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Jack Merridew Character Analysis

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In the novel, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, a group of young boys end up stranded on an island due to their plane being shot down while trying to escape World War II. Because there are no adults around, it’s up to the boys to establish rules and learn how to survive as a society. As the story progresses, Golding starts to introduce a recurring theme, savagery, which is evident in the mindset of one of the main characters, Jack Merridew. The transformation in him is greatly significant in contributing to why savagery is a relevant theme. Jack, being a dominant, controlling character, constantly pushes the other boys around, especially Piggy. His need for authority motivates him to find new ways to manipulate the boys and strip Ralph of his leadership. In addition, he has a natural bloodlust inside him, which develops over time into a savage-like instinct.
Best known for his conniving, ruthless personality, Jack Merridew is a true savage at heart and shows no mercy to those that get in his way. One of the first signs at his savagery was when he volunteers himself and the choir boys to be hunters. He could’ve picked something completely different like farming, but he decided on hunting, an activity that requires the death of a living animal. “Jack’s in charge of the choir. They can be—what do you want them to be?” “Hunters” (pg. 23). He replies to Ralph very confidently. Later on, Jack and his hunters make an attempt to kill a pig they find while hunting for meat in

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