One of the key events foreshadowing savagery is that there is no grownups on the island. On page 21, Meridew asks Ralph, “Aren’t there any adults?” “No.” “Then we will have to look after ourselves.” This foreshadows them becoming savage because without a direct guide from a adult, they will not know the difference between right and wrong. Without a strong adult presence telling them what to do or what not to do, the boys experiencing a new independence that they have not approached before. The boys are living without the rules that grownups set for them to follow. Try as Ralph might, he can’t be the filler for the adult presence that the kids need to stay civilized. When the rules that they tried setting up fail, the kids start doing what
