This chapter is where the great message of the book comes together. The message is that civilization is immensely fragile and if the rights of individuals are not protected society tends to fall into dictatorship and savagery. This message plays out through the conflict between Jake (who represents dictatorship and savagery) and Ralph (who represents civilization and respect for the individual) with Jack emerging as the victor. Jack then sets the tone for the death of Simon.
             Throughout this chapter the opposition of civilization and savagery are shown through Jack and Ralph. Jack symbolizes the savage desire to develop a dictatorship designed to advance Jack's interest and not that of the boys generally. Jack enforces this by using fear and violence through the idea of the beast and the power he holds from being the hunter. After Jack gives the boys this big feast he then says " 'has everybody eaten as much as they want?' His tone conveyed a warning, given out of the pride and ownership." Through just this one little statement he conveys a subtle threat to the boys that they were dependent on his hunting skills. On the other side of it, Ralph symbolizes the positive desire for an ordered civilization that respects the rights of all the boys and fosters creativity. Ralph wants the whole group of boys to work together based on a democratic view of consensus and rationality. He thinks about the rational things like keeping the fire going and building shelters to protect them all. He prefers doing this by working together as a team.
             The narrator is trying to bring to light the unending conflict between those elements in society seeking power and dictatorship and those seeking to protect democracy and the rights of the individual. This illustrates the theme that when there is a breakdown of rationality, insanity prevails. That insanity is usually directed at the educated class which usually resists the break...