Book Review: Fahrenheit 451

A World Without Knowledge

Olivia Pardo

Have you ever wondered what the future would be like? Could you imagine a future where books are illegal? The author of this book, Ray Bradbury, writes this story by revealing many twists and turns about the future he’s created. Fahrenheit 451 will surprise you from cover to cover.

This story follows a fireman named Guy Montag, who enjoys his job burning illegal books and occasionally the houses that hide them and the people who protect them. He’s never read a book before but is curious about the secrets inside. He begins stealing books and hiding them in his house. He occasionally refers to a park where he once met a mysterious man who doesn’t follow the rules of this futuristic society. This man winds up playing a big role in Montag’s life.

Guy never really opened his eyes to the world until he meets 16 year old Clarisse, a person who goes against the rules in almost every way possible. She opens a door for Guy; a way he has never seen before. She makes him wonder about things, makes him think. Montag realizes he has had enough of being “in the dark”. He decides to open the books he’s stolen and get in touch with the man he met in the park. While reading, he deals with sadness, confusion, and chance of freedom. Books for Montag become his savior, and Montag realizes that knowledge is power, and the government has taken their power away by taking their knowledge.

The main part of this book takes place in a massive urban city where Montag lives. The author is very descriptive and often writes large paragraphs to describe different places, objects, and feelings that Montag encounters. This is the only downside to this book, it was hard to follow Montag’s thoughts and understand the long paragraphs written about them.

Overall I liked this entire book. I would rate it a 9/10 and if it wasn't for the long paragraphs it would be a 10/10. It was exciting, surprising and built suspense as the story continued on through Montag’s troubles. This story makes me think about what the future could be like, and what the government is hiding from us right now in the present. It makes me wonder about how the world is going to turn out and if we still would have power to gain knowledge, or if it would be taken away from us slowly. Would we notice ourselves falling down the cracks into the dark, like the world was in Fahrenheit 451?

