Although no one new actually comes to the island, several new and intriguing characters are developed in place of Ralph, Jack, and the rest of the spilt tribes. It is through these new characters that one can see where Golding is going with the overall theme and symbolism that he has been developing throughout the novel. One can see this final theme developed in the extreme changes in Jack, Ralph, and their interactions with each other as well the others of the tribe.
Jack in the last few chapters is in no way what he has been in the rest of the novel. It is in this way that he is presented to the reader as almost a new character called “the chief” (Golding 176) whose first action is “beat up Wilfred” (176) even though no one knows why. The fact that Jack moves from his position of shaky leader to all-powerful ruler demonstrates the symbolism of the beast in all of them overcoming the island.
As Jack becomes more powerful Ralph begins to give in to all of his inner struggles. After taking part in the murder of Simon he cannot come to terms with what is overcoming him and the rest of the boys. They can scarcely even associate themselves with the feast as they discus: “Didn’t you see what we - what they did?” (Golding 173)
The last battle between Ralph and Jack really brings the novel to a focus and a climax that gives the reader a final sense of what Golding is trying to relay through his writing. After “the conch explod[es] into a thousand tiny white fragments” (Golding 200) and Piggy is “thrown back forty feet” (200) with his skull wide open Ralph promptly fleas into the jungle for what could be the last time. The hellish inferno that ensues is Golding’s way of symbolizing the strength of the beast within us and the strength with which we must fight it. When the sailors discover the children and cannot believe how quickly they have deteriorated it is a demonstration of how unaware we are of ourselves in this modern day and age.
