I Ought To Be Chief Analysis

691 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Lord of flies character development

Are We All Evil on the Inside? Do we all have evil deep down inside of us? It is the killing of the first pig that leads to Jack wanting to do it more and more, which ultimately leads to something inside of him awakening. Jack was defiant from the start and showed how he was giving into the darkness. Since the boys first arrived on the island, Jack seemed to stray away from the beaten path in the sense that whatever the rest of the group decided Jack wanted to question, oppose, or downright argue with until he was finally given command of his own men. On page 22, Jack says, "I ought to be chief,”[…]” because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.” This shows that Jack is selfish and only wants to be in control, never thinking of the others around him. Jack still has some good in him at this time. Early on, Jack was faced with the temptation of the darkness inside of him, but at this point, he was still trying to fight it. Page 51 …show more content…

When Piggy is killed, Jack doesn’t seem to care. In fact, he takes credit for it. Jack says on page 181, “See? See? That’s what you’ll get! I meant that!” I think that Jack and this point is more worried about losing the respect of his tribe and seeming weak than the fact that someone was just obliterated in front of him. This shows that he doesn't care about anything but leading his tribe, killing pigs, and killing Ralph. When he becomes obsessed with these things, it really shows how far gone he is. Jack is obsessed with killing Ralph and will do anything to kill him. In chapter 12, Jack is so focused on killing Ralph that he sets the forest on fire to try to smoke him out. This shows that Jack wants there to be no doubts that he is a true leader and that he doesn’t care what he does as long as he can kill. Jack really will struggle after they are rescued from becoming good again since he has fallen so

Show More
Related

  • Why Jack Should Be Chief

    234 Words  | 1 Pages

    Jack knows that the boys need food and shelter, he has the ability and the follower size to provide both of those. Jack also has a strong pushing force towards others, even though he is too harsh sometimes, he always gets people to listen to him. He promised himself that he would do anything to kill a pig, showing no mercy next time. After not being able to kill the pig, Jack thought “next time there would be no mercy” (Golding 29).

    Read More

  • Piggy Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis Essay

    1946 Words  | 4 Pages

    THe first thing that Golding says is “He looked in astonishment” this helps the reader understand that Jack was also surprised at the new person that he saw in front of him. This shows that Jack was not aware that he was becoming someone that not even he could recognize. The word “astonishment” represents the curiosity and excitement that Jack experienced during that moment. The next phrase “no longer at himself” shows that Jack has lost who he was and does not believe that the person who he was before has completely disappeared. Lastly, Golding includes the phase “at an awesome stranger” to provide an inside look at what Jack could have been feeling. At this point Jack realizes that he has lost himself. This should be depressing but when Golding includes the word “awesome” it helps to understand that Jack believes that this new “stranger” will be the thing that he needed to be considered a proper “chief”. This proves Goldings ideology by showing that Jacks ambitions are so strong that he has the need to change who he was. Towards the end of the novel, Golding portrays Jack as a completely different persona, demonstrating that when the evil inside a person takes over they become powerless. “See? See? That’s what you’ll get! I meant that. There isn’t a tribe for you anymore! The conch is gone” (pg.181). The phrases used in this quote portray Jack as a power hungry psycho based on the way that he reacts when Piggy is killed. The phrase “that's what you’ll get! I meant that” shows that Jack has lost all hope of civilization. He is forced to threaten those around him in order to gain complete power, and since Piggy was Ralph’s main idea supplier Jack knew that he was getting in his way. It is also seen that Jack feels no remorse about what happened since he states that he meant for Piggy to die, and based on the amount of times that he disrespected Piggy this was no surprise. Jack is referring to Ralph