Ch. 13 Weightlessness

Ralph walked off the ship. He looked at civilization as if he'd never seen it before. The dock was full of people, tourists and vendors, regular people and regular animals. He wanted to hug them all, to tell them that they were the best thing in the world. He marveled at cars, he stared at concrete; he gazed lovingly at non-faded clothes. He wanted to run around and touch everything! Or just stare at the city all day. The city called Sydney. It is a beautiful name he thought. Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, he chanted like a spell. He turned around and looked at the ship he had just left. His legs wobbled as he did so. But, it was a wonderful feeling, your legs wobbling on actual concrete. Man-made. Where civilization was. He felt like he didn’t weigh anything, he was floating where he stood.
He looked at the line of kids standing behind him. They all seemed to be as hypnotized as he was by the city. He looked at the little ones, whose mouths hung open. He looked at Sam and Eric, who stood together as if they were one person. He looked at the others, who stood like they were all alone in the whole entire world. They were probably right to look like this. Their parents might have been killed in the war; the very thing they had been fleeing from when their plane had been shot down. Ralph thought how ironic it was, fleeing a monster but running towards a beastie. He almost laughed, but then remembered Simon. And Piggy. The mulberry boy. He was suddenly overwhelmed with joy, and sadness, all at the same time. He was so happy to be back, but he wished he Piggy and Simon were here. He wished they had returned. He started shaking, his shoulders heaved and he lowered his head to the pavement. He felt the hands of the captain on his back as he was led into a building toward a bed and the darkness of sleep.
“Come on Ralph, you can rest now.”
He awoke to a strange feeling. He couldn't place it. It was right at the edge of his mind, he tried to grab it but it slipped away. But, he didn't care, the bed was so soft, the blanket so warm, he smiled contentedly as he slipped back into sleep.
The second time he awoke, he knew the feeling exactly. It was comfort. He hadn't felt it in so long. On the island it was always worry, coldness, darkness, shame, fear and tiredness. Here he felt perfectly safe. He felt warm and rested. It was a very nice feeling; this happiness. He smiled his cheeks hurting from not doing it in so long. Then he remembered leaving the island. With the bright sun glaring at him, the smoke in huge clouds rolling into the sky. He remembered Jack running out onto the sand, coming to a stand still as he saw the officer. Saw his eyes grow wide as he took in the ship and the group of crying boys. He remembered Jack's hair blowing across his face, the savageness about his eyes, the anger burning about him like a fire. Then he remembered Jack turning and running away. Running right back into the forest, spear in hand and disappearing into the trees. The color of the trees had been so blurry, Ralph's eyes had been filled with tears, the greens and blues and browns all blended together and swirling...
Ralph snapped back into reality. It was not good to dwell on the past. It had been Jack's decision to stay. It had been Roger's decision to follow him. It had been both of their decisions to stay on the island. Why had they hid? No one could find them. They had disappeared completely. Ralph was sad. Even if Jack had tried to kill him, even if he was a murderer, he was still partly human. He didn’t want Jack to stay on that island, he could still have a chance to become normal again.
He looked around the room he was in. He was laying on a small bed, a window to his left. The room didn't have much else in it, a sink and a door which probably led to a bathroom. Another door was straight across from the bed, and it suddenly opened. It was Sam and Eric.
“Hey,” they said in unison.
“It's good to be back isn't it,” Ralph said. He stood up and walked over to them.
“Yeah, it is-”
“It's great-”
“The captain wants you-”
“He's in the kitchen downstairs.”
“Where are we?” Ralph questioned.
“We're in his mother's house-
“She's real nice-
“She made us cookies!”
“Where is everyone else?”
“The little ones went to the police-”
“Everyone else got in touch with their families-
“They've all gone home-
“Except for us.” They both looked down at the floor, sadness etched on their faces.
“Your family is dead aren't they?” Ralph said bluntly. They nodded together, then shuffled out the door. Ralph followed them, walked down a set of stairs, and emerged into a hallway. He located the kitchen and walked slowly inside.
“You're up!” The captain said. “We've been waiting since yesterday.”
“I'm sorry I was just so ti-”
“No, no it's fine,” He smiled, then it fell, and his face grew serious. “Ralph, I have some bad news. Your father and moth-“
“Are dead,” Ralph stated. The captain’s face was shocked
. “Well, yes, Ralph, You see your father died at war. His plane was shot down. You’re mother was trying to flee your home. She was killed while doing so. I’m terribly sorry Ralph. If there’s anything I can do I hope you know that I’ll try my hardest to do it.”
Ralph was silent. He didn’t know what he wanted. He supposed he had expected something was going to be wrong when he got back. Unfortunate people usually had unfortunate lives, he thought. This was just another unfortunate event in his life, but he figured why should he live it with an empty stomach?
“Captain,” Ralph said slowly, “I’d like some breakfast.”

Back on the island

Jack walked to the edge of the cliff. He sighed. He gazed at the horizon where the sun had begun to sink, his hand shielding his eyes from the glare. It had not been a good idea to stay with just Roger. Who was Jack going to rule over? Roger had not been enough, and now that he was dead, there was nobody to dominate. Stupid Roger, Jack thought. He laughed to himself. How could Roger think he could beat him in a fight? It had served him right that he had ended up dead. Jack turned around and faced the forest. Roger was now an offering to the beast. Jack shuddered, a believer now in his own lies. His own fear had betrayed him. Jack laughed again. He was more animal than human now. More claw than hand. More fur than hair. His eyes were wild. They darted about, searching the forest for the beast. Every sound he heard was the sound of a hunting monster. Every movement was the beast creeping forward. Jack’s breath turned to a pant. His hands were clenched, his teeth gritted together. Suddenly there was a crashing sound in the forest. It seemed to come from all sides, Jack had no where to go. Could he face the beast alone he wondered? With only a spear, could he conquer it? Jack decided no, he could not. The crashing sound was louder, he could see tree’s moving in the canopy. No, he would not let the beast eat him. He would not let the beast win. He turned and faced the ocean. He walked to the very edge where he could see rocks underneath the cliff where he now stood. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. There was weightlessness, then nothing.
The wild boar ran out into the open. He sniffed the air, his huge head swinging side to side. He was huge in size, the biggest on the island. He pawed his hoof on the ground. “The monster” that all the other pigs had run from was gone. He snorted, head held high, and turned and ran into the forest.

