Lord of the Flies | Chapter 3 : Huts on the Beach | Summary

Summary

Jack is by himself in the forest, stalking a pig. He throws his spear at the pig, but he misses it. He goes back to the beach and finds Ralph and Simon working on huts. Ralph is frustrated at the poor state of the shelters. He blames this on the others who are not helping but enjoying themselves. Simon believes Ralph should call a meeting, but Ralph says they talk and plan but then everyone ends up wandering off anyway.

When Ralph adds hunting to his complaints, Jack becomes annoyed. The two disagree about what the priority should be. When Ralph notes that most of the hunters came back and were swimming, Jack defends himself. After Ralph reminds Jack that he has not gotten any meat yet, the anger between the two of them increases.

Ralph implies that Jack is not contributing and explains why they need shelters. Beside the possibility of rain, the littluns are having nightmares and screaming out. Simon mentions the beast, but neither Jack nor Ralph want to talk about it, saying that it's a good island. Jack admits to sensing something when he is alone in the forest. The boys start talking about the fire and rescue. Jack says he hopes to catch a pig first.

Simon goes off into the forest. After getting fruit for the littluns, he goes off on his own. He sits down in the middle of the forest and enjoys the surroundings.

Analysis

Some time has passed, and responsibility is starting to weigh on Ralph. The burdens of leadership leave Ralph trying to enforce rules and order but having little success. He complains that the other boys come for meetings but only work for a few minutes before going off to enjoy themselves. Ralph, who represents civilization, is frustrated that the other boys don't also feel a sense of responsibility. The other boys do not respect Ralph's authority and do as they please.

Simon feels responsibility and cares for others. There's a pure goodness in him that is absent in the others. He is the only one who helps Ralph set up the shelters. In addition to helping Ralph, he also helps the littluns by getting food for them. Simon does not question why others are not willing to help. He simply does. His behavior confuses the others, and Ralph considers him "queer" and "funny."

Jack recognizes that something is happening to him while he is out hunting alone. He is losing his humanity as he creeps along doglike on all fours. While he has yet to kill a pig, his efforts grow more intense. When Ralph points out that the other hunters had returned hours before him, Jack tries to explain his feelings but cannot articulate them. The narrator explains that a "madness came into his eyes" and it was "the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up." Like the littluns who sense the beast, Jack can feel something in the forest. However, for Jack, it is his soul and decency that are escaping him.

In Chapter 1, Ralph and Jack enjoyed each other's presence. They agreed that the island was good and that they could have fun there until they were rescued. Just two chapters later, they are quickly moving in different directions. Just as Jack is obsessed with hunting, Ralph is only focused on a return to civilization, whether through building shelters on the island or keeping the signal fire burning.

Ralph's and Jack's differing viewpoints cause conflict. Both boys think what they are doing is the most important thing to be done. They recognize the differences between themselves but retain some sense of camaraderie and friendship. Jack invites Ralph to go on a hunt, while Ralph explains nicely why he needs help. They also go for a swim together. However, the differences between them are clear, and the crack in their relationship will turn into full-blown conflict.