Question

which of the following statements best explains how ralph feels about the ocean (chapter 7)?
a. the ocean makes him feel isolated from everything and everyone he knows.
b. the ocean is so vast that it makes ralph feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
c. ralph looks to the ocean every day, hoping to see a rescue ship, and every day he is disappointed.
d. the ocean can be unpredictable, just as many of the boys on the island are becoming unpredictable themselves.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option based on Ralph's feelings about the ocean in Chapter 7 of "Lord of the Flies":

• Option A: While isolation is a theme, the ocean's primary effect on Ralph in Chapter 7 isn't focused on isolation from known people/things. The ocean here is more about the barrier to rescue and the vastness of the world beyond the island.
• Option B: Ralph's reflection on the ocean in Chapter 7 involves contemplating the immensity of the ocean and the world, which makes him feel small and insignificant in comparison to the grand, uncaring universe. This aligns with his existential thoughts about their situation and the scale of the world.
• Option C: Ralph's hope for rescue is more associated with looking at the horizon or the sea in general, but the specific feeling in Chapter 7 isn't centered around daily disappointment from the ocean. The focus is more on the existential weight of the ocean's vastness.
• Option D: The ocean's unpredictability isn't paralleled with the boys' unpredictability in Chapter 7. The boys' behavior is more about savagery and loss of order, while the ocean's role is about the barrier and the sense of insignificance.

Answer:

A. The ocean makes him feel isolated from everything and everyone he knows. (Note: Wait, correction. After re - evaluating, the correct answer should be B. The ocean is so vast that it makes Ralph feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Because in Chapter 7, Ralph, when looking at the ocean, reflects on the immensity of the ocean and the world, leading to a sense of his own insignificance. Option A's focus on isolation from known entities is not the main feeling in Chapter 7 regarding the ocean. So the correct answer is B. The ocean is so vast that it makes Ralph feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things.