CHAPTER SUMMARY AND NOTES

CHAPTER 10 - The Shell and the Glasses

The next morning Piggy and Ralph, both scratched, bruised, and dirty, are unbearably ashamed of the incidents from the previous night. They are obviously disturbed by Simon's death, but are unwilling to discuss it at length. Piggy tries to convince Ralph that it was all an accident and that they were not responsible since they were only on the fringes of the event. Ralph, however, states that they are accomplices to a murder. They are also depressed that only Sam, Eric, and a few littluns are left in their group; the rest have joined Jack.

Jack and his tribe of savages have settled at castle Rock. Here, he is the ruler and everyone has to obey him or be punished. In fact, Wilfred is punished with a beating for some minor misdeed. The boys feel guilty about Simon's death. But Jack convinces them that it was the beast in disguise and asks them to keep watch and be careful in case it returns. Jack then decides to go hunting for more meat, but they will need more fire since theirs had gone out. They decide to again raid Ralph's group, with Maurice, Roger, and Jack going after sunset; they will take what they need.

Tired and depressed, Ralph's group retires early to their shelters for the night. Ralph has nightmares, Sam and Eric fight with each other, and the littluns whimper in the dark. They are suddenly awakened by the raiders, who come in screaming and attacking. There is a violent fight between them, and the raiders rush away. They have taken what they had come for, Piggy's glasses, the only means for making fire.

Notes

The day after Simon's death; Piggy, Ralph, Sam, Eric, and the littluns gather on the beach, while Jack's group gathers at Castle Rock. Everyone feels guilty about Simon's death, but each person handles it differently. Piggy calls it an accident and tries to say that he and Ralph had no part in it. Ralph acknowledges that a murder has occurred and that he and Piggy are accomplices. Jack doggedly maintains that Simon was truly the beast in disguise; he also warns his group to guard against the return of the beast, which can never be permanently killed. Like true savages, they decide to placate the beast by offering it portions of everything that they kill.

As Jack's power increases, so does his savagery. He rules his own tribe through fear, punishing others as he sees fit, even for minor infractions. Because of his own base nature, Jack assumes the only way to get something is through stealing. He refuses to ask Ralph for more fire; instead, he plans to raid the "enemy" camp and take what he heeds. He and his chosen savages violently attack the remnants of Ralph's group in their own shelters, damaging them in the process. They are so caught up in this "human hunt", the members of Jack's group even start attacking each other. They take what they want, Piggy's glasses, and then flee into the night. As a result of the raid, Ralph sinks further into depression and inactivity; he finds it difficult to even think rationally. In stealing Piggy's glasses, Jack has stolen their last vestige of civilization, their ability to make the fire that can help in their rescue.

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