Beast from the Water
English Lit: AQA GCSE Lord of the Flies, topic 2.5.1
Meeting on the Beach
Ralph calls a meeting and walks down to the beach on his own. The other boys join him and he demands the fire is kept going and his orders are obeyed.
Symbolism
- Ralph blows the conch, signalling that he wants to start a meeting.
- The conch is the symbol of civilisation and authority.
- Here, we see that it is turning white after being left in the sun.
- The fading colour symbolises Ralph’s fading power and authority.
The choir boys
- The boys gather on the beach.
- The choir boys are nervous because they know that Ralph is furious about them letting the signal fire go out, which meant that they missed a rescue opportunity.
The meeting
- Ralph tells the boys that they must make, and agree to follow, important decisions: “I know what we need. An assembly to put things straight”.
- He tells them that they had not done any of the things they had agreed to, especially building shelters and keeping the signal fire going (“We decide things. But they don't get done”).
Jack
- At this point, Jack starts whispering to one of the other boys.
- We are not told what he says, but it shows Jack possibly undermining Ralph’s authority here.
The fire
- Ralph says that they have to keep the signal fire going because it is the only way they will get rescued.
- They must be willing to die to keep the fire going.
- He says that the boys are not allowed to build any other fires and have to cook only on the signal fire.
Commands
- He also tells them not to set the island on fire again.
- Ralph says that the boys elected him as chief and have to do what he says.
The "Beastie"
Ralph encourages the boys to talk about their fears so they can get past them. Phil (a littleun) takes the conch and talks about his dream the night before.
The beast
- Ralph encourages the boys to talk about their fears so they can get past them.
- Jack takes the conch shell and tells the littleuns that they are the ones who started talking about the beast and have frightened everyone.
- He tells them that there is no beast and fear cannot hurt them.
The boy's immaturity
- Piggy agrees with Jack that there is no beast.
- He says that there is no need for fear – unless they are frightened by other people.
- The boys laugh at him.
Piggy's maturity
- Piggy tries to keep the meeting sensible and logical (“When you done laughing perhaps we can get on with the meeting”).
- He does not giggle and act silly, like the other boys.
- Piggy invites the littleun who keeps seeing the beast to talk about it.
Phil's dream
- Phil (a littleun) takes the conch and talks about his dream the night before.
- He had dreamt that he was outside the shelter alone and was fighting with twisty things in the trees.
- When he woke up, he was outside the shelter alone, in the dark.
Night time rules
- He also saw something “big and horrid” in the forest.
- Ralph tries to dismiss the thing in the forest as part of his nightmare, but Phil says he was definitely awake.
- Ralph argues that no one would have left the shelters at night, but Simon says he did. He went into the forest to a place he likes.
- Ralph tells Simon not to go out at night again.
Test yourself on Beast from the Water
How does Ralph signal that he wants to start a meeting?
Who tries to keep the meeting in Chapter 5 sensible and logical by saying “When you done laughing perhaps we can get on with the meeting”?
In Chapter 5 which character leaves the shelter in the night and goes into the forest to a place he likes?
Discussing the "Beastie" in Chapter 5