LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter Seven

Lord of the Flies
Chapter 7 - Shadows and Tall Trees
"The Flapping Beastie"
Perspective: Jack

I was so close!!! I could have gotten the boar but Ralph got in the way and it got away from me. Ralph was so conceded about the shot he made at the pig. It barely even grazed it! “I got the pig! You should have seen it!” he said. But then we got started in a fantastic game. Robert was the pig and we all pretended like we were hunting him. All of our dirty, briny bodies circled around him as he squealed like a pig in terror. It was marvelous and so realistic. We even used spears! After the game was done I was exhausted, like I just played a weary game of rugger. Then I sagely thought that we could have a ritual game at night, with fire and drums. We could have someone dress up as a pig, but it would be better to have a real pig because then we could kill it! I said to the boys that we could use a littlun instead of a real pig. I was so funny that everyone laughed really hard! After that Simon said something about us all turning savage, but no one listened.

Later on Roger, Ralph and I set off to the top of the mountain to look for the beast because everyone else was too scared to they went back. But then Ralph and even Roger got to scared so they waited while I went up to the mountain. As I reached the top, I heard an odd flapping sound. I admit that I was a bit curious so I crept behind a rock and peered over it. A large, shadowy form went up and down. I was so petrified with fear that I didn’t say a word as I ran imperviously back down the mountain to Ralph and Roger. When I go there, they wanted to see it for themselves so they went back up the mountain. I stayed in the back and after they saw it they went running back down like I did.

It was so frightening, but if I admit that I am scared as well, my plan to make myself look better than Ralph won’t work. Ralph is the only thing in the way of being chief and if we both seem like frightened little boys homesick for their mothers the rest of the boys will always choose Ralph. I liked Ralph better at the beginning. He had a certain bravado about him that was fun to be around, but now he is all about rescue and he is no fun on the island. I suppose if the boars tusk didn’t cut my arm he would have been fun on the hunt, but that is over and so he has had his chance.