The rest of the boys head fearfully up the darkening mountain.Finally, Simon goes off through the jungle to tell Piggy that they won’t be back until after dark.By this time, the sun is starting to go down the boys discuss whether to go on up on the mountain and risk facing the beast in the dark, or whether to go back to Piggy, who was left behind with the littluns.Jack playfully suggests they could use a littlun.Everyone (except Robert, we assume) wishes they could do it again.When it’s all over, Robert isn’t really hurt and Ralph says it was “just a game,” but even he knows that he is shamelessly lying to himself.Ralph can’t help joining in (!) as they finish the game with Robert screaming in true terror as they pin him down.They start the chant again: “Kill the pig! Cut his throat,” etc., etc.Things get a little out of hand as the boys “play” at jabbing Robert with their spears.And yet – the excitement doesn’t end there the boys reenact the scene with some poor boy (Robert) voluntarily playing the boar.Jack takes off after the boar, which eventually gets away, but not before wounding Jack’s arm.Ralph proudly shouts that he hit the boar, and then decides that maybe hunting is a good thing after all.Ralph flings his spear, which sticks in the boar’s snout for about a second before falling out.Right about now, a huge boar (that’s a male pig with tusks) comes crashing out of the bushes.The boys start on up the mountain again as Ralph thinks fondly of home: his bedroom, books, his mother and father and “good-humored and friendly” feelings.Roger calls out that he’s found some fresh (steaming) pig poo.But before you start feeling all comforted, notice that Simon says “ you’ll get back all right.”. For a moment, they even smile at each other. Simon seems to have some knowledge of things that the other boys don’t. Ralph thinks Simon is batty and says so – yet he is still somehow comforted.Simon actually does say, “You’ll get back all right.”.Right about this time, Ralph realizes Simon is speaking right into his ear.This, of course, is hugely meaningful to him. Ralph stares out at the ocean – he’s now on the other side of the island, no longer shielded by the lagoon.He sighs, knowing that this isn’t really a good thing. But then he looks around at the other boys and realizes that he’s become used to the conditions of filthiness – it has become normal.Ralph, by now quite dirty, wishes that he could take a bath.Almost immediately, some of the boys steal off to “do their business.”.The boys stop to rest and eat some fruit they’ve found.
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