Ralph continues to establish a democratic political foundation by using the conch as a symbol of authority, and the description of the children sitting in organized sections during assembly is reflective of a government meeting. Jack continues to support him offering his choir to protect them against any beast; abiding by Ralph's rules, he addresses the group only when he holds the conch in his hands.
After the boys allow a fire to burn uncontrolled across the island, Piggy reprimands them with his voice of reason and rationality, pointing out the need for having the area of the fire to be cleared of debris so that it can be controlled. He recalls that one of them, the "mulberry birthmark boy" is nowhere to be seen, suggesting that he has perhaps died in the fire. Also it is a piece of Piggy, his glasses, which give them this power of fire, a symbolic trait often equated with the attainment of knowledge (i.e. the story of Prometheus, fire bearer, in Greek mythology). We also see Piggy` s glasses as a symbol of clear sight, which indicates Piggy`s rational and scientific mind. Also being used to light the fire they are a symbol of civilization. It is significant that Piggy needs the glasses, since without adults he is very vulnerable. He depends on civilization and adults to help him. When the glasses are broken, we notice that civilisation is beginning to break apart itself inside the boys.
- Manifestation of the island:
In Lord of the Flies one finds the island to be a projection of the children`s nature. Here Golding gives hints of what is to come later. It is like Pathetic Fallacy, only the island is really changing with the change in the children` s character.
This resembles the garden of Eden, which was ‘destroyed’ by Adam and Eve, just like the island will be destroyed by the boys.
On pg. 60 there is the first death. This is accidental. Later on we see that the next one was semi- accidental and the third and last deliberate. Almost every event in the book is repeated several times (for example: the deaths, the throwing of the stones and the dances). This is done to show the development of the boys towards savagery because every time the action is repeated it becomes more serious than the previous time.
Fun: this is a word which will take eerie connotations later on in the novel. It also means ignoring your responsibilities.
Rescue: this means a return to civilization, something which Jack doesn` t want because he is feeling very good when he releases his violence. While Ralph wants it very much and we see this through the fire. Also in this chapter the aspect of time is introduced by Piggy, this is a sign of civilisation, which goes side by side with rescue.
There is a clash between order (Piggy) and disorder (Jack). This comes out through the hate of Piggy and Jack towards each other.
Order: Piggy tries to control the group with rules about the fire and about the list of names.
Disorder: Jack causes disorder as he takes the crowd away from the chief to make a fire on the mountain and also when he says that on the mountain the conch has no authority, therefore getting rid of all the rules which tied him down before. We also see that Jack is not ready to follow Ralph (therefore the rules Ralph made), overstepping his limit of authority.