Signal Fire

• The signal fire is the most potent source of hope for the boys, yet only Ralph and Piggy grasp its importance.
• Latterly, the fire offers protection from the beast and this is more important for some, than rescue. Even Jack and the tribe are comforted by the fire.
• It is ironic that the fire which smoked Ralph out of the forest attracts the attention of a nearby ship.
• 'We must make smoke on the top of the mountain. We must make a fire' (Ralph, ch2)
• 'The fire thrust out a savage arm of heat that crinkled hair instantly' ch2
• 'Quarter of a mile square forest was savage with smoke and flame' ch2
• 'The fire was right out, smokeless and dead; the watchers were gone' ch4
• 'The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued, except by luck, if we don't keep a fire going?' (Ralph, ch5)
• 'We got no fire on the mountain. What's wrong with a fire down here? A fire could be built on them rocks' (Piggy, ch8)
• 'Ralph tried indignantly to remember. There was something good about a fire. Something overwhelmingly good' ch10