The hills, dubbed ‘The mountain’ by Ralph, symbolizes hope. It represents a lifeline they must heed in order to successfully be rescued, which is the fire. However, the fire is often neglected. This does a fantastic job at reflecting the state of their civilization. As the boys give in to their primal instincts, the fire is forgotten and so is their determination to maintain their dignity and be rescued. It is also important to note that initially, all other tasks Ralph assigns revolve around the fire, their hope. It becomes the root and basis for their government, and when it goes out all other structure rapidly falls apart.
