Chapter 7: Summary and Analysis

Shadows and Tall Trees

Heading back to the mountain, Ralph dreams about some aspects of civilized life: soap, scissors for grooming, clean clothes, among other things. As the other boys relieve themselves in the woods, Ralph makes his way to the rocks and looks at the sea and feels powerless on account of the sea’s enormity. He senses that he is far away from civilization. Simon seems to understand Ralph’s state of mind; he assures Ralph that they will be rescued soon. Ralph then jokingly asks if Simon has a ship in his pocket, the first instance of humor in the novel.

Meanwhile, a bunch of boys discover fresh pig droppings. Jack is enthused by this and decides to lead a hunting crew to capture the pig. Ralph allows Jack to do so, but orders him to remain focused on returning to the mountain eventually. Ralph then daydreams about his past: he reminisces the time before his parent’s separation. It is unclear to the reader if Ralph is a child of divorce or if his parents had been separated by the war. He also fondly remembers his room and books.

Ralph is shaken out of his revery by the sudden appearance of a boar. He throws his spear at the animal and manages to hit its snout. Jack, too, notices the pig and decides to pursue it, but the animal escapes. Ralph is invigorated by the incident and understands the thrill of hunting. He is especially pleased with his ability to throw the spear effectively. Jack returns with a wound on his arm, and Ralph is impressed by Jack’s commitment. Fearing that Jack’s wound might overshadow his effort with the sphere, Ralph boasts about how well he’d thrown the weapon. When Robert playfully pretends to be a pig, several boys join the shenanigan and try to kill him. Though the attempts to “kill” the pig are playful at first, the situation quickly becomes worrying. Even Ralph finds himself wanting to “squeeze and hurt” Robert. The boys continue to attack and tackle Robert, who cries out in pain and fear. Jack then pretends to deal the killing blow by striking Robert on his behind. Robert collects himself and makes a joke about the whole situation.

The group resume their journey to the mountain. Jack is sure that they can kill the beast should it ever appear, whereas Ralph suggests that one of them has to head back to the huts. He reminds them that Piggy is taking care of the littluns all by himself. Jack is not happy with this suggestion, and the other boys are reluctant about traveling alone through the forest. Eventually, Simon offers to check on Piggy and the littluns. Ralph then turns to Jack and asks him why he seems to hate Piggy so much. Though the question stuns the group, it shows Ralph’s growing maturity and compassion.

When they reach the base of the mountain, some of the boys say they’d like to retire for the night. Jack resolves to go up all by himself and tells the group that he is not afraid of the beast and that he is prepared to kill it if necessary. Ralph, too, is not keen about climbing the mountain. However, Jack taunts Ralph by asking him if he’d like to come. Jack’s question mirrors Cassius’ decision to challenge Caesar to swim the Tiber. Ralph surprises himself by agreeing to join Jack, but wonders out loud that two might not be enough to confront the beast. Roger then volunteers to join them.

Jack continues to taunt Ralph. When it gets too dark for them to climb, Ralph and Roger stay back, whereas Jack carries on. Soon, however, Jack returns and is visibly shaken. He tells Ralph and Roger that he caught a glimpse of the beast. Ralph and Roger seem unconvinced, and Jack leads them to the spot where he believes he saw the creature. The three are unaware that it is the body of the dead soldier still attached to his parachute. Soon, the wind catches the parachute, causing the body to move, and as the face turns toward the boys, they run away in fear.

Unlike Ralph, Jack shows no signs of maturity or growth. He continues to taunt and antagonize Ralph. When Ralph asks Jack why he is so hateful, readers can discern one of the central themes of the novel: human nature. In effect, Ralph’s question seems to urge readers to consider what constitutes human nature. In addition, the novel initially seems to suggest that morality is a human construct. However, Ralph’s transformation from a rude, carefree boy into a moral, compassionate boy suggests that humans can develop a sense of morality even if they are left to their own devices.