Chapter 2 is where the group begin to express their doubts and the first sign of dispute appears. At first, a meeting is called. Although this is an act of civilisation, the meeting gives way to a quarrel. A system is created which allows only the person holding the conch to speak. Ralph orders that people wishing to speak must put their hands up, “like at school”. Ralph imposes orders from school because they are practical and the boys would understand them. Jack wants to impose lots of rules. But he doesn’t do this to bring order to the group; he does it so that he can punish whoever breaks them. This shows that Jack is not one to be crossed, and that he enjoys seeing, and being a part of, the downfall of others. You could interpret this as an act of mild savagery, or just a character trait, which Jack had even in his days back home. Further on in the meeting, the issue of a “beastie”, or a snake-like creature which one of the smaller boys claims to have seen. The bigger kids laugh and jeer at him. This shows that it is not taken seriously. But the feeling of unrest is still induced. Jack tries to console the child by saying that he will kill the creature, much to the annoyance of Ralph, who wants to make it clear that there is no “beastie”. The subject turns to their rescue. It is decided that they will be rescued, and so they formulate a plan. Ralph suggests they construct a fire, but then Jack rushes off with the other boys, caught up in the excitement of building a fire. Jack snatches Piggy’s glasses to light the fire. This is quite cruel, a s Piggy’s sight is a disability to him, and without his glasses he can’t see. In their excitement, the group don’t notice the disappearance of one of the smaller kids. Piggy points this out. It is assumed that he was killed in the blaze, which, with lack of attention, had spread and burnt a part of the island. Jack’s statement is not thoroughly contradicted here, but it gives weak support.
Chapter 3 sees the failed attempt to bring sustenance and shelter to the island. Jack attempts to get his first kill, but it escapes his grasp. His hunters had abandoned him to go and play. Ralph was trying to build huts on the beach, but the group of workers had abandoned him, too. All, except Simon, who seems incredibly mature and intelligent for his age. A feud springs up between Jack and Ralph; Ralph thinks it more necessary to tend to the fire and build huts, and is annoyed by how Jack wants only to hunt pigs. Also Jack annoys Ralph by expressing his concern on the issue of the “beastie”, and how he can relate to what the children are saying. This is not a savage argument; the boys are still only incorporating childish anger in their attitudes.
Chapter 4 starts rather unusually. A boy named Roger is throwing stones at a boy named Henry. But he is aiming to miss, his mind denying him permission to harm the child, as he would not have been able to do so back home. This suggests that the boy wants to do harm, but can’t. He is being controlled, or almost suppressed, by “ a civilisation that knew nothing of him and was in ruins”. After this scene we are brought to Jack. He is making a mask for himself, to serve as a disguise from the pigs which he hopes to hunt and kill. But when he gets the desired look, he transforms into another person, allowing himself to hide behind the mask and express himself in a way that makes him feel freer. In his newfound excitement, he and his hunters abandon the fire to go hunting. The fire goes out. Ralph spots a ship pass the island, but since the fire was out, there was nothing to attract the ship. Ralph becomes angry at Jack. Jack and his hunters, meanwhile, had succeeded in finding and killing a pig.. he expects a hero’s welcome down on the beach, but is greeted with the anger of Ralph. He still tries to wipe aside this fault, so he can show off his spoils. The killing excites all the hunters. They chanted, “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood”. This is a clear sign of savagery. Jack is angered by Ralph, and as he can’t take this out on him, he takes it out instead on Piggy, who he punches twice, breaking his glasses. Ralph makes him apologise, but it seems their friendship is over, and Ralph is beginning to form a friendship with Piggy.
Chapter 5 is mainly based on a meeting. Ralph, who hopes to address some points of his concern, calls this meeting. Firstly Ralph talks about how the group are not working hard enough to contribute to the well-being of their new lifestyle. Then he talks about how they are going about thins in an uncivilised way. For example, they are not using the indicated places as toilets, but they are doing it everywhere. Then he talks about the idea of the “beastie”. The small kids had been having nightmares. It is suggested that they are scared of each other, or a ghost, or a sea-creature. The meeting does not go as planned; it breaks up leaving Ralph, Piggy and Simon behind, seemingly the only sane ones left. By now Jack’s statement is completely contradicted; the boys have left their civilised ways and turned into savages.