LOTF Ch. 2 Fire on the Mountain viewpoint: Ralph

We set the forest on fire

It was a great plan, this signal fire thing. But the problem was, there never really was a plan. It was just an idea. No beginning or end. I had come up with it at the meeting. I had also come up with another idea. The conch is now used so that whoever has it, is the only person who can speak. Apparently this rule applies to all but Piggy because whenever he had, everyone would cut in being very errant. He would complain that no one was listening to him and was clearly martyred that no one was. A little one with a mark on his face came up to tell about some beastie thing. I had to induce him to hold the conch because they were so frightened. He seemed to think the beastie was real, but it was just a nightmare! And then. And.. then. I had to open my mouth and say the word fire. Everyone went crazy, ebullience radiating off them in great waves. Everyone scattered. Some to go get firewood and others to the top of the mountain where the fire was going to go. The fire ended up being pretty big but we couldn't keep it going for long. Everyone again scrambled to get it back to the roaring monster it had been, but in the confusion a patch of trees caught fire! Piggy, who was completely freaking out, pinched my exasperation and replaced it with horror. He said that he couldn't find the boy with mark on his face. That he had went to play where the fire now was spreading and was not back. I watched as the flames ate everything in their path. Heat wove through the air in thick clumps, suffocating me. Or maybe it was the shame that blocked my throat. How could I be a good chief when I let someone die so soon?

LOTF Ch. 12 Cry of the Hunters viewpoint: Simon

Even though I'm dead, I have eyes, ears and nose that all work.

An eerie ululation sounded in the air on the island. I glided over to where it came from, Jack's tribe. My heart was distended from the pain I felt when I saw what was happening. Jacks tribe had cornered Ralph into a thicket. A cordon faced him. Ralph had hid there from last night probably. I had seen him tearing through the jungle, blood flying everywhere. After Jack had killed Piggy and captured Sam and Eric. I had seen them come apart of the tribe in order to stay alive. I knew that if they came face to face with Jack they wouldn't kill him. They were not total savages like everyone else. I had seen proof of that last night. Ralph had snuck up on Sam and Eric while they were guarding Castle Rock against him. They had told him to leave, that it wasn't safe for him there. He looked so sad and broken. I wanted to tell him that it was alright. That everything would work out. Felt better when Sam and Eric gave him a piece of meat. Ralph looked at it like it was the best thing in the world. Then he had hidden in the bushes and I had left, satisfied that he was safe for the night. But I was diddled into thinking this. Roger had been listening all along and he had brought Jack right to Ralph's hiding place in the morning. Which was where I was at now. My fists we're clenched, my blood boiling at the anger I felt for Jack and his tribe. It was all a power struggle. Jack just couldn't do the right thing and be normal. Be human. But no, he was a savage. A killer and a murderer. Ralph started to run. He flew through the forest. Only a blur I had to fly to catch up with. I smelled the blood on him from the wound on his side. He kept running. I smelled smoke and I turned around realizing they had set the forest on fire to get him out after throwing boulders in hi general area. Ralph stopped after a while. He looked confused. On his face I read, what am I going to do? Run? Hide? He needed to hide and wait till they got past. Hide!, I wanted to scream. He hid! In my special spot. He was invisible as the smoke came over the forest like a blanket. Ralph closed his eyes. Hunters came. One went to Ralph's hiding spot. Stay, I thought. Stay! He can't see you! Ralph did not stay. He sprang out of his hiding place. Jumping forward scaring the hunter so bad he fell backwards. Ralph ran again, all the way to the beach. Running, running running. He frantic footsteps keeping time with the beat of his heart which was pounding in his chest. What it would feel like to have a beating heart! But I turned my thoughts away from myself as Ralph reached the beach. He stopped dead, so did I. A ship! A ship. And a commander! Epaulettes and everything! An adult. One who could take charge. Ralph and the man were face to face.
"No adults huh? Fun and games then."
The reply was silence.
"Are you having a war? We saw the smoke."
"Yes, we are. A war" His voice was a croak.
Little ones emerged from the forest. Hunters began to appear. Ralph and people behind him started crying. I would've too if I had tears to cry. If I was alive. But I wasn't. That was that. At least Ralph was safe, safe and going home, Home. I smiled as I began to fade. My last memory was of Ralph being saved from death, war, and the demoniac Lord of the Flies.

LOTF Ch. 11 Castle Rock viewpoint: Jack

I won!

