Summary
Highlights
Ignoring Piggy's pleas to stay safe, Ralph, Jack, and the older boys embark on an expedition to find the beast, leaving Piggy to look after the littluns. They journey towards the 'castle rock', an unexplored part of the island. Simon expresses skepticism about the beast, imagining it as a human figure.
Ralph, asserting his leadership, goes alone to explore the narrow neck of land leading to Castle Rock. Jack, however, joins him, unable to let Ralph go alone. They find nothing but natural formations and a small trickle of fresh water. Ralph struggles with the boys' distraction from the signal fire.
The other boys join Ralph and Jack at Castle Rock, quickly becoming engrossed in playful exploration and rolling rocks into the sea, forgetting the beast and the need for a signal fire. Ralph's anger mounts as he tries to refocus them on relighting the fire on the mountain, but their desire for 'fun' and Jack's leadership pulls them away from Ralph's objective.
A battle in the sky results in a parachutist falling onto the island, landing on the mountaintop. The wind causes the figure to move, making it appear alive and monstrous. Unbeknownst to the boys, a 'sign came down from the world of grown-ups'.
The twins, Sam and Eric, on fire duty, let the signal fire go out while they sleep. Upon relighting it, they are terrified by the sight of the swaying parachutist, which they believe is the 'beast'. They flee in terror to inform the other boys.
Ralph is woken by the terrified twins, who describe the beast with 'froth' and 'claws'. Ralph calls an assembly. Sam and Eric recount their horrifying experience, painting a vivid and terrifying picture of the beast, which further instills fear among the boys. Jack suggests a hunt for the beast, but Ralph emphasizes the importance of the signal fire for rescue.