Tracker Update: Psychological Setting

       Lately, there have been many events that have shifted the psychological setting of the island.  From fires, to hunting, to dancing, it seems like everywhere the boys go on the island, there is a new mood.  Sometimes the boys are filled with id, and thier actions are controlled by the devil.  Other times, the boys seem positive and upbeat, and are excited to work together.
      

“‘Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!’

Now out of the terror rose another desire, thick, urgent, blind.

‘Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!’” 152

The boys are overcome with id. The devil is lurking in them, and they are acting like complete savages. The mood is almost horror movie-like.

“This is what I thought. We want to have fun. And we want to be rescued.” The passionate noise of agreement from the assembly hit him like a wave and he lost his thread. He thought again. “We want to be rescued; and of course we shall be rescued.” 37
 This is from the very beginning of the book- chpt 2. Very different from now.Even though everyone is a little scared, they have faith that they will be rescued, and are trying to hope for the best. They figure that while they are on the island, they should have fun and make the most of it.

"And they keep runnuing off.  You remember the meeting? How everyone was going to work hard until the shelters were finished?  “Except the hunters. Well, the littluns are hopeless. The older ones aren’t much better. D’you see? All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else. They’re off bathing, or eating, or playing.”  50

This is when the division of task starts to become a problem. Ralph and Simon are the only ones taking the shelters seriously. Everyone else is “hunting” or playing and swimming, and they are going to wish they had worked on the shelters once they really need a place to stay.  The mood is selfish.

“The twins shared their identical laughter, then remembered the darkness and other things and glanced round uneasily. The flames, busy about the tent, drew their eyes back again.” 97
The two boys know they should be focussing on the fire after failing to stay up at night and watch it, but they are still scared and distracted by everything else around them.  This is not only a problem for the twins, but a main conflict of Ralph's.  He has trouble staying foccused and remembering his goals.