Ralph is all alone. I have taken everyone from him. There will be a cessation of challenges. I have killed Simon and Piggy. Samneric are tied up in my camp. Ralph is all alone! I'm almost delirious happiness. You know what Ralph did? He brought blind Piggy and Samneric over to my camp, asking for Piggy's glasses back. Like they thought they would get them returned! Ralph had brought the conch, acting as if it was a talisman. But it didn't have any power in my tribe. My tribe started attacking them, and I battled face to face with Ralph. It was a truculent battle. But, when Piggy fell off the cliff, brains spilled all over, Ralph seemed to break. We drove him back. Samneric were calling for help, but Ralph couldn't give it. He ran into the forest, dodging our spears by zigzagging around. He ran! He was scared. Now everyone sees how much more powerful I am than him. I'm more of a chief then he could ever be. I'm strong and brave. I am a hunter. I've shown that I can kill without hesitation. I've won the power struggle between me and Ralph!

LOTF Ch. 10 The Shell and the Glasses. Viewpoint: Ralph

What have we done?

There is only Me, Piggy, and Samneric left. Simon would be here, if he wasn't dead. We killed him. It was murder! In that awful dance, a murder was committed. What have we done? How could we have killed Simon. It's horrible that we have lost our minds. I want to be purged of the fact that I took part in killing him. We are all going barmy here. When Simon came out of the forest, he kept saying something about a dead man and a parachute. Had he been telling us what the beast was? and then there was that thing that flew over us, a parachutist. My illumination that that was the beast might be right. But how could I know for sure? The beast had moved on he mountain, it was alive. Maybe Jack and his tribe would hunt it down and kill it. They would have the tools for starting a fire to burn it anyways. They came to our camp tonight. They stole Piggy's glasses! I have no idea how we're going to start the fire anymore. They beat us all up. It was dark, I might have been hitting my own teammates. I think I was. Piggy wasn't even fighting. He was so scared that he got his asthma. I'm not angry at him, not irritated, just exasperated. My spirit is broken, a theological punishment for killing Simon. I don't know what to do. I don't feel like a good chief to Samneric or Piggy. Or to the little ones. I don't even know why they're still here with me. I'm happy but I'm surprised. I want to go home so bad. It's gnawing away at my mind. I have to get home. I have to. I will do anything no matter what it takes.

LOTF Ch. 9 A View to a Death viewpoint: Piggy

Simon was right.

Simon is dead. I'll say it flat out to you. And we killed him. Ralph and I weren't strong enough to stop them, or ourselves. I feal like it's my fault. No one would listen to him at all. He was like a phosphorescence, always looking towards the lighter, happier side of things. He didn't believe that there was an actual beastie,he believed it was us, and that maybe we could change it. It turned out he was right. I had convinced Ralph to go to the feast with Jack. There was meat after all. Besides, we could keep an eye o things. When we got there the corpulent pig was roasting over a fire. Jack and everybody else were almost done gorging themselves on pork. There was drinks in coconut shells. Ralph and I sat farther away from everyone else. But the someone burnt me with the pig, and everyone laughed which seemed to ease the tension. Jack had himself on a throne. He acted like he was a king. With his power he could be, but with his actual self, no way. He was too harsh. After we had finished eating he commanded everyone to sit. Me and Ralph stood on the edge of the obedient slaves, and Jack seemed to ignore us. He asked who would join he tribe and Ralph protested. I wasn't surprised when everyone began saying the "I will's" and "Me's." Rain started to pour and Jack demands to do their tribal dance. Ralph and I stayed behind watching the crazy beasties dance around and chant "Kill the pig, cut his throat..." But then we slowly joined them. I don't know what it was. It felt like it was pulling us into the circle. One of them pretended to be the pig and everyone attacked him, chanted, and lost their minds. By this time its pouring and there is hardly any light to see by. Suddenly something comes out of the forest on four legs! It's screamed something, moaned. I Lost sight of the creature as it was swallowed into the circle of chanting boys. They attack it, Hit it, punch it. cut it, hurt it. After a while, they all back away. Only to reveal that it was Simon. Dead. At almost the exact same moment a parachutist flies over the group and out to sea. It was dead, a decaying body floating in the water. I was paralyzed. Simon dead? What had happened up on the mountain? Was the parachutest the beastie they all claimed to have seen? the only important thing was that Simon was dead. Simon, the peace maker. Dead. The very thing he was trying to tell us about killed him. We did. Those hunters who turn crazy and us. What are we going to do?

LOTF Ch. 8 Gift for the Darkness viewpoint: Simon

Am I crazy?

