This quote appears in chapter 4, just after Jack's group has let the signal fire go out. A ship had appeared on the horizon, but without the signal fire, it had not spotted them. Therefore, the boys have missed a good chance of rescue because Jack prioritized hunting over responsibility.

In this quote, we see the clash of these two views of leadership. We also see that the boys' preference is shifting toward Jack. His quest for blood, hunting, and adventure is described as "brilliant" and "fierce." There is an increasingly positive connotation associated with Jack's focus. Meanwhile, Ralph longs for order and a means for rescue. As these principles guide his leadership, he is beginning to lose ground, being seen as boring and having "baffled common sense."

This growing clash of perspectives brings the boys into increasing conflict. At first, Ralph is able to hang on to the boys through reason, but the quest for blood, which Jack visibly "smudged ... over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair," begins to find a receptive audience. Ralph and Jack will continue to face off because of their differences in values, and Jack will eventually prove capable of leading the boys toward savagery and destruction.