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.