1. Chapters 2 and 3 “Fire on the Mountain” & “Huts on the Beach”
Lord of the Flies
Chapters 2 and 3
“Fire on the Mountain”
&
“Huts on the Beach”

2. Events of Chapter 2
When the 3 boys return from the mountain, Ralph blows the conch for another meeting
They discuss that they need hunters for the pigs since the island is uninhabited
Jack gets very upset when the story of not sticking the pig comes up - what does he do?
First rule is established: to maintain order at the meetings only the person with the conch may speak
Jack likes the rule for one reason only - he is the enforcer
Piggy tells the group that noone knows where they are and they should be prepared to be there for a very long time
Ralph tries to quell the boys’ fear by mentioning adventure books that they have read such as The Coral Island
The boy with the mulberry colored birthmark steps forward and talks about the “Beastie”
Jack says he will hunt and kill it

3. Events of Chapter 2 continued…
Ralph suggests they build a fire to signal ships
Jack organizes the choir to build a fire - they use dead leaves for kindling
The young boys hang out in the forest eating fruit
They use Piggy’s glasses to light the fire
The fire burns too quickly
Piggy, Jack and Ralph fight over the right to the conch
Jack offers the choir to be the lookouts for the fire to help keep it going
There is a “drum-roll” sound to the fire as the power of the fire unleashes and takes out a good chunk of the island in flames and smoke.
The first boy is discovered missing and eventually they realize that he is dead - claimed by the roll of the of the fire - who is he?

4. The Presentation of Fear
The introduction of the beastie - the “snake like thing”
Jack’s growing obsession with killing the pig (dominates his thoughts and actions)
Jack even perpetuates the myth of the “beastie” because it gives him an excuse to hunt
The good plan of the signal fire instills fear in the boys with their inability to control it

5. Breakdown of order and power of the flames…
Results in chaos and death
Through their inability to concentrate on carrying out their own plans, the boys quickly learn failure
The fire becomes a symbol of the indiscriminate power of brute force - unleashed, uncontrolled, its potential is deadly and indifferent, consuming all who get too close.

6. Irony
The explosions from the fire that claim the boy’s (with the mulberry birthmark) life cause the creeper vines to fly into the air looking like snakes.
Ironically, they appear to be the “snake-thing” the boy thought would eat him
It seems that the beast he feared was real, only it was not quite what he expected it to be

7. Events of Chapter 3 The chapter opens with Jack tracking a pig
The other boys are building huts
The hunters have gone swimming
Simon helps the littluns get fruit
Ralph and Jack talk about the littluns’ nightmares about the beast
At the end of the chapter, Simon goes into the jungle

8. Symbols: huts represent the attempt to create a civilization
knife symbolizes Jack’s violent nature

9. Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is the placing of two things, side by side, generally to draw attention to or to emphasize differences between two things.
Throughout most of Chapter Three, Golding juxtaposes Jack and Ralph.

10. Ralph and Jack Ralph Concerned about being rescued
Building huts and shelters with Simon
Ralph is concerned about the community
Jack
Obsessed with the hunt
Hunting for pigs to kill
Jack is only concerned with what HE wants

11. There is another juxtaposition of characters: the chapter begins with Jack alone in the forest and ends with Simon alone in the forest.
Jack
Described in animal like terms (dog-like, on all fours, flared nostrils)
The forest is described as unfriendly and oppressive when Jack is in it
Jack sees the forest as something to conquer
Simon
Simon’s forest is different from Jack’s
He is at home in the forest
Wishes the forest no harm
He is accepted by the forest
Enjoys the tranquility of the forest

12. Simon
Simon emerges as the Christ—figure: pure, good, peaceful, and helpful (in contrast with the others)