Keyword Guide · book-summary
Chapter 5 marks a turning point in Lord of the Flies, showing how fear and disorder weaken Ralph’s leadership. The boys’ attempt at an assembly reveals growing divisions and the rising power of chaos.
Ralph calls an assembly to restore order and remind the boys of rules like using the conch and keeping the signal fire lit. The meeting quickly breaks down as the littluns talk about nightmares and the idea of a beast. Fear spreads, especially when Percival cannot even remember his own name or home.
The boys begin to believe the beast may come from the sea. Jack dismisses the fear but also excites it by focusing on hunting and strength instead of reason. The beast becomes less about a real creature and more about the boys’ shared panic and imagination.
Ralph argues for rules, shelters, and rescue, while Jack openly rejects authority and mocks the conch. Jack claims that hunters do not fear the beast, but his behavior adds to the chaos. This chapter shows the clear split between leadership based on order and leadership based on power.
Piggy tries to speak logically, explaining that the beast may only be fear itself. The boys ignore him, showing how reason is losing influence. At the end of the chapter, Ralph realizes that being chief means standing alone, a sign that his control is slipping.
Chapter 5 shows the collapse of order and the rise of fear, setting up the conflict between civilization and savagery that drives the rest of the novel.
The beast represents the boys’ fear and inner darkness rather than a physical monster, highlighting how fear controls their actions.
Ralph becomes more aware of the burden of leadership and begins to see that rules alone may not be enough to control the group.
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