Lord of the Flies - Entmoot Book Club Discussion

[azalea]

So we have Ralph, not believing there is anything to be afraid of, and who is growing into a thoughtful adolescent. We have the liitluns, who are very afraid, who are still just infant egos (ids, really). We have Jack (representing the hunters), who contends that the beast can be killed, can be forced into submission, that it shouldn't be feared, but are ending up turning into the very thing they're afraid of, but don't know it (as we'll see -- and they are giving over to their ids, instead of developing into an ego, as Ralph is). I love: Ralph-- "what would a beast eat?" Piggy -- "Pig." He knows (but this is not what he means in the immediate sense of what he's saying) that the "beast" (the boys giving themselves over to the id, which for Golding means man's true inner self -- the evil that exists at his core, without the filter of civilization) will "consume" rational thought (Piggy). He says there's no beast, but there is fear because we can "get frightened of people." Golding's way of letting us know that Piggy's almost "got it" -- the beast is that which exists inside of people.
We have Phil tell the group about his "beast sighting." He describes first a dream where he fights those "twisty things"(I'd also like to know what symbolism those hold -- perhaps "the unknown," "separation from society?" I bet that's it). Then he describes that he saw something outside after he awakens from the dream, and it turns out to be Simon, who we know from his explanation has been in his special place. (He apparently is the only one unafraid to go out of the huts at night, he fears no beast -- Simon = purity). At this point we have Jack getting everyone off topic by cracking that Simon was "taken short." Then we have Percival (our representation of the inner mood of all the group, the pure boy, the miserable lost baby longing for his mother) give a list of who he is, according to civilization, which now is nonexistant for him, and has no power there. There is no one to return him to "The Vicarage, Harcourt St. Anthony, etc." and his lamentation will not be quelled, "far beyond the reach of authority." All the littluns join him, and are only brought out of their lamentation by the off topic silliness they all so enjoy. Percival manages to say that the beast comes out of the sea. (Again, I'm sure there's symbolism here that I can't grasp).
The discussion starts to get absurd, with talk of giant squids. Simon then speaks the truth: "maybe it's only us." As he tries to make the group understand what he means, Jack AGAIN breaks the groups concentration with "toilet humor." The assembly is out of control again.
Jack then slaps the face of their little society by breaking the rules, then intentionally doing it and not stopping, he's doing it intentionally. He is showing his power and also showing he doesn't fear going against the rules, thereby diminishing not only the authority of the rules but also that of the leader. He also says to Ralph that he always "favor[s] Piggy" over him, which isn't true, but Jack so resents Piggy's influence that he has to comment about it.
(here I go on to post #3...)