I think I am going crazy. This island is driving all of us crazy. What has it done to me? What has it done to all of us? The group has split up. Jack apparently has had enough of Ralph. It was either him as leader or he's gone. He's gone, but with alot of other big ones too. They followed him after the meeting, tracing his path into the forest. I could tell Ralph didn't take notice. He was too busy getting the fire ready. Piggy had this great idea to have the fire down here, and not on the mountain where the supposedly "beastie" was. I had had enough of this. The beastie isn't an actual animal or demon or whatever everyone else thinks it is. It's ourselves! We're going crazy on this island! I remember the prefects at my school, trying to keep everyone in line. I feel like Ralph is trying to step up to this job. Not in a bossy way, but in a survival leadership way. He's so set on keeping the signal fire going. To Jack it's like taboo. All he cares about is hunting. Hunting hunting hunting. Speaking of Jack, and hunting... I escaped from the beach where Ralph and everyone who had stayed were. I had to prove that the beastie wasn't real. I walked around for a while, went to my special place, then I heard the hunters coming. I hid, scared to think about what they might do to me if they found me. They had caught a pig! I watched disgusted as they reenacted the hunt as Jack paunched the poor pig. Jack started to speak. He said to everyone that they would leave something for the beastie. He said maybe it would leave them alone if they did this. I thought it was like some kind of offering or sacrifice. The beastie isn't even real! It's just us, coming up with fears in our head and then turning violent. I froze though when I saw what Jack had done. A demure pile of rocks had been turned into some kind of offering stone. Jack had piled all the pigs guts on the rock. And stuck in a crack, on long piece of wood, was the pigs head. It seemed to smile demonically down at the group and at me. The hunters had gone silent and uneasy. Jack whispered something I couldn't hear and then they left. I didn't care though. I was transfixed on the pigs head. Flies swirled around it, servants to the Lord of the Flies. I crept out of my hiding place. I stared at the pigs severed head, blood dripping down the wood. It seemed to talk to me to me. I don't know if I was having a seizure. It's all a blur. It told me to leave. To go back. I didn't listen. The voice was like a drug. I had to keep listening or else I couldn't live. It told me that everyone would kill me. That I was going crazy. Was I? Am I? Is there a beastie? I don't know anymore. I'm so confused. The Lord of the Flies has commanded me to his side, and I stayed at the clearing didn't I? Am I giving in to the violence? Am I one Jack's hunters now? I feel dizzy, lightheaded... and the world is going black...

LOTF CH. 7 Shadows and Tall Trees viewpoint: Jack

BEASTIE

There is a beastie! I knew there was all a long! I thought sagely to think that there was one. It's a great ape thing with wings! It was up on the mountain. I saw it! I knew Ralph didn't believe that there was one. When we went to other side of the island to the moors, he thought there wasn't a beastie. It was getting dark so we had to make one person go back and tell piggy that we were ok and that we were staying out over night. Simon volunteered and he took off into the jungle. Serves him right if he dies out there in the forest. Ralph made us all go to the mountain, claiming that the beastie was up there. He was impervious when everyone didn't want to go. I think he just wanted to go to the signal fire. He had saw a ship when we were on the rocky part. How could he think of the stupid fire when there's a beastie on the island? And at the rock part, there was a perfect place to make a fort there, and Ralph didn't pay any attention to it. So we climbed up the mountain. Al the hunters and me and Ralph. When we got the mountain, no one else wanted to go so I went up by myself. When I got there, my heart stopped. The beastie was there! I could see its wings, an lifted its head up and down. It was horrible! I ran back down to Ralph and Roger, I told them what I saw. I was so scared! I'm pretty sure my face was pale and my whole body trembling. When I told them there was a beastie, I don't' think they believed me. Of course Ralph didn't, he thinks I only care about hunting. We all went quietly back to where I saw the beastie. We got down on our hands and knees. When Ralph saw the beastie, it looked like he wanted to throw up! I momentarily forgot about the beastie, Ralph was scared! Finally he had lost his cover up bravado that he makes people think he has. But then the beastie lifted its head and it seemed like it was staring at us! We took off running down the mountain, we were running for our lives! When we get back to piggy and the little ones, it's going to be a very dun time on the island.

LOTF Ch. 6 Beast from Air viewpoint: Ralph

The beastie?

