Lord of the Flies: Journal #8

Journal #8 by: Ethan Chan
Chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness
Perspective: Simon

The Lord of the Flies

The beast.... It's here...

Jack killed the pig, and now it's head is a demoniac entity! I'm not sure whether or not it is real, seems like it's actually talking to me. All I wanted to do was go to my little place, where I could just look at all the beautiful things all day... now I am terrified by this pig head, the one that remained after Jack had paunched it.

I would wonder about what it said. “...I am the Beast...” I thought it might have been true at first, but now I'm absolutely sure. It's not something you can hunt down or kill. It's not a ferocious animal that man will slay. It is the animal inside of man, one that can never be rid of. One that no matter how hard one tries, it will remain, ready to strike at any point of weakness.

This beast lies in the hearts of everyone, even me. The fear, the savage instincts, it's all in here... all in my head... But I will suppress this taboo. Nature wasn't meant to scare, but to be happy. What's the point if there's no happiness? I have to fight the fear, fight the instinct to kill, and turn it around. Seems like I'm the only one that can, seeing as all the others have already fallen prey to the Lord of the Flies.

The reason that wars happen... the reason that fights happen... is because we all want dominance. We all want power, like that of a prefect that can simply give detention to anyone who opposes.. Same with Ralph and Jack, they fight for power, whether it be for good or evil. No matter how demure someone is, they cannot deny that they want power. The power to change a side to good or evil; the power to metaphorically split the world into two.

This hunger for power is what sets loose the beast within; the Lord of the Flies.

Lord of the Flies: Journal #7

Journal #7 by: Ethan Chan
Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall trees
Perspective: Jack

I'm winning...

Now I have the upper hand. Ralph has tasted the power, the delightfulness of savagery, and I'll soon win everyone over. He was the only one standing in my way, and elimination is close at hand. The saltwater of his useless emotions have been evaporated, the brine of madness is left behind. In the struggle for power, two tigers cannot hide on one mountain. Ralph's idea of dun order will be replaced with the instincts of ancient man.

I saw him go insane. I saw him when we were hunting the boar, as well as when we were “playing” with Robert. Soon enough he'll be on my side, and we'll have real fun. Like rugger, only much, much more exciting. All I have to do is convince Simon and Ralph, then get rid of annoying, windy Piggy. Always interrupting and spouting out weak ideas, who does he think he is?

Saw the beastie today, too. A bit scary, seemed like it could jump out at any moment. Even Ralph and Robert were really scared. I'm almost sure that the beastie is real. Can't be too sure what it looks like, though. Maybe an ape with wings. If it's real, and it wasn't our imagination, I swear I will hunt it down, as long as my name is Jack Merridew. The hunters and I will take care of it, and bring a good meal back too.

Can't be long until I claim the island as chief. I'm sure everyone will sagely agree with me, because I'm in control now. Ralph and Piggy don't stand a chance against me when I've got everyone else on the island. In fact, when Ralph joins me, Piggy will be dead in less than a second. Being chief is so close, I can almost taste the power. When I become chief, there will be no responsibilities, only hunting. Oh, what fun it is to kill pigs and the like. Victory is mine.

Lord of the Flies: Journal #6

Journal #6 by: Ethan Chan

Chapter 6: Beast from Air

Perspective: Ralph

Will Jack be the leader?

I wonder... if there really is a beast. Jack and the others keep talking about it. Especially Jack, it seems that his talk of hunting it down is interminable. If there really is a beast, then it's doing a good job hiding. Today, we looked on the side that Jack hadn't been before. We left Piggy behind, because someone had to care for the littluns, and he couldn't do anything with just one eye.

“This place will make a great fort!” We're not going to stay here, but Jack doesn't seem to care. It's like he wants to stay on the island and become a little waxy savage. The way Jack's been leading, we'll end up nowhere in no time at all. How could this get worse? I don't want to know, because I'm sure that Jack can and will get worse.

With nearly all the boys on Jack's side of “fun”, soon enough he'll be elected leader. It's bad news for everyone, but being leader is hard, I'd like to take a break once in a while. No one pays attention anymore. They just blow me off along with their responsibilities. One minute they're working hard, the next they're flailing in the sand, forgetting all about their work.

