In similarity with “Lord of the Flies,” no parents seemed present on the island…
If memory serves, it was Jack, leader of the boys choir, that used the specter of "the beast" (read Devil) from which he promised to protect his flock if they would bow to his "leadership." It was this primitive religion that destroyed the island habitat by burning it, whilst murdering an innocent boy. Power lust begins early and so does the urge for some to surrender autonomy to others for the sake of security. It was Ralph (and for awhile, Piggy) that attempted to reason things out but was soon outnumbered by Jack's savages.