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

Lord of the Flies

by William Golding

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Discussion Topic

Motivations behind the characters' decision to search for the Beast in Lord of the Flies

Summary:

The characters in Lord of the Flies are motivated to search for the Beast due to a mix of fear and the need to assert control over their environment. Their fear of the unknown drives them to confront it, while their desire for dominance and leadership pushes them to take action and prove their bravery to each other.

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In Lord of the Flies, why do Ralph and Piggy visit Jack's camp?

In chapter 11, of the older boys, only Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric have not joined Jack's tribe. Jack has previously stolen Piggy's glasses in a night raid, and Piggy is nearly blind without them. Not only that, but their signal fire has gone out, and without Piggy's glasses, they have no way to light it, so their hopes of rescue have plummeted.

Ralph calls an assembly of the four boys, and they decide to go to Jack's camp. Ralph's intent is to call an assembly, reason with Jack and the other boys regarding the fire, and obtain Piggy's glasses back. Ralph and Piggy are harboring a growing sense of outrage at Jack's savagery. Ralph is furious that Jack stole their means of keeping the fire lit. Once again, he is amazed that the boys can be so short-sighted, but he retains some hope that he can make...

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them see reason. Ralph wants to wash up and go as representatives of the power of civilization, but his unruly hair and the horrible state of their clothing make that impossible. However, he insists they will not paint themselves; they will take the conch and go with dignity, showing the superiority of order and morality.

Piggy is also outraged at the personal cruelty he has experienced at Jack's hands. Although he primarily wants his glasses back, he also intends to confront Jack about his lack of morality. He wants to emphasize to Jack that "what's right's right."

When they reach Castle Rock, Ralph first states that he is calling an assembly. Then he accuses Jack of being a thief and demands he return Piggy's glasses. Then, although Piggy has to remind him, he explains that the signal fire must be kept lit because it is their "only hope." Without it, they might wait years until a ship comes near them by accident. After Ralph says his piece, Jack captures Samneric and tussles with Ralph. Then Piggy begins addressing the boys, telling them they are "acting like a crowd of kids." He asks a series of rhetorical questions of the boys, comparing Ralph's ways to Jack's ways. Roger answers each of his questions with stones thrown at Piggy from above. Finally, he rolls the boulder down on Piggy, killing him and shattering the conch.

Both Ralph and Piggy carry out their intentions when they arrive at Castle Rock, but the consequences are much more dire than they ever expected.

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In Lord of the Flies, why do Ralph and Jack decide to find the beast?

Chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies begins with a nighttime incident: an unknown person parachutes out of an exploding airplane and is blown onto the island’s mountain top. Samneric have been tending the fire. They do not see the figure fall but, as dawn breaks, notice the corpse caught in tangled lines and fabric. They immediately identify it as the beast. Terrified, they run to Ralph, who convenes an assembly. The twins tell a short but fanciful tale, claiming that the beast has “wings” and “claws” and that it followed and nearly caught them.

Jack instantly gets excited and relishes the prospect of hunting it. “This’ll be a real hunt!” he exclaims, and asks which boys will join him. Ralph manages to retain control of the assembly, listening to Piggy’s objections and pointing out that some of the older boys need to stay with the littluns and re-light the fire. Ralph concludes that the beast is no ordinary animal. He reasons that it does not leave tracks, because they have not seen any, and even suggests that it “may swing through the trees like what’s its name.”

Ralph insists that they formulate a plan that includes efforts toward rescue: maintaining the fire. He figures that the beast must be hiding out on the only part of the island they have not yet explored, the “tail-end” beyond a bridge-like rock. They decide to go there first, then hike up the mountain and re-light the fire, which the twins allowed to go out when they fled.

Leaving Piggy in charge of the littluns, the other big boys set off. Allowing Jack to take lead, Ralph finds himself “thankful to have escaped responsibility for a time.”

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Why do Ralph and Jack decide to search for the beast in Lord of the Flies?

There had been much uncertainty and speculation about the existence of abeast on the island. Ralph had called a meeting to clear things up and it was at this point that Jack brought up the subject. He especially blamed the littluns for their repeated references to the beast stating that:

"You littluns started all this, with the fear talk. Beasts! Where from?"

One of the liitluns claimed that the beast came from the sea and another, Phil, claimed to have heard and seen the beast during the night, but it was soon established that it was Simon who he saw. It was clear, however, that the boys were fearful of this unknown entity and that this fear had in some way led to dissent amongst the boys. Jack promised to hunt down the beast and kill it.

The twins, Sam and Eric, later claimed to have actually heard and seen the beast whilst tending the fire on the mountain. They informed Ralph and a meeting was called. At the meeting Eric said:

"We’ve seen the beast with our own eyes. No—we weren’t asleep—"

Further testimony by the boys was so commanding that they could not but be believed. It was at this point that Jack insisted that they hunt for the beast. His insistence persuaded Ralph to accompany him. Finding the beast would end all speculation and killing it would stop all fear. This was essential to ensure security on the island and probably put an end to dissent.

It is ironic, though, that what Sam and Eric had actually seen and heard was the body of a dead parachutist who had landed on the island. Further irony also lies in the fact that this would be the last time Ralph and Jack would work as partners in the pursuit of a shared objective.

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On one level Ralph and Jack both decide to go and find the beast because they are the eldest, and the unspoken "leaders" on the island since there are no adults and no adult authority. On another level, Jack and Ralph BOTH have to go find the beast because to not want to is to admit fear or a weakness and that they are afraid of "something." This is a power struggle that begins to form between the two and will manifest itself in the two tribes splitting and the boys choosing which camp they want to belong to. They are both trying to assert their courage and demonstrate to the rest of the boys that they are both suitable commanders, protectors, and leaders.

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