In chapter 4 Jacks potential for violence becomes more obvious particularly when Jack puts on war paint as camouflage to go hunting with and becomes very excited about his appearance “he began to dance and his laughter becomes a bloodthirsty snarling.” The war paint gives Jack a new identity. He takes on a primitiveness and leaves behind the rules and laws from his previous life. With this mask Jack has left behind his “shame and self consciousness.” The war paint mask appeared to be taking control as it was “a thing on its own”, and it “compelled” Jack and the others to forget that they were guarding the fire as Ralph had told them to do so and go hunting. Then Ralph and the others realise that their fire had gone out and a ship has passed by without seeing them. Jack and his followers had broken the rules. Ralph is angry as he realises that their chance of being rescued has gone. He then hears the chanting of the hunting procession as they return. Led by Jack they are carrying a gutted carcass of a pig.
During the early days Jack could not bring himself to kill a pig but now he excitedly lifts a spear and hails “look! We’ve killed a pig.” He wipes the blood from his hands and laughs. Killing has now become acceptable. The boys involved in the hunt have broken what was earlier a taboo. Not only are they prepared to kill but they take real pleasure in it “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood.”
Jack and his followers are losing their contact with civilisation. Their behaviour is becoming inhuman and barbaric. If the boys develop a desire for killing and violence then they maybe tempted to harm each other. It is in this chapter that not only has a pig been killed for the first time but there is also violence between Jack and Piggy.
Jacks attack on Piggy is another turning point for the moral code. The restraints of the previous moral standards are breaking down. Piggy who normally tries to avoid confrontation says to Jack “You didn’t ought to have let that fire out. You said you’d keep the smoke going-” Jack is angered by this and retaliates violently by punching Piggy in his stomach and with a vicious tone in his voice he shouts, “You would, would you? Fatty”
Jack’s previous potential for violence is now a reality. He smashes Piggy’s head, breaking his glasses. Although Piggy’s vulnerability is obvious “I got to have them specs. Now I only got one eye.” Jack continues tormenting Piggy. Jack is not punished for this violence, which suggests that violence is becoming increasingly acceptable for the boys. This sets a really dangerous presidence. It may encourage the other boys to harm the more vulnerable children on the island. It also shows that Jack is no longer thinking logically as they need Piggy’s specs for lighting the fire for signal and cooking.
Jack’s treatment of Piggy shows that he sees him as being just like the pig they have just killed. Jack does not think of Piggy as a human but an animal. Jack’s attack on Piggy is an important turning point because up until now potentially violent boys like Roger have been restrained by the moral standards of the old life. These are now eroded.
Jack apologises to Ralph for letting the fire out. The other hunters admire him for this although the apology was not sincere. Ralph is angry at the apology and sees it as a trick by Jack to become popular.
There appears to be a power struggle between jack and Ralph now. After Jack’s attack on Piggy, Ralph is sympathetic towards Piggy. This is another turning point in the novel as Jack and Ralph are no longer allies on the island “Not even Ralph knew how a link between him and Jack had been snapped and fastened elsewhere.” Although they had just seen their hope of rescue disappear with the ship, as soon as the meat is cooked the boys forget about this and Jack’s guilt for letting the fire go out. Even Ralph and Piggy give in to the temptation of the meat, “he meant to refuse the meat.” As Jack is the leader of the hunt, the meat makes him more powerful, “ I got you meat” Jack takes pleasure in re-counting the hunt and describing how he “cut the pigs throat.” Ralph becomes resentful as he watches Jack becoming more powerful and popular. He tries to show his leadership by calling an assembly.
This chapter shows the first signs of moral disorder and de-civilisation. The boy’s behaviour deteriorates and violence becomes acceptable. This may be because the boys need to survive on the island. They do not have the luxuries of their past life and they need to kill for food. In this environment you have to be strong to survive so Jack tries to assert himself and gain support from others. In civilisation there are laws and rules telling you how to behave otherwise there are consequences. There are no written laws or rules of behaviour on the island and this is the reason why order breaks down.
