What is the overall conflict in Chapter 8 of the novel Lord of the Flies?

The overall conflict in Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies is between the two sides of man: the innately savage man and the civilized man.

As the boys remain on the island and the influence of their former society becomes little more than a memory, the conditioning from civilization also wanes. This diminishing of civilized behavior increases as the supposed beast looms over them. The divisiveness between Jack and Ralph waxes as Jack blows the...

The overall conflict in Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies is between the two sides of man: the innately savage man and the civilized man.

As the boys remain on the island and the influence of their former society becomes little more than a memory, the conditioning from civilization also wanes. This diminishing of civilized behavior increases as the supposed beast looms over them. The divisiveness between Jack and Ralph waxes as Jack blows the conch and informs the boys that Ralph has accused the hunters of being no good because he thinks the boys are cowards for having run from the boar and the beast. He argues further against Ralph:

"He's not a hunter. He'd never have got us meat....He just gives orders and expects people to obey for nothing. All this talk—"

Jack again makes a move to have Ralph removed as chief: "Hands up...whoever wants Ralph not to be chief?" But, when Jack does not receive the encouragement he seeks, he lays the conch carefully on the grass. Humiliated, he says, "I'm not going to be a part of Ralph's lot—," adding, "I'm going off by myself. He can catch his own pigs. Anyone who wants to hunt when I do can come too." So, Jack departs from the democratic rule of Ralph. When night falls, some of the boys sneak away to join Jack's group. Later, some of these boys return to steal burning logs from the fire that Piggy has suggested the boys build on the beach. They steal this fire so that they can cook the meat they have acquired from the slaying of a sow.

In the meantime, Simon steals away to his private place. There he encounters the head of the slain sow, who seems to talk to him. The head tells Simon,

"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!....You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?....I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?"

This insight into the evil that is intrinsic to man is so overwhelming to him that Simon faints.