: Fear of a "beast" on the island allows Jack to manipulate the boys into a savage tribe. This leads to the brutal murders of Simon , who discovers the "beast" is only a dead parachutist, and Piggy .

: Initially, they elect Ralph as chief and use a conch shell to establish a democratic system. Piggy , the intellectual of the group, provides rational advice.

The characters function as symbols for different aspects of human society:

: Tension arises between Ralph, who focuses on building shelters and maintaining a signal fire for rescue, and Jack , who becomes obsessed with hunting and physical power.

After their plane is shot down, the boys attempt to govern themselves.