Chapter 8 analysis Lord of the Flies

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   As time goes on we see how the boys are breaking up. They are no longer united but dispersed. In this chapter we are able to see how Jack has virtually and eternally departed from Ralph’s domain. The boys have clearly divided into two groups. Here Golding employs a sort of political perspective of the situation where two governments are running side by side with each other. This chapter’s moral significance lies in the indulgence of the pig and Simon’s final realization of what life really is on the island. Golding has convincingly portrayed the effective significance of the boy’s discovery of the beast on the island. Ralph has presumable lost all power over the group and it is only a matter of time, before Jack’s primitive rise to power.

   We see Piggy’s strong character being portrayed in the starting of the chapter. Golding goes on to bring out the significance of Piggy’s presence on the island and his unmistakable contribution to the good of the society. Even though Ralph is a strong representative of maturity and moral choice we see that Piggy is the closest thing on the island to an adult. We see that Piggy remains the lone skeptic unwilling to bring himself to believe that there is actually is a beast on the island. Ralph’s succumbing to fear and the acceptance of the beast in a way brings out his childish characteristics. Golding reminds us that Ralph is still susceptible to childish passions and irrationality that mark the other boys to a lesser extent. Golding’s foreshadowing message through this is that Ralph given the right circumstances can subject to the same passion and irrationality that is portrayed by Jack and his hunters.

 

    The rising antagonism between Ralph and Jack bursts out when Ralph sarcastically remarks on the truth of Jack and his hunters. “Boys armed with sticks”. Jack ironically uses the significance of the conch to his own advantage. He calls an assembly with the conch to openly challenge Ralph for his seat for the Chief. This is strong irony with what he presumably said in the last chapter. “We don’t need the conch anymore”. Jack instigates Ralph’s pride by bringing out his cowardice. “he isn’t a proper chief”. “He is a coward himself”. As you can see here Jack is trying to expose Ralph’s inability and incompetence in front of the boys. Ralph is able to defend by exposing Jack’s absurdity and cowardice but we see Jack’s thrust to take control of the group.      

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“Who thinks Ralph oughtn’t to be Chief?” Jack’s subtle remark and open challenge is met by the silence of the assembly. Jack’s humiliation is unbearable but his determination is again brought out by his open offer to contradict Ralph’s contribution to the society. “I’m going off by myself. He can catch his own pigs. Anyone who wants to hunt when I do can come too”. This remark signifies Jack’s permanent departure from Ralph and his group.

  Jack’s eternal departure from the group signifies a couple of things. Jack’s departure from the group even though he soon comes to ...

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