I would want to argue that the biggest symbol that we see
in this chapter of this excellent novel is the face paint that Jack puts on his face and
how that impacts his character. It is clear that the face paint is symbolic of a descent
into savagery that becomes ever more evident and obvious as the novel continues. Note
how this section of this chapter is described when Jack looks at his reflection in a
coconut shell filled with water:
He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself
but at an awesome stranger. He spilt the water and leapt to his feet, laughing
excitedly. Beside the pool his sinewy body held up a mask that drew their eyes and
appalled them. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He
capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid,
liberated from shame and
self-consciousness.
It is
highly symbolic that the face paint is described as a mask which has "liberating"
effects on Jack. With this mask on he is transformed into an "awesome stranger" who is
able to dance with "bloodthirsty snarling." We clearly see the bloody violence and evil
into which Jack and his band of hunters descend foreshadowed here, and we can see that
the face paint is obviously symbolic of their descent into
savagery.
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