In chapter 5, Ralph has just successfully asserted his authority over the boys by reprimanding them for letting the signal fire go out and missing a possible rescue from a passing ship. They have obediently rebuilt the fire under his supervision and now he has called an assembly "to put things straight." However, during the assembly, Ralph's authority and leadership begin to unravel as the boys start discussing their fears and "the beast." Jack verbally...
In chapter 5, Ralph has just successfully asserted his authority over the boys by reprimanding them for letting the signal fire go out and missing a possible rescue from a passing ship. They have obediently rebuilt the fire under his supervision and now he has called an assembly "to put things straight." However, during the assembly, Ralph's authority and leadership begin to unravel as the boys start discussing their fears and "the beast." Jack verbally defies Ralph and then says, "Bullocks to the rules!" He leads almost all the boys away from the meeting site down to the beach in a "random scatter." Piggy insists that Ralph blow the conch to reassemble the meeting because it has ended on a defiant note, diminishing Ralph's authority. Ralph has severe doubts that the boys would obey the summons. He states to Piggy, "If I blow the conch and they don't come back; then we've had it. ... We'll be like animals. We'll never be rescued." Ralph senses the boys are at a turning point; he hopes that if they get their wildness out that night that in the morning or at a later time they might be more open to following the rules again. But if he tries to force them into order while they are running wild and if they don't obey, then that will cement their lawlessness further, making it more unlikely that order will ever be regained.
Beyond that, Ralph is having a personal crisis of confidence. He states, "I ought to give up being chief." Piggy and Simon convince him that he is the only thing standing in the way of Jack physically harming Piggy and perhaps others. Ralph goes on to express how he misses grownups. He feels deeply his inadequacy as someone who can keep things from "drifting and ... going rotten."
Ralph doesn't blow the conch because he fears the boys' lack of response would cement the chaos further and because he is suffering a crisis of confidence in his own leadership abilities.
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