Beast from Water

Dear Mother

Character Journal chapter 5

            Jack came today, with Maurice and Robert. They told us they were having a feast, and we could come if we wanted to. I fear Samneric, being littluns, will go with their short-term instincts and join Jack. All the littluns will probably go, leaving me, Ralph and Simon. I’m still concerned with him; he spends so much time alone in the forest. He’s cracked, something is eating at him. And the fire can’t go in the best location, it’s down here. It’s like its lower, not as important to everyone. Everything was starting off so well.

How could it all come to this? The boys are not very serious in the meeting and are not doing their jobs. I tell the boys, “We need an assembly. Not for fun. Not for laughing and falling off the log. Jack goes on to complain that the kids aren’t getting fresh water from the stream for drinking, they aren’t helping build shelters, and the boys aren’t using the correct place for the lavatory.

Ralph has told them about the importance of these things, but the kids aren’t listening. But Jack gains the trust of the kids because he offers them protection. Jack speaks without the conch, breaking the rules by not having it.

 With faith

Ralph

"Painted Faces and Long Hair"

Dear Mother,

Character Journal chapter 4

          I’m worried about Simon. He goes off and spends so much time alone with that pig head in the clearing. It’s almost like he’s talking to it or something. Ralph’s worried too, but not about Simon. We were talking on the beach, and he said he can’t understand why no one believe that without a fire, we’ll die here on this island. It’s Jack’s fault, for causing trouble and trying to annoy Ralph. Samneric aren’t much good here. They want to leave for Jack like the rest of them. They believe he’ll help them and give them food.

Can’t they see by separating, we’re killing ourselves? In another instance Roger refrains from throwing stones directly at Henry. This shows he is still somewhat civilized.  Prediction: These uncivilized acts could lead to jobs not being completed in future chapters and many more occurrences where they fail to signal rescuers. Things heat up between Ralph and Piggy when Piggy thinks they should make a sundial but Ralph says no in a rude and sarcastic way.

With love

Ralph

"Huts on the Beach" by the shore

Dear Mother,

 

Character Journal chapter 3

We haven’t seen Simon yet, but we did find out what happened to the 3 boys who left for Jack. Under his leadership, they’ve formed a hunting tribe. Apparently, they made a kill today, even though their brains are smaller than those of the pigs they hunt. It was a sow from Jack’s long-winded description. I feel bad for the piglets; they’ll surely die with no mother to take good care of them. In this respect, we’re piglets ourselves. No one to look after us, and if Jack continues on what he’s doing, fated to die here without rescue.

Piggy was having a meltdown and complaining that he couldn't see without his specs, but I could care less. We got fire! Everybody, including the littluns, was rushing to get firewood to keep the fire burning. But it was noted that there was no smoke, so no one would see us. Then that fat oaf Piggy started complaining about it and that we made a fire that was no good. I can't remember how many times I had to tell him to shut up.

He thinks he can say what he wants just because he has the conch. The idiot! Doesn't he know it doesn't matter when we're not on the island during a meeting?

Yours Truly

Ralph

"Fire on the Mountain" Dark Side

Dear Mother,

Character Journal chapter 2

Jack left, but he’ll be back before night, with no shelter and the Beast on the loose. I couldn’t believe there was a Beast before, but now I’m really not sure. After Jack left, Simon had the idea to go on the mountain and see if there really is a Beast there, like Samneric said. I said it wouldn’t do any good, and suggested we build a fire down here, by the bath pools. People seemed a bit happier, with some physical activity to distract them from Jack. After we made a small fire, we discovered Bill, Maurice and Roger had left, probably to find Jack. And Simon is gone. I fear he tried to climb the mountain himself.

The boys are not obeying specific essential rules. They refuse to work at building shelters, they do not gather drinking water, they neglect the signal fire, and they do not even use the designated toilet area. He restates the importance of the signal fire and attempts to allay the group’s growing fear of beasts and monsters. Littluns also wants to allay any fears of the beast. The meeting of course falls apart...

The boys drift toward Jack and chaos. Everything goes to fall! They end up looking for the beast but Ralph feels increasingly impotent. The boys argue with him and basically gravitate towards Jack.

Sincerely

Ralph

A fair-haired boy on the reef

Now that we have been here on this island for a couple of weeks everything starts to get worse. The littluns fear an imaginary beast and the begins, even Ralph, fear Jack. But it is another thing that makes me feel afraid, today they Jack, his hunters and Ralph did something that reminded me of religious rites. They danced and chanted and pretended that Roger was a pig and pretended to stab him with their wooden spears.

 Robert cried with fear but they didn’t seem to care. Even Ralph, who is one of the more intelligent ones on this island, took part in this game. Today there was a kind of excitement in the air that drove people mad. What would they do if they had really killed him? Would they even care? And, yet more important, what are they able to do? Will they really take a littlun, like Jack said? Will they kill a human being? I hope that we will be rescued soon. I can’t cope with this any longer. To be on an island together with foolish boys who think that they are adults and that their actions are reasonable. I don’t know how to tell them any longer that we won’t be rescued if there is no fire on the mountain. And there will be no fire as long as they believe that there is a beast on the mountain.

How can I show them that the beast only exists in their imagination? That the only beast in this island is some of us? What can I do to help the littluns and Piggy? Jack has changed so dramatically! Once he was a calm and friendly boy and now everyone fears him. I am too weak for this burden… I am too weak to stop him. What can I do? I don’t know! I think that something really dangerous will happen in the next few days if nothing important changes.  

Love

Ralph