Chapter 5- Beast from Air
This chapter is one of the fist signs to the reader that the once exciting and peaceful life on the island is crumbling. This is prevalent during the assembly Ralph calls to talk about the major issues the group is facing. This includes having water brought from the stream and left in the coconut shells, how everyone didn't help build all of the shelters and as a result the last one is unstable, going to the bathroom away from the fruit trees and keeping a fire going at all times. During this meeting Ralph has to constantly remind the group to listen to him because he is the Chief. He says things like "All this I meant to say. Now I've said it. You voted me for chief. Now you do what I say." (81) and “First of all I'm speaking." (80). Ralph and the conch do not have as much importance and Ralph is losing patience.
Then there is the issue of the beast, Ralph says "Things are breaking up. I don't know why. We began well; we were happy. And then... people started getting frightened." Fear is manifesting inside the boys and is already having negative consequences. Although logical Piggy feels that there is nothing to fear unless they fear people. He thinks that everyone is afraid of the fear inside of them because life on the island is so different from what they were used to and they channel that fear into the so called beast. Simon also seems to have a different picture as to what the beast is. He says it could be a person; he tries to explain the way he thinks by attempting to articulate mankind’s essential illness, fear. He believes that the dirtiest things inside of them bring out the ideas of the beast and how terrible it is. He is the only one we know of who might think that the beast isn’t a monster or a ghost but rather a person who lets their imagination and fear get out of hand.
Overall in chapter 5 we start to see society and order fall apart as the assemblies get more and more out of hand and the ideas of the beast start to become more and more serious.
Good idea about the beast not being as clean-cut as they make it out to be. The beast could definitely be interpreted as a person who has allowed fear to corrupt their ideals and turn them into a morally dubious, less-than-human creature. Though Piggy does comment that there is nothing to fear but each other, he too is wrapped up in the fear of the beast (like in The Shell and the Glasses when "the beast" whispers for Piggy outside the shelter). Simon also could be realizing that the beast isn't a person at all- it is intangible, a part of their deepest, darkest inner selves.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Olivia that this is chapter where the society begins to fall apart. The beast is becoming real and is a part of their daily lives and is almost taking control. Also, the conch shell is loosing part of its importance, the boys are forgetting why it's there, because of this they are loosing part of their civilization and government, it is the beginning of the end.
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