Two separate illustrations of an animal head and a fire on a mountain

Lord of the Flies

by William Golding

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Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

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Summary

Ralph, Simon, and Piggy put Percival to sleep and fall asleep themselves. Unbeknownst to the boys, the night brings an air battle in the skies over the island. A shot-down plane extrudes a dead pilot hanging from a parachute, which floats down and lands on the side of the mountain. The corpse is dragged up the rocks by the parachute. Near the mountaintop the corpse comes to a rest, settling into a strange rhythm of raising its head and slumping, according to the wind.

Early in the morning, Sam and Eric go to the mountaintop to rekindle the fire. By the fire’s light, they see the parachutist; confusing it for the beast, they flee back to camp, where they rouse Ralph and tell him the news. Ralph decides to quietly gather the boys to an assembly. Sam and Eric describe the beast to the other boys, who become frightened. Eric shows his face, cut from having run through jungle brush, as evidence of claw marks from the beast. 

The boys debate the proper course of action. Jack proposes hunting it; Ralph points out that they are under-equipped and admits to being afraid. After Piggy expresses his wish not to pursue the beast, Ralph charges him with staying behind at camp to look after the littluns. Piggy worries that the beast might attack the camp, at which point Jack teases Piggy for being scared. Piggy replies that Jack—conchless—is speaking out of turn, at which point Jack shouts, “‘We don’t need the conch anymore.’” He goes on to claim that certain boys—Simon, Bill, Walter—would do better to keep quiet.

Ralph reasserts his agenda, defending the conch and reprimanding Jack for his skewed priorities, for hunting instead of trying to get rescued. The boys decide to search for the beast on the smaller island connected to the main island by a land bridge—the last zone of the island they have not yet explored. They plan to then return to the mountaintop and start the fire again. 

After eating and arming themselves with spears, the biguns head off down the beach. Ralph brings up the rear, letting Jack lead in a boisterous manner. Simon walks alongside Ralph and muses about the existence of the beast, which he doubts. When “Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and sick.” Simon then walks into a tree and smashes his head before he and Ralph can enter into a discussion.

When the boys arrive at the narrow causeway of rocks leading to the small island, Ralph elects Jack to scout it out. Jack hesitates, but Ralph instinctively senses that, as chief, he ought to go, so he elects himself and sets forth. The causeway is bordered by the calm, reef-bound lagoon on one side and the vast Pacific on the other, swelling and collapsing and swelling again. Ralph scrambles up the hundred-foot hill of rock, and as he moves along a cliff edge, notices that Jack has joined him. They reach the top of the rock and find the island empty. 

As they descend, the smaller boys rush onto the island to join them and begin frenziedly toppling boulders down into the water. With the day nearing noon and the beast out of sight, the boys are content to play and abandon the tasks at hand. Ralph angrily musters the group and reminds them of the importance of getting to the mountain to light the fire. After some argument, the boys all agree, and Jack leads the boys into the jungle and toward the mountain.

Analysis

Chapter 6 introduces a mechanism of dramatic irony that unwinds over the course of several chapters. Readers witness both the falling of the parachutist and Sam and Eric's confusion of the parachutist as the beast. Thus readers know more than the boys do. As the boys set out on their hunt, readers understand that the beast they are searching for is nothing more than an unexpected corpse. However, Simon’s musings about the nature of the beast in Chapter 5 should give readers pause. There may be a metaphorical sense in which the shot-down parachutist does indeed represent the beast. The dead pilot stands for violence, death, and fear—all specters that have haunted the boys thus far.

Simon’s meditation reinforces readers’ suspicions that he understands something about the beast that the other boys do not. Simon cannot shake his doubts about a mysterious beast who leaves no tracks. It is significant that when he thinks of the beast he envisions “a human at once heroic and sick.” Simon’s vision in Chapter 6 accords with his prior notion that the beast is “only us,” only a manifestation of something within the boys themselves. 

The ongoing conflict between Ralph and Jack undergoes important changes in Chapter 6. After Jack’s insolent disruption of Ralph the previous evening, Ralph succeeds in gaining the upper hand again. During the morning assembly, he witheringly criticizes Jack for holding shortsighted priorities. Later, as the boys gather before the small island to scout for the beast, Ralph gains yet more esteem for choosing to do the scouting himself instead of Jack.

As this conflict develops, Ralph becomes more adult in his outlook, urging the boys to be responsible and discouraging play when there are more pressing matters. Jack grows more popular with the boys because he encourages them to enjoy themselves, shows disregard for the rules, and demonstrates his bravado. However, while Ralph proves himself the braver, if less popular, boy in this chapter, Jack’s undermining of Ralph’s authority continues to sow discord in the fragile society.

Expert Q&A

Why does Jack want a fort on the rock island in chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies?

Jack wants a fort on the rock island in chapter 6 because he is impressed by its strategic advantages. Castle Rock's narrow passageway and boulders make it easily defensible, appealing to Jack's tactical mindset. Despite Ralph's concerns about its lack of resources, Jack is enamored with the idea of having a fortified base where he can establish his authority.

What literary devices like foreshadowing, pathetic fallacy, and irony are used in chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies?

In chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies, Golding uses foreshadowing, irony, and pathetic fallacy to create vivid imagery and emotional responses. Foreshadowing is seen in the description of the dead parachutist, hinting at future tragedies. Irony is present in the boys' belief in adult saviors, despite adults causing their plight. Pathetic fallacy is used to personify the environment, enhancing the boys' fear and vulnerability.

