Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall Trees

At the beginning of this chapter the boys are going from the bridge, where the beast supposedly was, back to the beach. They ate fruit, and then Jack discovered fresh droppings on the pig run, so the boys decided to go and hunt. On the pig run there was a boar, so Ralph took aim at it and threw his spear. He hit the boar in its snout, and all the boys started chasing it. The boar escaped. Ralph started to brag about how he hit the boar, and Jack showed his wound. It was like a game of who could get the most attention. Then everyone started acting like Robert was the beast and they were going to kill him, which I thought was idiotic and pointless. "The circle moved in and round. Robert squealed in mock terror, then in real pain." (114) They could have seriously hurt Robert, especially when Ralph was jabbing at him with a spear. I think this shows that as the boys spent more time on the island they became less civilized. The boys then decided to go up to the mountain to see if it was clear. Ralph, Jack, and Roger go up to see if the beast is there. They go up and all of them think they see the beast, because there is a rock like hump, but I think it is only the person with the parachute. This chapter has more conflict between Jack and Ralph than any of the ones before it, and shows how they compete against each other to be the bravest one.