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A thunderstorm is brewing. Ralph and Piggy, finding themselves isolated, decide to join Jack's group in
order to participate in their feast.
The storm terrifies the boys. Jack calls them to form a circle and do their hunter dance. Into this circle
stumbles Simon . . .
THE THEME OF EATING MEAT
Eating of meat is a central theme in Lord of the Flies. Indeed, it was that action which contributed
most to the clashes between Ralph and Jack, and which ultimately gave Jack the upper hand in the
struggle for leadership.
In the hierarchy of needs on the island, rescue was at the top. Ralph and Piggy were focussed on this,
and the rest of the boys knew logically that rescue meant ultimate salvation. But, in order to be rescued,
there had to be a fire.
The problem was that Ralph appointed Jack and his hunters to be in charge of the fire. This meant that
Jack had two fundamental tasks to perform: keeping the rescue fire burning, and bringing much desired
meat for the boys to eat.
Therein lay the seeds of the collapse of their society because Jack put the provision of meat ahead of their
need for rescue.
Why did he do it?
It was Simon who identified the crisis. At a meeting to discuss the existence or not of a beast on the
island, Simon voiced his philosophy that there was no physical beast or monster as such. The beast, he
said, was them.
There was indeed an evil spirit -- Beezebub or the Lord of the Flies -- but it was not something external.
It lived within them as a spirit which was tearing their society apart.
How did the the Lord of the Flies tempt Jack? By placing before him a desire which it would be difficult
for him to resist.
Jack was put in charge of the hunters whose task it was to provide meat. He was also placed in charge
of the rescue fire. It was fundamental that hunting should always be subservient to the greater good, i.e.
rescue.
It was the Lord of the Flies who worked on Jack to reverse the order of things. The Evil One offered Jack
power and wealth, i.e. the ultimate chieftainship of the boys. The key to acquiring this status, however,
was the provision of meat.
For many months Jack had hunted for meat but failed. It became an obsession with him so that often he
would go out hunting alone.
Failure to provide meat eventually came to be seen as his own personal failure. Ultimately he abandoned
all else so that his obsession would be fulfilled. In this way, the rescue fire was ignored.
Have you noticed that Jack's success at providing meat happened at the precise moment when he was
the cause of their ultimate failure? He allowed the fire to go out, and a ship appeared just then on the
horizon offering hope of rescue.
Ralph was rightly incensed by this dereliction of duty. But it was also at this precise moment that Jack had
his first kill and provided the boys with meat.
He expected praise but, instead, he received a tongue-lashing from Ralph -- and so the rift between them
widened and Jack made a definitive step towards the promised goal of leadership.
Ralph had little to protect him from this evil. The boys all wanted meat. Even he wanted meat. And
ultimately the provision of meat would be the cause of Jack's political advance.
The boys would follow him because he could offer immediate material reward, whereas Ralph offered only
long-term hope of salvation.
Ralph's leadership demanded hard work and faith. Jack's leadership offered adventure and an
immediately full tummy -- but ultimately death.
Once Jack attained his goal of leadership, he would allow the Lord of the Flies -- Beelzebub -- to reign
supreme.
Jack thereupon became the custodian of life and death. He rewarded his faithful servants with life but
handed out death to his enemies, first to Piggy and then Ralph.
Ultimately he would bequeath death to all on the island.
Have you looked at the questions in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer the following questions:
All the boys of the island, except Piggy, Ralph, Simon, and the two tending the pig, were grouped on
the turf. They were laughing, singing, lying, squatting, or standing on the grass, holding food in their
hands. But to judge by the greasy faces, the meat-eating was almost done; and some held coco-nut
shells in their hands and were drinking from them.
- What do these words tell you about Jack's growing power? (4)
[Need help?]
It is quite clear that Jack has at last achieved his ambition: to become tribal leader to the boys.
Only three boys still remain outside his sway: Ralph, Piggy and Simon. Yet they are totally ineffectual in
face of the overwhelming support that Jack now wields.
