'Lord Of The Flies' By William Golding: Chapter Analysis

Furthermore, as Chapter Two begins, the boys agree to establish some rules since they don’t have any authority figures present. In an endeavor to maintain what they are used to, the boys use to conch to assist them in creating rules and order. Ralph, the chief, mentions while holding the conch, “And another thing. We cannot have everybody talking at once. We’ll have to have ‘Hands up’ like at school” (Golding 33). Golding further demonstrates the idea of civilization through this quote. By mentioning “hands up,” Golding demonstrates the boys’ efforts to maintain their old civilized lives. However, as the chapter progresses, the conch slowly starts to lose its significance. While the boys are traveling from the beach to the mountain in order
Life on the island continues pretty much the same until Chapter Eight. In chapter six, the boys finally agree to hunt for the beast after the twins, Samneric think they saw the beast. However, the boys go up to castle rock and find no beast. Chapter Seven is extremely eventful because in this chapter it is not the value of the conch that changes, but the one who gives value to the conch that changes. Ralph proudly wounds a boar and also finally sees the beast. Golding uses the beast to depict the loss of civilization and innocence due to the evil present in humans, and Ralph’s ability to see this beast represents Ralph beginning to lose his innocence as he taps into the shred of evil present in him. However, Chapter Eight is inarguably one of the most pivotal points throughout the novel. As the morning after the boys have seen the beast approaches, Jack seizes the conch shell from Ralph, who is still chief, and clumsily blows it, calling for an assembly. Jack claims that Ralph is a coward and should no longer be chief for three main reasons: he favors Piggy, he does not hunt, and he is scared of the beast. In great confidence, Jack calls for a vote to impeach Ralph from the position of chief, “He held the conch against his chest with one hand and stabbed the air with his index finger” (Golding, 127). When no one votes to impeach Ralph, Jack is humiliated, “He laid the conch with great care in the grass at his feet” (Golding, 127). Golding demonstrates the importance of conch in aiding the boys to maintain a somewhat civilized life on the island. The phrase, “laid the conch with great care” depicts the value the conch shell still holds in Jack’s perspective. Jack’s gentleness with the conch is what makes this specific event so remarkable. As Jack lays the conch at his feet, he is laying civilization down and walking away from the civilized life that