On the other side of the island is the group of civilized dwellers. Ralph leads them and is most concerned with keeping the fire going. This fire is to wave ships and planes down. Where Jack is main objective is to hunt and kill. Golding uses the setting of the island to portray the themes of civilization verses savagery. The beach near the warm water lagoon is where the civilized nature of the story takes place where they holding meetings. Described as "a natural platform of fallen trees". On the other side the savage castle "which rises a hundred feet above the sea". Golding gives us a very strong sense of place, and the island shapes the story's direction. Starting out as a paradise with lush and abundant food. As the fear of the beast grows, it becomes a hell in which fire and fear prevails.
Golding has well-constructed characters using characterization of actions, names and speech. Piggy represents the elder, knowledgeable boy on the island. This is shown by the character description of him being "almost as if he was bald, glasses". These are features of an adult. Piggy's character also represents the voice of reason over instinct. Before he is killed he asks "Which is better, to be a pack of painted Indians or to be sensible? Which is better, to have rules and agree or to hunt and kill? Which is better, law and rescue or hunting and breaking things up?" Following Piggy's speech Roger levered a rock onto Piggy killing him. Roger's name (German for "spear") also symbolizes brute force. Showing the evil inherent in human nature, savagery triumphing over civilized values.
At this point in time the original form of authority and order, representing the greatness of civilization, in the form of the conch is smashed. Savagery defeating civilization again. In retaliation, Ralph symbolically smashes the pig's head, the symbol of evil. "The skull that gleamed as white as ever the conch had done seemed to jeer at him cynically".