The answer to this question can be found in Chapter Three,
in which Jack, in spite of his lack of success in hunting, reveals to Ralph and Simon
the way that he is becoming obsessed with the hunt and the kind of violence that it
involves. The "compulsion to track down and kill" is said to be "swallowing him up," as
is made clear from the folllowing revelation:
"I went on. I thought, by
myself--"
The madness came into his eyes
again.
"I thought I might
kill."
It is highly revealing
that words such as "madness" and "compulsion" are used with reference to Jack and his
desire to kill and shed blood, and also note the way that in response to this
confession, Ralph himself, the boy who most represents the order of civlisation in his
person, is said to feel "some hidden passion" as he responds to Jack, foreshadowing the
way in which the blood frenzy will even overpower Ralph.
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