Lord of the Flies

Each character in the book contains a symbolic role. With one of the main characters, Jack, one’s belief is that his role would be evil, the dark side of humanity. Due to Jack’s determination to be the leader, the lack of compassion for the remaining children, and just his plain transition from civilization to savagery, it shows how this role suits him. Right from the beginning of the novel, the reader, can indicate that Jack has neither respect nor compassion towards the remaining survivors. From the first chapter, before even meeting any of the other boys, Jack’s words to Piggy, “You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.” (Golding 21) shows the fact that he doesn’t care about hurting anyone. As the novel continues Jack’s attitude does not get any better. While some of the boys are trying to keep order on the island, Jack is only concerned about hunting and killing. Jack becomes so possessed by his desire to kill that he doesn’t realize, at one point of the novel, that he is moments away from killing a “littlun”. Also, after the death of Simon, the boys think the “beastie” is gone. With Jack’s drive to keep seniority, he lies to the boys so they will think the beast is still there by stating, “No! How could we kill it" (Golding 146), giving the boys the uneasy feeling that the nonexistent beast is still alive and or out in the woods. Without a doubt, this shows how Jack becomes compassionless and cold hearted to the rest of the boys on the island due to his strive for dominance. All of the boys on the island have physically and mental changed, but Jack on the other hand, shows more than just a simple change. Jack’s transition from civilization to savagery becomes more and more vibrant as the novel proceeds. As days go by on the island, Jack’s main priority is to kill other living creatures. With the beginning of chapter 3, Jack’s actions are described as animal like to symbolize his mental and physical change. On the island, Jack’s