LOTF response

(Ralph): “The fire’s the most important thing. Without the fire we can’t be rescued. I’d like to put on war-paint and be a savage. But we must keep the fire burning. The fire’s the most important thing on the island, because, because---“

He paused again and the silence became full of doubt and wonder. (142)

This passage is significant because it shows the differences between Ralph and Jack. This paragraph explains why the boys split into two different groups and why Jack and Ralph’s friendship came to an end. In this passage, Ralph is saying that while he’d like to have fun like Jack and play around, there are more important things that he should focus on such as getting off of the island. He would like to live like Jack, but his brain tells him otherwise. In the final sentence of the passage, it can be inferred that Ralph is becoming a bit envious of Jack’s fun and is questioning what he really wants to do. 

While Ralph is indeed accomplishing more important things such as building the fire and maintaining it, Jack is having a ball. Jack is living as a savage and wearing war paint, all the things Ralph would like to do. I feel as if Jack represent a character similar to the snake in the Adam and Eve story. The snake tempts Adam and Eve with sensational fruit, but listening to him is against God’s wishes and not the right thing to do. Jack tempts Ralph with all of the fun things he does, but being like him will not help to get them off of the island and is therefore not the right or smart thing to do.