The fire is the boys' only hope of rescue from the island. When the boys go hunting and instead of minding the fire as Ralph instructed them to do, a ship passes by the island. Had the fire been lit, the people on the ship may have seen the signal and rescued the boys. This is why Ralph is angry; the other boys' disobediance ruined his chance of escaping the island.
Ralph spoke. "You let the fire go out."
A ship is passing along the horizon. However the hunters let the fire for when it was their job to keep the fire going. Therefore the ship did not know they were there and by the time they got the fire going again it was too late. Ralph becomes furious because they could have had a chance to be rescued.
In Chapter 10, Piggy suggests that they let the fire go out at night and relight it every morning because he concludes that the smoke will not be visible at night. At this point, Ralph is frustrated that Jack has started his own tribe. Ralph is also discouraged that only he and Piggy seem intent on keeping the fire going. Upon hearing Piggy's suggestion, Ralph agrees to let the fire go out. However, Ralph thinks it would be ideal to have the fire going all the time. The fire also gives Ralph a sense of security, especially at night: Ralph stood up, feeling curiously defenseless with the darkness pressing in.
They decide to let the fire go out at night and light it again in the morning
To watch over the young kids.
One quote from "Lord of the Flies" that shows the fire going out is, "The fire was dead" (Golding, 67). This quote signifies a critical moment in the novel where the boys' chance of rescue diminishes due to the fire being extinguished.
Ralph spoke. "You let the fire go out."
A ship is passing along the horizon. However the hunters let the fire for when it was their job to keep the fire going. Therefore the ship did not know they were there and by the time they got the fire going again it was too late. Ralph becomes furious because they could have had a chance to be rescued.
Ralph asks Jack about the fire and why he let it out. This question makes the boys uncomfortable because it challenges Jack's authority and reveals his failure to fulfill a crucial responsibility on the island.
They decide to let the fire go out at night and light it again in the morning
In Chapter 10, Piggy suggests that they let the fire go out at night and relight it every morning because he concludes that the smoke will not be visible at night. At this point, Ralph is frustrated that Jack has started his own tribe. Ralph is also discouraged that only he and Piggy seem intent on keeping the fire going. Upon hearing Piggy's suggestion, Ralph agrees to let the fire go out. However, Ralph thinks it would be ideal to have the fire going all the time. The fire also gives Ralph a sense of security, especially at night: Ralph stood up, feeling curiously defenseless with the darkness pressing in.
Ralph believes they should keep the fire going continuously in case a ship passes by and sees the smoke. He wants them to maintain a signal fire and keep it burning to maximize their chance of rescue.
They decide to let the fire go out at night and light it again in the morning
When Ralph calls a meeting in chapter 5: Beast from Water he tries to emphasise to the other boys how important the signal fire is. In an impassioned speech Ralph declares, and I quote... "Can't you see we ought to-- ought to die before we let the fire out?" Jack's hunters giggle self consciously. Later in the book when Ralph confronts Jack tribe at castle rock he reiterates the need for a signal fire and rescue. Once again Jack's tribe greet Ralph's speech with 'shivering, silvery, unreal laughter.'
Jack and Ralph accidentally let the fire go out while using the glasses to start it. Their neglect in keeping the fire going led to a missed opportunity for rescue when a ship passed by the island.
To watch over the young kids.
Ralph does not suggest anything but he does say that keeping the fire going is the most important thing and they should die before allowing it to go out. This is because he is aware that having a signal fire is their only hope of ever being rescued.