    Read More

  • Lord Of The Flies Jack Bully

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    The portrayal of the pig demonstrates his rationality of being a chaotic savage. He tends to cover up his actions with reasoning that only deems to be true through the eyes of insanity. “He rubbed the charcoal stick between the patches of red and white on his face [...] A rounded patch of sunlight fell on his face and a brightness appeared in the depths of the water. He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. He split the water and leapt to his feet, laughing excitedly.”(Golding 63). There is no room for civilization on the island, and Jack takes advantage of this opportunity. Jack, compels himself to distance himself from social normalities through the exterior of the world. The paint on Jack’s face represents his cover up to society and to make himself believe that he is doing the right thing. Consequently speaking, Jack desperately desires confirmation of his actions from one of his peers. However, none of his peers condone of these certain actions, so, he relies on the tangible aspects of life to give him a sense of comfortability. “All that makes sense to him is his own need to control others and impose himself, and hunting, because it is a kind of power assertion” (Lord of the Flies, Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations). On the island, Jack’s role is the leader of the hunting party. Although, this seems

    Read More

  • Lord Of The Flies Allegory Analysis

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    This is evident when Jack wants to put people in punishment if somebody breaks the rules (32). His desire to punish people shows his love of power and dominance. It also reveals that Jack could have been like one of the ambitious leaders in the past history. Another sign of becoming a savage in the society is showing an act of disrespectful to another neighbour, including Piggy. This reveals when Jack mocks Piggy by telling him, “Shut up, Fatty” (17). It also happens when Piggy condemns Jack for “[letting] the fire out”, although Jack makes a promise to “keep the smoke going” (75). However, he became so violent, so angry that he “smacked Piggy’s head” (75). Some of the uncivilized members of the society use their selfish desires, which is not aiming for the common good. For instance, Jack tells Ralph that he successfully “cut the pig’s throat” (73). He said, “There was lashing of blood…you should have seen it!” (73). This suggests that Jack is more concern about hunting rather than getting rescued. Jack, as a savage, uses his ambitious power to put people in punishment, his rude attitude to hurt people, and his way to care more about himself than others. This character greatly exemplifies a savage in the society, but another important symbol that makes a novel an allegory is the

    Read More

  • Jack's Loss Of Humanity In Lord Of The Flies

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    While his situation allowed his personality to blossom into something horrible, the desire for blood and power already flowed through his veins. An example from the beginning, before the corruption of the boys, was when Jack first arrived at the meeting with his choir following behind. They were wearing their cloaks in the heat and Jack only let them rest after Simon had fainted. Jack’s controlling nature can be observed from the very beginning of the book. At this time, decorum still covered his bloodlust, but it was quickly triggered after he hadn’t been able to kill a pig. The text reads that “Next time there would be no mercy”(p.31) He was not only embarrassed of his weakness and wanted to uphold his status, but he was also losing the civility that an organized society ensured. The island was the key that unlocked Jack’s hidden, savage

    Read More

  • Is Jack A Good Leader In Lord Of The Flies

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    This shows how he is a good person and an excellent leader because, everybody on the island knows, that Jack is the only person who has the confidence and ability to kill animals. ” ‘Listen all of you. Me and my hunters, we’re living along the beach by a flat rock. We hunt and feast and have fun. If you want to join my tribe come and see us. Perhaps I’ll let you join. Perhaps not.’ “. (140) Without Jack, they will not have food and the children know they need that, but Piggy and Ralph could not provide that for them. Therefore, they had to leave them.

    Read More

  • The Lord Of The Flies: The Hunts

    500 Words  | 1 Pages

    Jack has always been an ill-natued boy even from the start of the book when he told Piggy to "Shut up, Fatty." (p.23). Dispite Jack’s unpleasent personality, his lack of courage and his conscience preventing him from killing the first pig they encountered. "They knew very well why he hadn’t; because of the enormity of the knife decending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood." (p.34)

    Read More

  • Jack Bully In Lord Of The Flies

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    The whole entire story could've had an entire different outcome if Jack didn’t have so many personality blemishes. Jack seems like he has something wrong with him as far as handling his emotions go. He is always very mean to Piggy and was the first to thirst for blood.

