While Ralph is working with most of the others making shelters down on the beach, Jack is up in the forest and down on his hands and knees. He is sniffing, smelling the ground for any scent of pigs or their droppings.
Jack has become obsessed with meat, with pigs, with killing. The idea of killing a pig has taken over Jack's mind and body, and it stands in sharp opposition to Ralph's plan for the need for huts, for protection. Here in chapter 3, aggression is pitted against cooperation for the sake of shelter. This exchange between Ralph and Jack shows the dichotomy, the opposing human needs on the island:
“I went on,” said Jack. “I let them go. I had to go on. I—”
He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up.
“I went on. I thought, by myself—”
The madness came into his eyes again.
“I thought I might—kill.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I thought I might.”
Some hidden passion vibrated in Ralph’s voice.
“But you haven’t yet.”
His invitation might have passed as casual, were it not for the undertone.
“You wouldn’t care to help with the shelters, I suppose?”
“We want meat—”
“And we don’t get it.”
Now the antagonism was audible.
“But I shall! Next time!
And soon Jack will kill and they will eat meat, and he will kill again.
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