Is there is beastie? Is there a terrifying animal living on our island? And if there is a beastie, it would probably be his island, not ours. We went on a hunt today after Samneric claimed they saw the beastie. They were up on watch at the fire. They said they had let the fire go out! After that entire speech I gave they fall asleep and let the fire go out! That is the main thing here, to keep the smoke coming. Without the smoke we might not be found. This interminable problem keeps coming at me mutinously. No one seems to listen to me that the fire is the absolute most important thing. I get waxy just thinking about it. So I was sleeping, dreaming a wonderful dream about home, when I wake to Samneric grabbing me and flailing me around. They start describing a beastie. With claws and wings. I call a meeting, keeping everyone together and quiet. Samneric describe the beastie again. They seem absolutely terrified. It chased them all the way back, and blood was smeared on Sam's face. Could the beastie have done this? We call on a hunt, Me, Simon, Jack and the hunters. Piggy stays behind to watch over everybody of course. So we go on hunt to place where No one has been yet, figuring that the beastie must be here if we haven't seen it anywhere else. We get the place and I lead with Jack following. There is no beastie. Only guano covering the rocks. Once everyone realizes it's alright, they start fooling around pushing rocks in the water. I notice that there is no fire. The fire was out. I could have exploded. I make everyone leave to go up the mountain to the fire saying that the beastie might be there, on the other side. I hope there is and they eat everyone for letting the fire go out. That would teach them.

LOTF Ch. 5 Beast from Water viewpoint: Piggy

The island is in ChAoS!

I'm scared! Everyone is going crazy on this island. It's ludicrous how everybody is losing their mind. Well, everybody except me, Ralph and Simon. When Ralph called the meeting, everyone was serious, at first. When I look back at it now, I look back it jeeringly, everything seemed perfect then compared to now. He explained how we needed to enforce the rules we had made earlier. Like going to the bathroom in the rocks, putting the water in coconut shells, and keeping the signal fire going and only cooking up there. Everyone was pretty irritated at all the rules he was reminding them of. But it was definitely necessary. Then another subject was brought up, the beastie. The terrifying shadow of evil that haunts the little ones in their sleep, that make all us older ones feel uncomfortable, and that creates chaos on our island. All sorts of solutions to this problem were brought up. Well I wouldn't exactly say solutions, more like explanations. It was a tiger, a squid, it was us, it wasn't anything, it was just our imaginations. And, once again, no one listened to me. Ralph defended me though, saying that I had the conch so I had the right to speak. Then that was when everything just.. well... broke. Any decorum that we had left vanished. Jack exploded tempestuously at Ralph and at me. I'm so scared of him! I know if Ralph wasn't here that I would be long gone. At this point the sun was long gone. The gathering of people was in total darkness. I've noticed that people's minds change in darkness. That when they can't see, they have to imagine whats beyond there vision range. It's scary, the way everyone goes crazy. And that's exactly what happened. Jack lead a sort of tribal dance, everyone followed him, minds gone and everything. They sang a chant and dance around. It was scary, we couldn't see only hear. The sounds made me shiver. And then when I realized it was only Ralph, Simon and me left, we heard an eerie screech from the tall grass. It was Percival, who had fainted when talking about the beastie. He was crying and yelling and the sound of it made us all move together. His mind was completely gone! It was like it had just snapped. I told Ralph to blow the conch and get everyone back together but he wouldn't. He was afraid if he did, no one would come and his leadership would really mean nothing. As we all stood there, shivering with terror, and exhausted, I realized that I had never missed home more than now and I lamented quietly.

LOTF Ch. 4 Painted faces and long hair viewpoint: Simon

We missed our ship, but at least there is pepperoni!