A few others -- like Sam and Eric -- swing both ways but they can be worked on with offerings and
threats.
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- Why is it that Jack has somehow achieved this status in the tribe? (4)
[Need help?]
Jack has two essential characteristics which Ralph does not have. He is strong-minded and can provide
immediate gratification to the boys by means of meat.
Ralph has shown signs of weakness -- and his aims are far too narrowly focussed and long-term. He
is centred entirely on rescue which, he says, must come before everything else.
The boys, however, are all very young and cannot yet sustain long-term goals. They want fun and they
are hungry. Jack offers to fulfill both these desires.
Above all, he provides meat -- and real food for starving boys is more immediately important than long-
term rescue.
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- Why has Ralph become so isolated that he is forced to join Jack's group? (4)
[Need help?]
The boys perceive weaknesses in Ralph -- and sometimes he appears not to be able to think clearly.
Above all, he has handed over the task of providing meat to Jack. The person who can provide the boys
with real food automatically becomes their leader.
Jack knows this very well. In this immediate struggle for leadership, he therefore goes off and kills a pig
and offers meat to anyone who would be willing to join him.
Even Ralph is tempted -- and goes so far as to join Jack's group temporarily so as to eat meat. And
even Piggy, despite his hating Jack, is nevertheless willing to sink his principles and join the feast.
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- Why have Piggy and Simon chosen to stay with Ralph? (4)
[Need help?]
Piggy really has no option. He knows that Jack hates him and he hates Jack. He can't therefore cross
over to Jack's tribe, and he wouldn't dream of doing so. He also needs Ralph to protect him.
Simon is too wise to join Jack's tribe. He knows that their only hope of rescue is to do what Ralph is
asking, i.e. keep the rescue fire going. He knows too that Ralph has their ultimate interests at heart
whereas Jack is nothing short of a bully who will never lead them to rescue.
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- Why have Ralph and Piggy now chosen to spend the evening with Jack's group? (4)
[Need help?]
Both Ralph and Piggy are hungry and so the thought of eating roast pork is much too tempting to resist.
There is also a major thunderstorm threatening and both boys are frightened. They therefore seek the
safety of numbers.
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Before the party had started a great log had been dragged into the centre of the lawn and Jack, painted
and garlanded, sat there like an idol. There were piles of meat on green leaves near him, and fruit, and
coco-nut shells full of drink.
[Need help?]
An idol is a statue of a pagan god.
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- In what way does Jack resemble an "idol"? (4)
[Need help?]
Jack is sitting on a high place and all the boys appear to honour him in much the same way as they would
honour a pagan god.
He is also not moving, just sitting there surveying his worshippers like an idol sits lifelessly before its
worshippers.
Furthermore, he is draped with flowers -- "garlanded" -- in the same way as a statue of a god
would be draped.
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- What does this first insight into Jack's form of leadership tell us of the difference between him and
Ralph? (4)
[Need help?]
Ralph showed real democratic leadership, where he would physically lead the boys and effectively do
much of the work.
Jack, on the other hand, sits by idly and lets everyone else do the work. He merely barks the orders and
expects everyone to obey. His leadership is through dictate and tyranny, through raw obedience to his
every whim.
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- What were they eating? How do you know? (4)
[Need help?]
They were eating roast pork.
In the first place, there has never been any mention of another animal on the island other than wild pig.
Second, the pig has been roasted on a spit. The only other meat which the boys have eaten has been
by way of crab and shell-fish. One doesn't roast crab or shell-fish on a spit.
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- What drink filled their coconut shells? (1)
[Need help?]
It has to be water -- although I suppose one could argue in favour of coconut milk. Thus far in the story
the boys have not learnt to make any alcoholic beverages -- although presumably they would in time.
Moreover, Jack had always been speaking of moving the camp to another spot but where water would
have to be left in coconut shells.
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