Chapter 8 Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

The events of Lord of the Flies are almost entirely reflective of the defects, flaws, and traits which lurk within our characters. Each character with their own ideologies and desires, constantly contradicting the ideas of one another. William Golding paints a picture of how society would crumble without law, order, and strong leadership. Highlighting the main events, impactful quotes, and brazen acts driving the action in this novel, ultimately causing the collapse of civilized behavior and death of two young boys.
The first conflict and indication of the eventual collapse of civilization happens in Chapter Four, a ship passes by the island, and Jack abandons the signal fire to go hunt, allowing the fire to extinguish. Ralph delivers a simple

Jack gains more influence over his group of hunters and boils over, expressing how he feels about Ralph's leadership. Since the beginning of the book, Jack is clearly portrayed as a control freak, he is not happy with Ralph as chief, his behavior is guided by his desire for power. In Chapter Eight, Jack calls for a vote to everybody, “Who thinks Ralph oughtn’t to be chief?”, expecting a sea of hands to raise, not a single hand is raised. This embarasses Jack, filling him with anger and resentment towards Ralph, nobody agrees with him, and he’s hurt. Jack decides that he’s sticking to his guns, and abandoning Ralph’s group to start his own. On the same page as the previous quote, “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you. I’m not going to be a part of Ralph’s lot-” Jack exclaims, before he darts down the beach and into the forest, alone. In the following days, many of the boys abandon Ralph’s group to join Jack. The hunters begin to act like a cult, with Ralph at the head of it all, the hunters will do whatever he says, exactly what he’s wanted from the

Simon, previously part of Ralph’s group, has been killed in a ritual dance, an accident, but a preventable one, after the two groups meet at Jack’s camp for a feast, Ralph didn’t stop himself, or anyone else. Ralph has lost his grip on any leadership, he’s starting to lose his grip on himself and give into the collective “mob mentality”. In Chapter Ten, “I wasn’t scared, I was-I don't know what I was” says Ralph to Piggy, Piggy tries to comfort Ralph by telling him it was an accident, but Ralph is fully aware of his participation in Simon’s death and it’s eating away at him. After Jack and his hunters attack Ralph’s camp, stealing Piggy’s glasses for fire, Ralph decides to bring himself, Piggy, Sam, and Eric, to Jack’s camp, to confront them. Ralph expresses that they could’ve just asked for fire, that there is no reason for them to be acting like savages, stealing and killing, without any order or rules. In Chapter Eleven, Ralph challenges Jack, “Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?” Until now, Jack and Ralph have had scuffles, but never fought to kill the other, after this line, Rodger, a hunter, sends a boulder downhill, killing Piggy. This marks the point of no return, Ralph has spears thrown at him, he is chased, stabbed, and hunted. Nobody is going to stop Jack and his hunters from killing anyone who opposes