Golding's "Lord of the Flies", emphasizes in the character Jack Merridew
'The theme (of Lord of the Flies) is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of society must depend on the ethical mature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable.'
-- William Golding
In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Jack Merridew, chief of the hunters, represents the hidden human passion and animal cruelty. The name Jack comes from Hebrew and means 'one who supplants,' one who takes over by force. This is how Jack gains and uses power. While Ralph (his rival for the island), with Piggy and a few other children, in contrast, represents 'civilization' and common sense. The name Ralph, is originally from the Anglo-Saxon language, meaning 'counsel.' That is how Ralph works, he is an embodiment of democracy; he is willing to be a leader but knows that it's important for each of the boys to be able to speak their mind.
At the beginning of the book the position of Jack and Ralph is more or less equal. They are both well - conditioned boys of school age, who find themselves on a lonely island with some other boys of various age, but not older than themselves. They share similar opinions about their situation and its solution. They both want to be rescued and taken home. They both realize that there are a lot of things they must do to survive on the island until all of them get rescued. And lastly, they both are dominant types, but yet at the beginning of the novel they both acknowledge each other's authority and behave to each other in a friendly way.
At the return Ralph found himself alone on a limb with Jack and they grinned at each other, sharing this burden. Once more, admit the breeze, the shouting, the slanting sunlight on the high mountain, was shed that glamour, that strange invisible light of friendship, adventure,
and content.
-'Almost too heavy.'
Jack grinned back.
- "Not for the two of us.'
Together, joined in effort
-- William Golding
In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Jack Merridew, chief of the hunters, represents the hidden human passion and animal cruelty. The name Jack comes from Hebrew and means 'one who supplants,' one who takes over by force. This is how Jack gains and uses power. While Ralph (his rival for the island), with Piggy and a few other children, in contrast, represents 'civilization' and common sense. The name Ralph, is originally from the Anglo-Saxon language, meaning 'counsel.' That is how Ralph works, he is an embodiment of democracy; he is willing to be a leader but knows that it's important for each of the boys to be able to speak their mind.
At the beginning of the book the position of Jack and Ralph is more or less equal. They are both well - conditioned boys of school age, who find themselves on a lonely island with some other boys of various age, but not older than themselves. They share similar opinions about their situation and its solution. They both want to be rescued and taken home. They both realize that there are a lot of things they must do to survive on the island until all of them get rescued. And lastly, they both are dominant types, but yet at the beginning of the novel they both acknowledge each other's authority and behave to each other in a friendly way.
At the return Ralph found himself alone on a limb with Jack and they grinned at each other, sharing this burden. Once more, admit the breeze, the shouting, the slanting sunlight on the high mountain, was shed that glamour, that strange invisible light of friendship, adventure,
and content.
-'Almost too heavy.'
Jack grinned back.
- "Not for the two of us.'
Together, joined in effort