Just today, when Jack and I got back from our little expedition, the boys were busying themselves rolling rocks over into the water, causing little leviathan waves. Even when I told them to come back and start the fire up again, they stayed and left me. How could this happen? The boys are mutinously leaving me for Jack. It's their responsibility to keep the fire going, and their responsibility to work for the group. But they just left.

I'm afraid. Afraid of Jack, afraid of losing the boys to savagery, and afraid of the beast. Might as well let Jack be leader, since he seems like the popular party now. No... I can't let them down. I can't let them fall to the low trash that Jack is. I have to stay, and make a good job of it.

Lord of the Flies: Journal #5

Journal #5 by: Ethan Chan

Chapter 5: Beast from Water

Perspective: Piggy

What beastie?

The meeting today was one of Ralph's better ones. Talking about rules and what's to be done is a really good thing, because as he said, “It's all we have”. Most of the stuff Ralph's saying is true, especially the part about the fire. I think that he did the right thing, telling everyone that they have responsibilities. I hope that now things will run smoother.

Then there's Jack.... I'm not sure about that one. I don't get how he's still here, with all of his violent doings. Ralph should have seen him through by now, and sent him away. Then again, he has a knife and isn't afraid to kill, so I think it would be wisest to not interfere. He keeps interrupting people when they speak. He's such a rude kid! A rude and dangerous kid at that. He's so ludicrous sometimes, but I dare not tell him that. He's an effigy of savageness, everyone should know by how he does things tempestuously.

As a matter of fact, everyone keeps interrupting the one who has the conch. They ought to shut up once in a while. Especially me. They keep making fun of me jeeringly. There ought to be order, and Ralph's the one to bring it. If they elected him leader, then they should listen.

And then there's the beastie. I don't know if it's real or just one of them nightmares, but I would put my money on fake. How could it possibly hide on this island, especially with that Jack wandering around hunting? (He really should be taking care of the fire.) If it really is from the water, and it is a giant squid, how would it come up here? It's fake, I tell you. I wonder what the discursive children will be spouting out next? Maybe the beastie coming from the air? You gotta be kidding me. There is no chance, not a one in a billion times a billion chance there is a monster, much less in the sea or the air. Is there?

Lord of the Flies: Journal #4

Journal #4 by: Ethan Chan

Chapter 4: Painted Faces and Long Hair

Perspective: Simon

Peace at last.... NOT

I can't believe it. Everything was at least half peaceful, but now it's all in ruins. No magical balm to fix this... At least the first part of the day was good, just relaxing in the gouts of water in the pool. Then, we saw some smoke on the horizon. I thought I might have been hallucinating. I thought it might not be true. But it was. As soon as we saw it, we were really excited. More so when we saw that it in fact was a ship. We immediately rushed toward the place where the fire was.

But it wasn't there. Not a spark left, in the fire and in our hopes. We were so close, but for some reason the fire was out. That reason was Jack and his hunting. He's impalpable to any suggestion besides hunting down that pig. Shortly after thinking about where Jack could have gone, we heard chanting. Jack and the rest of the hunters had gotten a pig, and were celebrating. I can't believe they let the fire go out! Ralph and Jack had a bit of an argument, obviously about the fire. Jack was enraged, and took action against Piggy. That was possibly the dirtiest thing I had seen Jack do.

Malevolently, Jack had punched piggy and broke his specs. I thought that Jack was being just plain mean, and so did Ralph. It was now clearly apparent to everyone that Jack's belligerence was not good. I hope that Ralph can keep everything under control, because Jack has a bad influence of savagery. If this keeps up, the children will be converted and before you know it, they'll be killing each other.

The one thing good that came out of this is that we had some meat. Jack had intentionally “forgotten” to offer Piggy some meat, so I thought I would toss him my meat. Jack became outraged at my actions, saying how hard he worked for that meat. He threw another piece and demanded I eat it. I would have refused, if it weren't for the show of violence from before, and the fact that Jack was armed with a knife and dangerous. Jack is hungry for blood, and anyone that interferes will probably die. At this rate, Ralph's idea of a nice island will become one of cannibals.

Lord of the Flies: Journal #3

Journal #3 by: Ethan Chan

Chapter 3: Huts on the Beach

Perspective: Jack

Stupid pig

I can't believe I failed again! I feel so stupid, I can't even catch a pig. I could only wound it, because my spear wasn't good enough. I have a huge compulsion to kill something right now. I would think that the stupid tendrils got in my way. I will get that pig, soon enough. As soon as I can get barbs on my spear, that little pig can say goodbye.

