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Conflict Between Ralph And Jack In Lord Of The Flies

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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

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