Because thy want to signal to a ship if it happens to pass by.
Ralph decides that two people will tend the fire for 12 hours a day, even at night.
They decide to let the fire go out at night and light it again in the morning
They decide to let the fire go out at night and light it again in the morning
In William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies," it is Ralph who initially accepts the responsibility for tending the fire, viewing it as a crucial signal for rescue. However, as the story progresses, this duty is often neglected by the boys, particularly by Jack and his followers, who prioritize hunting over maintaining the signal fire. This shift symbolizes the breakdown of order and civilization among the group. Ultimately, the struggle over the fire reflects deeper themes of power and survival.
The first thing that the boys decide to do, after Jack has left, is to follow Piggy's suggestion to light a fire near to the shelters since the presence of the 'beast' is preventing them from relighting the fire on the mountain top.
Jack and his choir were at the top of the mountain when Ralph spotted the smoke from the ship. They were supposed to be tending the fire, which they let go out while they were hunting.
Sam and Eric. SAMNERIC
When Jack sees Ralph and Piggy approach the fire he orders his group to do the wild hunting dance.
sam and Eric aka the twins
In William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies," it is Jack's group of savages who accompany him to steal fire from Ralph's camp. They violently attack Ralph and the other boys to steal the fire and assert their control over the island.
Ralph thinks that the beast is on the mounatin top preventing them from having the fire there, to quote directly from the book, he said... "And now that thing squats by the fire as though it didn't want us to be rescued---"
Jack's group steals Piggy's glasses and the conch shell from Ralph's group in the novel "Lord of the Flies." These items represent order, intellect, and democracy, which are valued by Ralph's group but rejected by Jack's group in their descent into savagery.