For centuries, thinkers have posed the question “What are we? Are we humans? Or animals? Or savages?” In essence, many of these beforementioned philosophers take time to understand what makes us, humans, tick. Graham Greene once said “human nature is not black and white but black and grey.” There is much more to our behavior than meets the eye and it is often difficult to understand human nature apart from biblical revelation. Human nature refers to the patterns of behavior that are typical of our species or our kind. In an era of no rule, many are split on the behaviors of humans; some believe that it would be a place of peace where everyone can live to their own standards while others assert that mayhem and chaos would ensue. William Golding’s …show more content…
Jack was one whose irrational behavior caused the eventual decline of the civilization. As we are introduced to the characters, it is quite evident that Jack has a dominating aura surrounding him. Prior to finding himself stranded on the remote island, Jack had already developed a group of followers, the choirboys. Due to his militaristic attitude, Jack obtained the utmost power over said vocalists. As we come to find, Jack’s main interest is wanting to be the best. When he is not chosen as the supreme ruler in the very beginning, it is proven that he will do whatever it takes to steal the spot that in his opinion, he deserves. For this reason, he frequently engages in conflict with Ralph over the ways to best lead the group. For instance, Ralph believes huts and shelter will be important to survival whereas Jack immediately suggests to hunt. Page 70 very clearly illustrates Jack’s savage being. The quote goes as follows: “His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink.” This quote further explores Jack’s mental state in the aftermath of the slaughter, a milestone in the drastic descent toward savage behavior. Jack is unable to keep his mind off of the hunt. His excitement, however, does not stem from the fact that the group has found food. It stems from imposing his will upon the helpless creature. It is at this point that it becomes apparent that Jack’s obsession with the hunt is derived from the satisfaction it provides his instincts. Almost as if the murder is his drug and he is
“Jack made a rush and stabbed at Ralph’s chest with his spear. Ralph sensed the position of the weapon from the glimpse he caught of Jack’s arm and put the thrust aside with his own butt. Then he brought the end round and caught Jack a stinger across the ear. The were chest to chest, breathing fiercely, pushing and glaring.”(196). Two strong types of leadership can lead to devastating outcomes. This is shown in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Ralph and Jack have two very different types of leadership that are at different ends of the spectrum. The qualities of Ralph and Jack are different, Jack’s beliefs contrast those of Ralph, and the styles of leadership that Ralph and Jack use are as different as night and day. To begin, it takes
William Golding's Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of boys who are lost on a deserted island and must do what they can to survive. At the beginning of the novel, two of the boys, Ralph and Jack, become leaders. These differences will form the main conflict in the story. The differences will cause them to hate each other and the anger that results is a recurring part of the plot throughout the novel. These two boys can be compared by the way they change, the reason for their actions, and the way they use or abuse power.
When Jack was first asked to kill the pig he hesitated. He said, “ ‘I was waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him’ ” (Golding 31). Although it is not directly stated why Jack didn’t kill the first pig, it is assumed that it is because he is a child and this is his first time killing. This is the only time Jack struggles to kill as it starts to consume him from not only killing just animals but people too. An external conflict is Jack wants to be chief, which causes a tension between him and Ralph. When it was first decided that the boys needed a chief Jack said, “ ‘A Chief! A Chief! I ought to be Chief!’ ” (Golding 22). This was the first time Jack showed any interest in becoming a leader which grew stronger the longer they where on the island. He lets becoming chief consume him and he begins to loose sight of who he
Even though Jack demonstrated his leadership qualities when proposing a rescue plan to the ‘tribe’, and by accepting Ralph’s election to lead the group, something he wanted for himself, he eventually turns into a savage through killing a pig. This incident gives him a sense of power realizing that he can act with impunity without consequences. Wanting to hunt and kill pigs turned into a priority, eliminating the need to be
Jack was one whose personality caused the civilization to come tumbling down. When we first discover the boys on the island and get a mere glimpse of their personalities, it is quite apparent that Jack is going to be one who is power-hungry. He already has a group of followers, the choirboys, of whom he has the utmost power over. He has a very controlling personality that cannot be subsided by the obstacles that are shown in the novel. Jack suffers from wanting to be the best. When he is not chosen as the chief and supreme ruler in the very beginning, it is proven that he will find a way to claw up to the top and take the spot that in his opinion is his right. Jack has quite a reckless personality, and will risk all to be standing alone at the top as king or leader. Jack is also guilty of envy, which goes hand in hand with power. He is envious of everything that Ralph has. Ralph is the chief, and has much common sense. Jack senses this and is jealous of the fact that Ralph can command attention and a following that easily. I also believe, when reflecting back, that Jack is in a sense jealous of Piggy, without being aware of it. Piggy is the complete intellect on the island. While Jack is quite smart, he certainly is not as gifted as Piggy. Piggy can interpret any situation and be the lone voice of knowledge of the masses. Jack not only gets jealous
Lord of the Flies has many meanings to it that are represented through the characters and their feelings. When comparing the characters in the Lord of The Flies, you can see the obvious change in most of them from the beginning of the book to the end. The two main characters are Ralph, the protagonist and Jack, the antagonist. Ralph and Jack both have different qualities and beliefs that define each of them completely and at times make them both alike in many ways. They both represent what we are and what they were, Civilized and Savage.