Still, I'm absolutely furious. After all the vicissitudes I had today, Ralph still thinks I'm a failure. He thinks that I would be better off helping him and Simon build shelter, but they should know better. He made us hunters for a reason, and I've got to get revenge on that pig. I refuse to leave this island until I do. Even if a ship comes right up, I won't leave. I won't be the contrite one. I won't have everyone's susurrations be about me.

When I was talking about how I felt that something was hunting me in the forest, or at least it felt like it, Ralph just gave me the cold shoulder and didn't care. He's the leader, so he should care about us, but he doesn't really believe me! Still, it didn't seem to likely, so I can't blame him. It was the strangest feeling though. Ralph then told me about how the kids were having nightmares and sleep-talking. If only Piggy hadn't implanted that story in their minds. Maybe it wasn't a story... Maybe it was the thing that might have been chasing me. I don't know, but I might just find out soon enough.

Tomorrow, I will find that pig. I might just attach my knife to my spear and kill it with that. Just remember you pig, wherever you are, you are my prey, and I will get you.

Lord of the Flies: Journal #2

Journal #2 by: Ethan Chan
Chapter 2: Fire on the Mountain
Perspective: Ralph

Annoyance

Just great... I don't get why they elected me chief if those errant kids won't even listen to a word I say. I started talking about how my dad is going to rescue them, and they get all excited. When I talk about making a smoke signal, next thing you know they've started to pile up huge amounts of wood without me. These kids might just be the thing I would call too officious. Even without me telling them to, they start piling on the fuel.

The next thing that happens ain't so great either. That Piggy is such an annoyance. He keeps recriminating because I just tell him to shut up. I needed quiet to think, and Piggy isn't helping. Jack only pinched his glasses because we needed to start a fire, so he doesn't need to get his rope in a knot. He's also induced everyone with the story of a beastie, so some might have died running from what might have been their imagination. Also, he just has to be so sarcastic. So our fire got out of hand. Instead of sarcasm, he could have helped us find a way to stop it. A fat lot of help he was.

I wonder how long we'll last... With the way things are going now it can't be long. We still might have some hope, if I can get the kids under control. With the island half-burnt to a crisp, Piggy being a big nuisance, my mind might just burst. Being called leader doesn't help at all if you're not the one leading. Even though Piggy might be right about some things, he doesn't have to be such an ass about it. Jack is the only one that might be helping, and even so, he's making a big deal about killing that pig.

We're all tired and out of breath. I promised them that it was a good island, that we would have fun, but I'm not sure I can keep that promise if this continues. Still, we have to continue living. As long as there's hope that someone will find us, we'll keep on fighting until we tire out.

Lord of the Flies: Journal #1

Journal #1 by: Ethan Chan
Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell
Perspective: Piggy

Leave me behind?

Strange, being trapped on this island. Haven't expected this, not at all. How could this have happened? The worst part about being stranded on this island is that the first person I met almost completely ignored me. Well, at least until I told him one of my darkest secrets, which I wanted NO ONE to know about... Still, he's not all that bad. I would have to say that this hasn't been my best day. Still, Ralph and I found out that we weren't the only ones in this place. Finding the conch was lucky, really. This way the children won't run amok and cause trouble. Still, I can't believe he's so ignorant. Everything I say, brushed off of his shoulder.

Still, I have to say that Ralph would have been the best choice for leader, seeing as he had the conch, and a good feeling about him. It would be only natural to pick him, seeing as all the other candidates weren't much better. That Jack seems not the best to be leader. He simply loves power, can't get enough. Even if it means sacrificing our freedom, he will probably do it for himself. I still don't get why he chose Jack and Simon over me. I've been with him the longest, it should be me who goes with him. I hope they're okay.

I sure hope that our streak of luck continues. We were lucky enough to find the conch and gather everyone. Hopefully we'll find more about this island. All we know right now is that we crash-landed from an airplane, and that there are more people than just me and Ralph. I'm just thankful that we're not dead yet. If we just keep up our morale and keep working hard, we just might survive long enough to make it off this dreadful island.

-Piggy