Lord of the Flies ch12

1-24-14            Lord of the Flies                ch12

Summary: In this final chapter, Ralph awakes a bloody mess and guarded by hunters. He escapes by them to go confront Jack, and after all the dispute, he sees a big white ship in the distance. A sailor comes ashore and asks Ralph questions about who's died and what happened. The only want Ralph knows how to answer is in tears.

Quote: “ ‘We saw your smoke...’”

Sig. of quote:  Ironically, the rescue came to the fire that Jack created to kill Ralph. The smoke that Ralph knew would rescue them one day; he was right, though he wasnt the one who made the fire this time. It was Jack, who never cared for the fire until then.

Reflection: As Ralph goes to finally confront Jack I this last chapter, it is almost fair to him that they were found before Jack overpowered him. Ralph had always known what was right and wrong, and that's why he hesitated til the last chapter to fight Jack one on one. In the chapter it says how Ralph was considering joining the hunters, but then remembered all the horrible things they had done. They weren't salvation, they were death; Ralph knew what was right and what was wrong. Lucky for him, the resue came before he had to live up to what he thought he had to do with Jack. The helpless wailing I the end aren't just of grief for his mourned friends, but also of joy, for he isnt stuck on that island with a bunch of lunatics anymore.

Question: How was the fire a significant feature in this story, like the conch and the beast?