In the book Lord of the flies by William Golding, Ralph and Piggy are both stuck facing conflict after Jack and his hunters decide to leave and form their own tribe. The separation between Ralph’s group and Jack’s group leaves each other with unresolved conflicts such as other competition, and not enough beneficial participation during their hardships on the island. Both of these conflicts are vital and necessary for the group to stay alive on the island, and without a full group effort, it would be nearly impossible to be successful. In chapter 8 of the book, Jack complains about the leadership of the group, showing separation between him and Ralph.
day. Twice a day. We talk. I bet if I blew this conch this minute
A good leader is someone who cares about everyone. They are loyal, and listens to everyone’s ideas. They are smart, strong, and can make tough decisions. A good leader could fight, but a better leader can choose not to. In the Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, is about a boy named Ralph who wanted to get rescued and made leadership choices based on that, but another boy named Jack who prevented rescue by splitting the group up and turning survival into a game. Ralph and Jack were meant to be in the same novel because Golding wanted to show how the wrong leadership can go wrong, and on what leader you follow can be an effect on how you survive.
Comparing and contrasting Jack and Ralph gives the reader an insight and better understanding of how the book develops. They have many similarities and differences between them. These main characters help explain things in the book like the theme, characteristics, actions, and rivalries. Some major keys of the compare and contrast are qualities in leadership, lessons they teach, and their relationships.
The novel " Lord of the Flies" focuses on the conflict that exists between two competing impulses that Golding, suggests exist within all humans; these being the instinct to follow the rules, act in a peaceful manner and comply to moral commands compared to the instinct to act violently in order to gain control over others and to satisfy our own greed and personal desires. The conflict exists within the novel in several forms; law and order vs. anarchy, civilization vs. savagery and the basic term of good vs. evil. Golding uses these themes consistently throughout the novel, clearly associating instinctive savagery with evil and the instinct of civilisation with good. The representation of this lies in Ralph and Jack, the two central
Are protagonistic and antagonistic characters considered to be juxtapositions, complimenting each other and highlighting the other’s flaws? Ralph and Jack are certainly protagonist and antagonist; Ralph as a strong, moral leader, and wither Jack representing savagery. Some may argue that while protagonists and antagonists may be opposites, that does not mean that they are complementary to each other. However, they are each so different from the other that their character traits are emphasized when around and interacting with one another. Golding uses symbols and diction to create a dramatic mood which conveys the idea that two opposite people will emphasize their best and worst character traits, impacting the world around them.
By the end of the novel, Jack has become a full blown barbarian. He is so caught up in killing pigs that he no longer listens to Ralph. He tries to become chief again and fails. Because of that, he starts his own tribe on the other side of the island where all they do is hunt pigs. The boys that follow him are transformed into the savage that he is. “Here, struck down by the heat, the sow fell and the hunters hurled themselves at her…Jack was on top of the sow, stabbing downward with his knife. Roger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning with his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch… [t]hen Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands.” Jack and his followers were demoralized and tainted
Ralph and Jack are both powerful and meaningful characters in William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies. Ralph is an excellent leader; responsible, and stands for all that is good. Jack is a destructive hunter, selfish, and represents evil. These two main characters can be compared by the actions they take as leaders, their personalities, and what they symbolize in the story.
The conflict between Ralph and Jack shows how lack of civilization can result to savagery. Ralph states, “We need shelters” contrasting to Jack who says, “We need meat” (Golding, p.42). The lack of civilization in Jack shows because he thinks hunting is more important than shelters although he has yet to catch a pig, while on the other hand Ralph thinks it’s more important to build shelter for a sense of home and protection from the rain and the beastie that all the littluns are afraid of. “Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing”(Golding, p. 15). This quote states that Ralph should be in charge because he has the conch, and Jack gets upset since he is not voted chief but then Ralph puts him charge of the choir boys who later on become the hunters. Ralph creates civilization when he is given power to become the chief on the island, and he has the power with or without the conch. Later in the novel when Ralph realizes he doesn’t like being dirty and “disliked perpetually flicking the tangled hair put of his eyes,” it shows that Ralph is used the civilization he had before and wants to return to that civilization (Golding, p.66). Then Jack becomes an example of savagery when he shows up to the fire in chapter 8, “stark naked save for the paint and a belt” (Golding, p.125). Ralph and his followers show the civilized and orderly side of the island, but on the contrary, Jack and his tribe show the savagery of man and barbaric side of the island.