatic- Someone who losses a loved one decides to devote their time into doing something else (ex volunteer work)instead of grieving for the person they lost

THE END