Ralph is losing his innocence quickly, but gaining an understanding of natural processes not available to him in the sheltered society he came from. “With a convulsion of the mind, Ralph discovered dirt and decay . . . At that he began to trot” toward the platform and the civilization it represents, in a physical reaction to the abstract truth newly present within him.
Once on the platform, more revelations engulf Ralph. He considers the springy log that shifts during assemblies and throws off the boys sitting on it, and ponders how maintenance of the status quo has taken precedence over the simple solution of securing the log with a stone wedge. He notes that the light of late sunset makes the entire place look different, calling into question the reality of its usual appearance. Suddenly Ralph recognizes the value and talents of the intellectually gifted Piggy, a conscious appreciation foreshadowed by the allegiance formed in Chapter 4 when “Not even Ralph knew how a link between him and Jack had been snapped and fastened elsewhere.” At the same time, Ralph realizes that “Piggy was no chief,” understanding intuitively that a leader needs the popular support Piggy can’t garner, hindered by his lack of charisma or popular appeal.
Up to this point, Ralph himself has been leading by instinct and charisma. Now he realizes that “if you were a chief, you had to think, you had to be wise . . . thought was a valuable thing, that got results.” Simultaneously, he realizes “I can’t think. Not like Piggy.” This sentiment echoes Piggy’s question to the boys in Chapter 2, after they’ve accidentally caused the forest fire: “How can you expect to be rescued if you don’t . . . act proper?” In that scenario, Piggy links social conventions with results, in a logical relationship of cause and effect lost on the emotional crowd. Social conventions are not necessarily based in rational thought, but they do provide a framework for rational discussion and thought.