    Read More

  • Power Hungry Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jack ruled with, what we call today, an “Iron Fist”. Golding shows this by telling how Jack ruled, how he’d beat those who didn’t obey him and how he was violent, greedy, and self-absorbed. He rolled a boulder down the mountain the killed Piggy and organized a party to mutilate Ralph. By this point in the story, he was so infatuated with power that he didn’t care about being rescued and that he was willing to spend the rest of his life on that island just to be the leader and ruler of all everyone. This is Golding’s way of showing how Jack had become so obsessed with power that he would kill anyone who said he was unfit for it and have a public “example” to show what would happen to those who opposed and threatened his

    Read More

  • Guns n' Roses' Song "Welcome to the Jungle" is Reflective of the Character Jack in "The Lord of the Flies"

    510 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Ralph blows the conch, Jack is introduced to the reader for the first time. He is represented as an audacious and selfish boy who likes to order others around when he says "I ought to be chief, because I'm chapter chorister and head boy"(Goldberg p.22). It also confirms his hunger for power and wanting control over everything. His choleric and petulant personality can be seen when he says "Shut up, Fatty."(p.23), also revealing that he is rude and inconsiderate of others. Despite his obnoxious personality, his conscious of civilization keeps him from killing the first pig they see. He even recommends that the boys should have rules to keep things in order.

    Read More

  • Dictatorship Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

    771 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Chapter 8 Jack says “He’s like Piggy. He says things like Piggy. He isn’t a proper chief.” He says this because Jack thinks his point of view is the right one, and it can only be the right one. This is similar to dictatorships in the past when people believe their right and anyone who doesn’t agree is the enemy. Later in the book Jack tries to get more followers by promising them psychological needs. Jack states “We’ve killed a pig and we’ve got meat. You can come and eat with us if you like.” Jack is trying to take away any of Ralph’s remaining supporters, so that Ralph is forced to follow him when all he has left is Piggy, Samneric, and a few clueless littluns. Later in this book Ralph is on his own a few hours after Piggy dies, he is considering joining Jack’s tribe because he will have food and protection. In the forest he thinks about the thought of eating fruit, and then remembering the feast and that maybe they would let him back. After that he realizes that the hunters killed Piggy and Simon, so they would kill him

    Read More

  • Lord Of The Flies Quotes

    737 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the things that changes Jack was his hatred and drives him to the point where he was willing to kill. In the beginning he was a choir boy who knew nothing much, but his hatred grew when he was not elected leader. In the book it quote “And you shut up! Who are you anyway? Sitting here telling people what to do. You can’t hunt, you can’t sing-” (91). This quote shows that Jack had

    Read More

  • guilty as charged

    597 Words  | 2 Pages

    In addition, Jack treated Piggy with extreme cruelty. Jack's brutal behavior toward Piggy exposed his evil side. This could be why he wanted to kill him, as they began arguing since they had first met. Jack also felt a desire for power; Piggy would never grant him this supremacy, which led to violence either physically or verbally. After Jack let the fire go out, Piggy reprimanded him leading to frustration in Jack; “This from Piggy, and the wails of agreement from some of the hunters, drove Jack to violence. The bolting look came into his blue eyes. He took a step, and able at last to hit someone, stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach ” Jack could have hit anyone else but struck Piggy, showing his deep hatred for him. All Jack needed was the opportunity to kill Piggy, and he would have taken it just like when he punched him in the stomach.

    Read More

  • Lord of the Flies essay

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jack, on the other hand, is doing nothing but causing chaos. Jack fails to realize that the boys need security, stability, and order on the island. Jack was a leader of the choir before the boys landed on the island. These boys, who were in the choir, still want to follow Jack; however, they have no discipline at all. The only thing that is on Jack’s mind is hunting.

    Read More

  • Jack Merridew Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    For the majority of the book, Jack is envious that the boys voted Ralph as leader; he wants to be the hero and lead the boys on the island. He does not act spitefully toward Ralph because he respects Ralph in the beginning of the book. However, he is resents the close friendship that Piggy and Ralph have and alienates Piggy. “We don’t want you,” said Jack, flatly. “Three’s enough.” (Golding 24) When Piggy wants to join the exploration of the island Jack rejects him out of spite. Another example is in Chapter 5, Jack says “That’s right—favor Piggy as you always do—” (Golding 91) during an argument with Ralph over the island’s rules. Jack is primarily angry at Ralph for taking Piggy’s side and coming to his defense. One of Jack’s biggest driving forces is his envy for what other people have, whether it’s a position as leader or as someone’s best

    Read More

More about I Ought To Be Chief Analysis

Open Document