Discussion Topic
Differences between the new fort and the beach shelters in Lord of the Flies
Summary:
The new fort in Lord of the Flies is a symbol of the boys' descent into savagery, made of rocks and located on a barren, defensible cliff. In contrast, the beach shelters represent civilization and order, constructed with palm leaves and built for communal living and protection from the elements.
What differences exist between the new fort and shelters in chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies?
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is set on a tropical island on which a group of English schoolboys is living after they survived a plane crash. The first place they all live is near the beach. Ralph and Simon, with minimal help from anyone else, have built some shelters there, though only one of them is very sturdy. The shelters are near fresh water and fruit trees, as well as the ocean, of course, and the jungle foliage of the island is nearby.
The fort is on the mountain. In chapter six, most of the older boys are hunting, and Jack sees something nearby which captures his attention.
He led the way over the rocks, inspected a sort of half-cave that held nothing more terrible than a clutch of rotten eggs, and at last sat down, looking round him and tapping the rock with thebutt of his...
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spear. Jack was excited. “What a place for a fort!”
Ralph does not share his enthusiasm. The spray from the ocean gets them wet, and he grumbles that there is no fresh water. Jack sees "a long green smudge half-way up the rock" and discovers a trickle of fresh water. The two of them keep climbing the pile of rocks until they reach the pinnacle.
A hundred feet below them was the narrow causeway, then the stony ground, then the grass dotted with heads, and behind that the forest.
Jack is thrilled to note that, from up here, giant rocks can be levered and dropped down onto any approaching enemy (which of course is what Roger does to Piggy several chapters later). Ralph's opinion is unchanging. He insists that "this is a rotten place.”
The words shelter and fort imply a sense of protection for those inside them; however, the reality on this island is that the enemy is within, so neither of these places provide safety for the boys.
What are two differences between the new fort and the beach shelters in Lord of the Flies?
While the huts are born in practical survival strategies, the fort is based in a boy's world of fantasy. The huts, though never given proper construction attention and thus not the most reliable of shelters, are strategically located by Ralph. In chapter 3, when Jack walks into the hut area, Ralph greets him with, "Water? There by the tree. Ought to be some left." Accessibility to water is key to survival, and Ralph's location for the huts places this necessity in easy reach for everyone. There is shade available, important for days spent in the hot sun. The area has fruit to feed them, and there is a sense of the area being a safe space. In contrast, Jack's fort area is chosen on a whim and without much thought. There isn't really any fresh water to speak of except a trickle sliding down a rock; Jack says that they can just keep a coconut shell there all the time. The area is rocky and has no food. Instead of being focused on practical means of survival, the boys amuse themselves by rolling rocks.
While the huts are designed to be inclusive, the fort is designed to be exclusive. Ralph wants to construct the huts as a means of protection for everyone, including the hunters. He seeks help in building them so that everyone from the youngest boys to the leaders have a safe place to rest. Jack's fort is designed to keep out anyone who doesn't agree with him and his leadership. In chapter 10, Jack tries to determine how to cook the feast he's anticipating and declares, "We shall take fire from the others." In this statement is the sense of the exclusive nature of his fort; "the others" are Ralph and Piggy, namely, whom Jack is in conflict with. They are not welcome in his fort, which becomes his own little realm of power.
The shelters on the beach were meant to be a safe place for everyone, a kind of centralized location near the assembly place that could be established as "home". Yet after the first couple hours, no one would help Simon and Ralph build. As a result, the only shelters are poorly constructed and prone to collapsing.
Ralph turned to the shelter and lifted a branch with a whole tiling of leaves. The leaves came apart and fluttered down. Simon’s contrite face appeared in the hole.
“Sorry.”
Ralph surveyed the wreck with distaste.
“Never get it done.”
He flung himself down at Jack’s feet. Simon remained, looking out of the hole in the shelter. Once down, Ralph explained.
“Been working for days now. And look!”
Two shelters were in position, but shaky. This one was a ruin.
The shelters represent the tenuous bonds of society: the fragile connections holding the boys together as a group. Of course, even in their building the shelters cannot bring the boys together, which could symbolize the weakness of civilization in the face of savagery.
The fort, on the other hand,is in a strategic position of power and exclusion. High on the cliff of "Castle Rock", Jack has complete control over his location and his tribe. Here, he rules with an iron fist, and those who don't complete their jobs are beaten (some, like the unfortunate Wilfred, for seemingly no reason). So this location represents the power of savagery and violence in the human race, and the ultimate power of authoritarian rule. The fort's location was specially chosen so that the tribe could ambush anyone approaching. In contrast to the open, accessible shelters, the fort is closed off and difficult to get to.