Chapters 9 and 10
Chapter 9: A view to a death
Simon, who has had a fit in the jungle, awakens towards evening. He is still in his spot amongst the creepers, near where the pig's head is on the upright stake. He is faint and unwell but stumbles through the jungle almost automatically. He finds his way up onto the mountain and comes across the dead pilot. He realises that the others have mistaken this figure for the beast.
Simon untangles the parachute ropes from the surrounding rocks. Looking down towards the beach, he sees the fire at the new camp and can see that most of the boys on the island are gathered there. He decides to go and tell them what the beast really is and that it is harmless.
Ralph and Piggy are at the original camp on the beach, aware that most of the boys have gone off to Jack's feast. Piggy suggests they go too. He wants some of the meat, but he tells Ralph they should go so that nothing goes wrong.
When they reach Jack's camp, they see him seated on a log in the middle of the camp. He is painted up and wearing a garland. Before him are piles of meat, fruit and coconut shells of water heaped like offerings. It is clear that Jack is being treated as some kind of idol and has absolute control over the rest of the boys.
Jack asks who will join his tribe. He points out to the assembled boys that he has provided them with meat and will give them protection from the beast. Ralph challenges him, saying that he is the rightful chief because he was elected to that position and he has the conch. Jack retorts that the conch does not mean anything at this end of the island.
Piggy tries to get Ralph to leave with him, sensing that things could turn nasty. Just then the thunderstorm that has been brewing breaks over the island. The children are frightened. Jack draws them all into doing the pig-hunting dance. Even the littluns, Ralph and Piggy get carried away by it.
They are all dancing in rhythm in the storm, chanting about killing the pig and spilling its blood. The focus of the chant changes from the pig to the beast. Simon comes crawling out of the jungle, trying to yell over the noise of the storm and the chant that the beast is just a body on the mountain.
The frenzied dancers mistake Simon for the beast itself and set upon him, killing him with any weapons they have, including their own teeth.
The storm carries the dead body of the parachutist out to sea. Later that night the storm dies away. The tide rises and Simon's body is also carried out to sea.
Chapter 10: The shell and the glasses
Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric are back at the original camp the day after. None of them wants to admit that they were at the dance the night before or that they were part of Simon's murder, but Ralph does speak about it quietly to Piggy. Piggy is defensive and tries to justify what happened by bringing up the storm, the fear and the confusion. He insists that it was an accident.
The boys of Jack's tribe have moved their camp onto the outcrop of rocks they call Castle Rock. There are guards stationed at its entrance who are ordered by Jack to challenge everyone who approaches.
When Roger approaches he is told by the guard that Jack has ordered one of the other boys to be tied up and is going to beat him. No one is sure why, but they have followed Jack's orders all the same. Roger - who earlier avoided hitting the littlun on the beach while throwing stones at him - considers this idea of exercising power and violence over someone without having to justify it.
Jack, who is now referred to as 'the chief', tells his hunters that they will go hunting again and have another feast that night. He orders some hunters to remain at the camp to guard it against 'the others' - meaning Ralph and his small group of companions - who will try to sneak in.
When one of the hunters asks why they would want to sneak in, he assures them all that they just will. He also tells them that the beast can't be killed, and that it could try to come back. He tells them they'll have to keep making offerings to the beast and that they'll have to remain on its good side for their protection.
Jack outlines a plan with the others to steal fire once again from Ralph's camp. He decides to take Maurice and Roger with him.
After complaints about the work involved in keeping the fire going constantly, the twins, Sam and Eric, Piggy, and Ralph settle in one of the shelters for the night. During the night they hear noises outside, and then a voice calling for Piggy. Not having heard Simon's message about the parachutist, they think it may be the beast.
Then Jack, Maurice and Roger attack the shelter. A fight ensues, although no one can see who they're fighting with and it turns out that Eric and Ralph were actually attacking each other in the dark.
Jack and his hunters leave. It turns out that the real reason for their mission was to steal Piggy's glasses so that they are always able to light a fire. The last scene describes Jack, Maurice and Roger happily hurrying back to their camp with Piggy's glasses.
