Chapter 8 Summary

5) Chapter 8 summary

    In chapter 8, it starts off with Piggy Ralph whether the beast actually really exists, which Ralph confirms. The boys also decide that the fire is not a good idea as it may attract the beast, to which they say that they have been beaten by the beast. Ralph then unknowingly insults Jack and hunters saying that they are just 'boys armed with sticks'. This led to Jack calling an assembly out of anger. Then, the boys had a speculation on how the beast come about when Jack stops them. Jack then insults Ralph calling him a coward and said that Ralph had said that his 'hunters are no good' , which Ralph had never said. This shows Jack being really immature and is unable to handle criticisms from another person, which means that he thinks that his hunters are superior and that they are the best of the best.  Jack then tried to overthrow Ralph and take over the leadership position but no one sided with him. Jack then decides to split up with the group as he did not want to be 'part of Ralph's lot', and invited those who wanted to hunt to come with him. This shows Jack's revolution and how Jack feels about Ralph. Also, this shows how Jack represents savagery while Ralph represents the civilized. Ralph lives peacefully, free from all the violence such as hunting and mostly doing the stuff that would help them survive such as building of the huts, while Jack acts violently to gain superiority above others, not stopping at anything e.g. hitting piggy in the stomach even though Piggy was right. Many of the choir members sneaked away from Ralph's group and joined Jack in his tribe, showing that most of the choir has also fallen into savagery like Jack.

     Meanwhile, Jack was far away from the beach and had appointed himself as the leader of a small group of boys. He then told the boys that he would be prioritizing hunting over the beast and would throw a feast to draw in more of the older boys to join his group, and leaving the pig's head as an offering to the beast. This shows that Jack and his group of boys all think the same way, and does not really think about how they want to escape the island, unlike Ralph who prioritizes escaping of the island and surviving even at this point of time. Simon, who was with Ralph's group, decided to slip away from the beach to return to the place he was previously at to admire the environment around him and get away from all the commotion that was happening. This shows how Simon does not really like conflict and would rather enjoy the peace that the nature provides. It was then that he found the pig's head that Jack and his group and placed. During the moment that Simon had sneaked away, Jack and his group went to the Ralph's area to steal the wood from them, after which they ran away. This act by Jack and his group shows how they do not like to work for what they want and would rather take the easy way out by stealing from other people, which shows immaturity.

     Meanwhile, Simon was talking to the pig's head, the 'Lord of the Flies', states that it was 'fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill' and that it was part of the boys. It was then that Simon had discovered that the beast does not actually exist and it was the fear that was in everyone. Then, Simon faints.