Lord Of The Flies Quotes

“The Beast” Inside Us
Do you believe when people are born, they are born with a blank slate? An English philosopher named John Locke believed that people are born with a blank slate and we acquire ideas from our environment and the people that influence us. In the book “Lord of The Flies” by William Golding it shows us that everyone has evil inside of us and even children can do things that we will not expect they would do. Jack Merridew was a good example because he represented evil in the novel he turned savaged and let the evil inside of him take over his actions and these actions impacted other characters. Jack Merridew let his anger toward Ralph change him and also him wanting power and being the leader of them.

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

enough of Ralph and he does not want to be bossed around by him. This leads to the hatred he has for Ralph and him being not chief changes jack and turns him into more savage. Another quote is “Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong-we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down!we’ll close in and beat and beat and beat-!”(91). This shows Jack isn’t obeying the rules they have made and him turning into a savage.

The children believe there is a “beast” that lives on the island with them, but others did not believe, but Jack was the one that was affected by it the most. All he wanted to do is hunt the beast and get meat for the children to prove that he could be a better leader that Ralph. One part of the book Jack had to remember what rescue was and this quote “Rescue? Yes, of course!All the same, I’d like to catch a pig first-”(53). This shows Jack being to focus on hunting instead of being rescued and this leads them missing the opportunity of being rescued. In this quote “There was a ship. Out there. You said you’d keep the fire going and you let it out!”(70). Jack was too busy hunting that he let the fire out and a ship happens to pass by and didn’t see their signal fire. Ralph was furious, but all Jack had to offer was the meat they caught with his hunters. This shows that Jack's main priority was not being rescued, but hunting and getting the meat and proving to be a better leader.

While Ralph was in charge Jack was trying to gain power of his own and he uses the beast and play with their fear to show that Ralph is a coward.

Jack did this so he can gain power and this changes him throughout the novel. In this quote “Quiet! You, listen. The beast is sitting up there, Whatever it is-” “Perhaps it’s waiting-””Hunting-” “Yes, Hunting”(126). Jack is decided to play with their fear, so they will go to him instead of Ralph since jack has the hunter by his side. Jack also tells them he will give them protection because he has his hunters with him compared to Ralph he doesn’t. In this quote “I gave you food” “ and my hunters will protect you from the beast”(150). He says this to win them over Ralph and with protection from the beast the children would pick him over Ralph and also he wants them to know him and his hunters will provide them

food.

Jack changes throughout the novel by his anger towards Ralph and his desire to wanting power and being the leader and also with hunting and hunting the beast. William Golding show that without civilization people can turn savage and can lead to bad decision and affect other people. Jack wanted to be leader and be better than Ralph, so he does these things to be on top which changes him throughout the book. Over William Golding used children to portrait good and evil because children are innocent and don't know much yet.