Shadows and Tall Trees

In chapter 7 William Golding makes his belief evident that all humans have the tendency to act like a beast. Throughout the story the readers found the characters becoming more and more animal like. For example in chapter 5 Golding shows a physical change. Ralph is upset with his looks and how he is always dirty; his hair is longer and getting in his way, and his clothes are worn, ripped. But, in chapter 7, the author, demonstrates how the boys are becoming beasts in the way they think and act. Reading this chapter was actually disturbing in some ways. On page 114, towards the beginning of this chapter, some of the boys (except for Piggy) are out hunting for meat. After their encounter with injuring a boar, but not killing it, the boys find themselves in a disagreement or discussion. As all the boys are talking to one another, talking over each other, Robert is mocking Ralph and his attempt to kill the boar. When Jack sees this he instantly attacks Robert and the others join in; "Robert squealed in mock terror, and then in real pain. The butt end of a spear fell on his back as he blundered among them. They got his arms and legs. "Kill him! Kill him!" The chant rose "Kill the pig! Cut his throat!..." This shows just how fast this scene escalated. When reading it one may find it to be surprising, almost confusing, because you may not know what's going on right away. The boys are treating this young boy as a pig, trying to kill him. In some ways they were just kidding but in others the darkness growing inside them is peaking through. After this near death experience the boys completely go back to joking around, talking about the pig and what they will do, when they kill it and have meat, at the fire and how they will celebrate. They talk about using an actual pig, but then they bring up how someone could dress up like a pig. This talk is barbaric. All the boys discuss this topic calmly and with humor, but the truth behind it is devastating; it's cannibalism. When Golding talks about this theory of his, as a reader I would have to agree, these characters are becoming beasts right in front of my very own eyes.

Beasts from Water

1. Ralph starts to realize that in life there is always surprises and that you have to be able to adjust to them or he will go insane and won't survive. He begins to get frustrated with his looks and his life in general. When he first got on the island, Ralph had hope and thought that there was a chance that he would return to his old life. But, now all hope is lost and Ralph has to change himself in order to live a life that will allow him to survive.

2. When Ralph blows the conch, gathering everyone to the beach, he is filled with anger and disappointment. Ralph discusses how nobody is follower orders and helping to make the island a suitable home; how nobody is helping building the shelters, neglecting the fire, and not using the designated area for the bathroom.

3. "We've got to have smoke up there- or die." Ralph is correct when saying the smoke is more important than the pig because the fire is the only chance they have of getting off the island. But Ralph is incorrect when saying this because he needs to realize that there is a slight chance that anyone will even see the smoke and that he needs to start establishing a permanent life and home on the island. The first steps in doing this is finding food sources, hence the importance of the pig.

4. Jack says that the littluns should stop crying and getting upset about the beasty because it is only scaring everyone more and making everything more chaotic. Jack tries to explain that the beasty is only inside there heads, it is only a dream and dreams can't and won't hurt them. He is being sensible because no one has seen the beasty with their own eyes, just that Ralph has heard the cries of the littluns at night.

5. The littluns start to cry because they are thinking more about the monster and how it comes up from the ocean at night. They initially start to cry because Percival is crying.

6. Simon comes up with the idea that the beasty is them, that they are the beasts and they are scaring themselves. Everyone doesn't like that idea so they ignore it and start to talk about how maybe the beasty is a ghost.

7. The meeting ends when Ralph and Jack start to fight again and then Jack and the other kids run off chanting with excitement about hunting and killing the beast.

8. At the end of chapter the kids wish that the adults would give them a message or a sign, because they still have a small hope that they will return to them. They are all starting to miss having adults around in general and just want that part of their life back.

Painted Faces and Long Hair

Jack's character transformation changes his view of himself from powerful yet obedient, to this new found power that is not only changing his physical image but the way he acts and reacts towards others and different situations. At first Jack still had the responsibility of leading the choir, which was given to him by an adult who told him what to do and exactly how to do it. Now, with Ralph being the only person who has authority over Jack, this gives him freedom and an addiction to discovery that he didn't have before. The loss of rules and structure is not the only thing that had changed Jack. The way he wears himself or the way he changed the way he looks is influencing his actions. For example Jack paints his face in preparing for his pig hunt the author says; "He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger." (63). Jack is proud of the person he has turned himself into. He has made himself more free and changing his look was the last step in doing so. It not only made him realize who he is now, but it also was the final realization for the rest of the boys. 

Piggy and Ralph spot a ship passing the island. In panic they look up to see if their smoke signal was still in use. To their disappointment the fire had gone out. Jack and his fellow choir boys (now hunters) had the job of keeping the fire lit. They were all off trying to kill the pig, unaware that the only time the fire would have been useful, they weren't there to make sure it would actually be seen. When Jack and his crew return with joy after murdering and bringing home their prize, they realize that what they are walking into will nonetheless completely change their happy attitudes. This is shown when Ralph is trying to tell Jack about his failure, but Jack does not engage in his anger because he is busy dancing around the dead pig; "There was a ship. Out there you said you'd keep the fire going and you let it out!" (70). Jack's response to this shows little regret. Again showing how he doesn't truly view Ralph as having more power or authority as he. Jack seems to not even care about the past chance of rescue, he is mesmerized by the blood on him and the pig he killed with pride. This is another example of Jack's total transformation into someone pridefully living off the land, looking to the future, hunting his next meal, and enjoying the process. This shown through his lack of response to Ralph's disappointment and going back and celebrating his victory as finaly becoming the pig killing victor; "Jack transferred the knife to his left hand and smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair." (71).

Huts on the Beach

The characters of Jack and Ralph, although fighting for the common cause of survival, are internally fighting against one another due to their conflicting personalities. Ralph is the assigned chief of the group; he is organized, responsible, and smart. Jack is almost like Ralph's second hand man, although not happy about this Jack takes this role and tries to keep his head up. Jack wants to be accepted by others while also being part of the authority. For example when Ralph is upset that no one is working and all being lazy, Jack says; "Except me and my hunters-"(50). This shows that Jack is quick to defend himself against his chief, Ralph, but also shows his need to call ownership and authority over others; his hunters. He is trying to receive respect and acceptance from Ralph, while also trying to prove to him that he has power over others. Ralph, on the other hand, is only worried about keeping this community of boys together by establishing an environment that is both comfortable and safe. This is specifically discussed in chapter 3 when Ralph is bothered that no one is working. In the end both boys have their own wants and needs for themselves and their piers, and while they do differ they revolve around the goal of living and surviving. Ralph is like the President, he has all the power in the eyes of his citizens and is allowed to bestow anything upon them. Jack is the Vice President, he has power but less than the President, so much less that the people barely know it exists. He works with the Commander in Chief but inside only wants to demolish him, so then automatically he will gain all the authority over the people and rule them under only his ideas and rules.

Prompt #10

At the beginning of the story Piggy is introduced into the story as a young innocent boy. Ralph, the alpha, or chief, of the group pins him as weak and useless from the moment he met him. Piggy was not important, neither relevant in Ralph's eyes, he was treated as if he were an animal, a pig even. He was be slaughtered with word by his piers all his life. As shown through this quote:"A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in. For the moment the boys were a closed circuit of sympathy with Piggy outside." (21), readers can see that he is receiving no sympathy, that the rest of the boys have forgotten that he even has feelings. This can directly relate to the life of any young child who feels alone or a victim of bullying. This quote is foreshadowing for the rest of Piggy's life and is a hint for readers of what will may come of the boys as a whole.