Jack was on top of the sow, stabbing downward with his knife. Roger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch and the terrified squealing became a high-pitched scream. Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her. The butterflies still danced, preoccupied in the center of the clearing.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Jack and Roger kill a sow by stabbing and pushing a spear while butterflies dance peacefully nearby.
- In plain terms
- The boys violently kill a sow while nature remains indifferent.
- What can you take from it?
- Nature does not react to human violence.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why does nature remain calm during violence?
Another view
The graphic nature might obscure the thematic point.
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Permalink to quote #25 However Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and sick.
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