I feel awful today. A ship came, and we missed it. It hurts to think that we actually had a chance to be rescued, to get off this island. I don't think it was any one person's fault. The little ones don't understand, and they take comfort in each other anyway. We were all on the beach. Jack had gone off hunting, again. Suddenly Ralph saw something on the horizon. It was a ship! I was full of excitement, we were going to be rescued! But as I looked at the smoke coming from the ship, then to Ralph, then up at our fire, I noticed there wasn't any smoke. Was it out? Ralph took off running up the mountain to the signal fire. He tore through the undergrowth malevolently. But then I realized, if the fire was out, how would we start it? I yelled after him, telling him we would need Piggy's glasses. We looked for Piggy, barely visible on the beach far behind us. Ralph looked like he was in pain. The swarthiness of his face looked pale. I understood his problem, should he run back to Piggy, and get his glasses, but what if the ship disappeared? Or should he run to the fire, quicker, but chancing that it was out? He finally broke his stillness and blatantly charged forward. When we got to the fire, we could immediately see that it was dead. No one was insight, and the ship disappeared.
As we stood in silence, Ralph fumed with anger. He spotted the watchers. They came in a line, chanting and carrying something, Jack leading. They had killed a pig! It was a bloody mess, with gouts of blood dropping on the ground, but Jacks belligerence had paid off. Jack had no idea what had happened. He was full of excitement and proud of himself. As he spoke, Ralph was a stone. He didn't move. Ralph finally pointed at the horizon, and yelled "There was a ship!" He exploded at Jack. He yelled about keeping the fire going, his obsession with killing a pig. Then Piggy started whining. Jack had had enough, and he punched him. He looked embarrassed. Piggy's glasses flew off, and I ran and got them. I felt bad for him. No one stood up for Piggy. The Jack apologized. Which was surprising, coming from Jack. Ralph did not want to accept it, which I agree with him. He ordered then to build the fire. When the pile was built, Ralph got Piggy's glasses and lit the fire. We ended up roasting the pig in pieces. Jack didn't give Piggy any on purpose. Claiming that Piggy didn't hunt. But neither did I, or Ralph. So I gave mine to Piggy. I felt bad for him. Then Jack threw meat at me, shouting for me to eat it. He yelled and shouted, then began telling the story of how he caught the pig. Then Ralph said he was calling a meeting even if it went on into the night. I knew this would scare the little ones, with them having nightmares about the beastie. I knew it would be a long night.

LOTF Ch. 3 Fire on the Mountain viewpoint: Jack

Pigs are my Enemy

I hate pigs. They are the most annoying creatures on the face of this planet. I keep telling myself I have to catch one. That I can catch one. I have a compulsion to kill one. It seems impossible though. Today another one got away again. I was so close! The hunting trip was full of vicissitudes. First my hunting party got tired, so I sent them back. But who needs tiny kids anyway? So I was alone and tracking a pig. When I finally caught up to it in the opaque jungle forest, I threw my spear, but it missed. I was so frustrated. I still am. I'm not leaving this stupid island till I catch and kill a pig. I don't care if a rescue ship comes right now, I'll tell them to pick me up later. When I got back to everybody, Ralph and Simon were building shelters. Ralph didn't seem in the least bit contrite about my unsuccessful trip. They were completely rapt with the shelters that they didn't even notice when I came up to them. They started talking about how the little ones thought the beastie was real. Ralph said they had nightmares. Then he got mad at me when I came up with this great idea on where those pigs stayed when it was hot. We were really mad at each other for a while. But what can you do when you're on a deserted island with no one else but yourselves? So we made up and we're ok now. But the beastie... I sometimes feel like I'm being watched when I hunt. Like I'm the one being hunted... creepy.

LOTF Ch. 1 The Sound of the Shell viewpoint: Ralph

Stuck on an Island, and I'm in charge?

Today I was elected leader of the group. I think it might be a challenge to take care of the boys but I feel like I can do it. It all started when I was exploring. As I was walking along by myself when a boy crashes out of a bush. He was wearing glasses and he was definitely very fat. This was explained later when he said his aunt worked in a candy shop and he could get unlimited amounts of candy. He was very clingy. He didn't seem like he had many friends. He seemed sensitive, his mother and father had died. He told me he was called Piggy before, which I found extremely funny. It seemed to suit him, well at least his appearance. We found a conch shell in the lagoon. I used it to call all the other boys that were on the island. We all gathered at the lagoon. A choir group lead by a boy named Jack also came. He seemed controlling, but I think we'll get along. The gathering had a vote to see who should be leader. I got the most votes while Jack and his group was elected to be hunters. Me, Jack and Simon explored the island while Piggy stayed to watch all the little ones. He didn't seem very happy to be left behind. We found the island to be completely surround by water with no land in sight. There were also no grownups, we had all the freedom we wanted. On the way back we came across a pig that was caught in the creepers. Jack took out his knife to kill it but he hesitated and the pig got away. We all agreed he was just waiting to decide where he should kill it, but I think it was because he didn't really want to kill the animal. I didn't exactly want him to either.