Bloody Murder!

Today I will be focusing on main events because important things happened.

On page 127, Jack got so angry with Ralph that he decided to break off and form his own group because they argued about the beast and who could kill it. I thought Jack would leave Ralph’s group. I think Ralph being separated from Jack is important to this story because without an opponent, the island would be fun and happy. Instead, there is a challenge between the two leaders which makes the book more entertaining and suspenseful.

Many of the hunters joined Jack. Later, Jack invited Ralph’s group to feast on a pig they caught and killed. Meanwhile, a few hunters loyal to Jack stole burning wood from Ralph’s fire. Jack angered Ralph, but Ralph went to the party anyway. No one could see at the party because it was very dark. Simon crawled in on his knees but no one knew it was him. Jack mistook him for the beast and yelled “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!”(page 152).

“The blue-white scar was constant, the noise unendurable. Simon was crying out something about a dead man on a hill.

“Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!

“The sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise, something about a body on the hill. The beast struggled forward, broke the ring, and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws.”

I think this passage means the boys were scared. They did not think as they acted, just did. I think the author stopped calling Simon by his name and started calling him “the beast” because the boys thought he was the beast.

I was surprised Simon died so early in the book, I sort-of liked his character. I don’t understand why the boys who killed him did not recognize that it was Simon. My guess is they were blinded by fear. At professional games some people get excited and go crazy. The boys were excited and couldn’t control themselves. These situations are alike because they are both pressured by a group of people.