What strange thing does Ralph notice in Chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies as the boys play around the rocks?

In Chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies, Ralph notices a strange thing as the boys play around the rocks: he momentarily loses his focus on the importance of maintaining the signal fire. Golding uses the simile "like a bat's wing" to describe Ralph's fleeting loss of thought and grip on priorities, highlighting his struggle to maintain leadership.

What does Chapter 6's episode, where Ralph and Jack stand looking at the sea, reveal about Ralph?

The lagoon had protected them from the Pacific: and for some reason only Jack had gone right down to the water on the other side. Now he saw the landsman's view of the swell and it seemed like the breathing of some stupendous creature. Slowly the water sank among the rocks, revealing pink tables of granite, strange growths of coral, polyp, and weed. Down, down, the waters went, whispering like the wind among the heads of the forest. There was one flat rock there, spread like a table, and the waters sucking down on the four weedy sides made them like cliffs. Then the sleeping leviathan breathed out—the waters rose, the weed streamed, and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar. There was no sense of the passage of waves; only this minute-long fall and rise and fall.

The episode in Chapter 6 reveals Ralph's understanding of the sea's destructive nature and his cautious approach to leadership. Unlike Jack, who is rash and excited by danger, Ralph recognizes the need for a civil society with rules and laws to navigate life's dangers. This scene highlights Ralph's maturity and growth as a leader, contrasting with Jack's reckless behavior.

In Lord of the Flies Chapter 6, how do Ralph's and Jack's actions differ while climbing the new hill?

In Chapter 6, Ralph and Jack exhibit contrasting perspectives while climbing the new hill. Ralph focuses on the practical aspects necessary for survival, such as the lack of fresh water, food, and shelter, deeming the site unsuitable. Conversely, Jack perceives the hill as an ideal location for a fort due to its defensibility and vantage point, reflecting his militaristic approach. This difference highlights Ralph's focus on survival and Jack's desire for power and control.

What are the symbols in chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies?

In chapter 6, significant symbols include the dead paratrooper, which represents the manifestation of evil and the fall of civilization, and the conch, symbolizing civility and order. Piggy's glasses denote rational thought and innovation, while the signal fire represents hope and connection to civilization. Darkness symbolizes moral degeneration, and the beast embodies the boys' inherent evil and primal instincts.

In chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies, what is the "sleeping leviathan"?

In chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies, the "sleeping leviathan" refers to the ocean's rhythmic rise and fall, which appears like a massive sea creature breathing. Metaphorically, it represents the underlying threat of the boys' innate savagery and their potential for violence, which, if awakened, will lead to chaos and destruction. Symbolically, it also alludes to humanity's self-destructive tendencies.

Which quotation from chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies suggests that Sam and Eric are inseparable?

A quotation from chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies suggesting that Sam and Eric are inseparable is, "But they could never manage to do things sensibly if that meant acting independently, and since staying awake all night was impossible, they had both gone to sleep." This highlights their inability to act independently and their close bond throughout the novel.

In Chapter 6 of Lord Of The Flies, does Simon believe Samneric's story and how does he imagine the beast?

In Chapter 6, Simon does not believe Samneric's story about the beast. He finds their account of a bloodthirsty creature with claws implausible, as it left no tracks and failed to catch them. Simon imagines the beast as a "picture of a human at once heroic and sick," symbolizing the inherent evil within each person. He interprets the beast as the duality of human nature, encompassing both heroism and wickedness.

How would you analyze this passage from Lord of The Flies?

Far beneath them, the trees of the forest sighed, then roared. The hair on their foreheads fluttered and flames blew sideways from the fire. Fifteen yards away from them came the plopping noise of fabric blown open.

This passage from Lord of the Flies occurs in Chapter 6, "Beast From Air," as Sam and Eric tend the signal fire. The forest is depicted as alive, with wind causing dramatic sounds that heighten the boys' fear. They mistakenly perceive a dead pilot's parachute as the beast. The wind's movement makes the parachute appear animated, fueling their terror and imagination. The description intensifies the atmosphere of fear and misunderstanding among the boys.

In Lord of the Flies chapter 6, how does the beast from air affect Ralph?

In Chapter 6, Ralph's encounter with the "beast from air" prompts him to act pragmatically. Despite his fear, he calls a late-night assembly to address the situation logically, countering Jack's impulsive urge to hunt the beast. Ralph emphasizes rationality by questioning the practicality of wooden spears against a beast, thereby encouraging the boys to think critically and develop a more sensible plan to explore the unvisited parts of the island.

In Lord of the Flies chapter 6, what message does the dead parachutist represent from the adult world?

The dead parachutist in Chapter 6 symbolizes the pervasive violence and conflict of the adult world, reflecting the ongoing war that caused the boys' plane to crash. It underscores the idea that war and death are intrinsic to human experience, mirroring the boys' own descent into savagery. This serves as a reminder that the boys' microcosm reflects the larger world, where civilization is constantly threatened by chaos and violence.

In "Lord of the Flies", who first suggests hunting what Samneric claim to have seen?

Jack is the first to suggest hunting the "beast" that Samneric claim to have seen in Lord of the Flies. When the twins report their sighting in Chapter 6, Jack eagerly proposes a hunt, saying, "This'll be a real hunt! Who'll come?" This suggestion highlights Jack's thrill for the hunt and contrasts with Ralph's more cautious approach, emphasizing the growing power struggle and fear manipulation among the boys.

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