Henry Chapter 4

In Chapter Four it can be seen that the boys are losing their sense of civility and are beginning to abandon the rules they lived by in their previous lives. The first example of this can be seen in Chapter Four when Roger is throwing stones at Henry. One of the littluns Henry, decided that he did not want to play with his friends anymore and wanders off. However, Henry is unaware that he is being followed by Roger, one of the older boys. Henry, being a littlun, is very fascinated by the waves and he stops and watches. Meanwhile, Roger is standing beneath a palm tree watching Henry. Suddenly a breeze came and knocked some of the nuts loose from a tree and they fell around him and then, “Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed, and threw it
When Roger throws the stone at Henry the author uses the diction “threw to miss” after Roger threw the stone. This suggests that perhaps the boys haven’t lost all their sense of civility because Roger knew that it would be wrong to hit Henry and this shows that the breakdown is not yet complete. Additionally, uses a hyphen to emphasize that although Roger threw a stone at Henry, he threw it to miss. This best emphasizes the fact that the boy’s have not yet completed their decent into barbarians. The author uses the diction “taboo of old life.” The diction “taboo” means something that is prohibited or restricted by social custom. Therefore, the diction “taboo” suggests that Roger didn’t dare hit Henry because he has not yet abandoned the rules of his previous life. However, the fact that Roger even throws the stones still demonstrates the boy’s decent into barbarian-hood is just beginning. Even though Roger throws the stones at Henry, “There was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw.” This statement reinforces the fact that perhaps the breakdown in the boy’s society is not yet