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Ramifications of fear in the lord of the flies
Lord of the Flies Critical Analysis
Lord of the flies character development analysis
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There are so many things that can make an individual powerful, money, a title but, in the William Golding novel Lord of the Flies it is so much more than that. None of the boys start off with anything that can give them an edge, except for their looks and control over others fear or lack of. While appearance can immediately give you the upper hand I am a lot more scared of those who know me best; they can easily use everything I trusted them with against me. The part that amazes me the most is that these boys didn't get the choice to trust each other, they had no choice. I think these are two of the most important things to consider when determining your thought on power and how one may get it. An individual does not become powerful just …show more content…
When you give someone control over your mind you give them power over your thoughts and actions, Jack found out what the boy’s feared: the beast, and used it to create his tribe. He used weapons to prove to the group he was masculine and very serious about killing a pig by stabbing a tree. (page 33) He needed to reassure himself that he was as ‘manly’ as he thought he was; while scaring the other boys into believing him he got to show off his brute strength and force, I think that’s Jack’s fear, he knew that he needed to squash anyones ideas because, he is scared of anyone doubting him. Another example of how Jack used fear to control a character was when he used Piggy’s fear of Jack himself to get him to stop talking and when Piggy refuses to give in, Jack takes physical action. (page 71) “‘You didn't ought to have let that fire out. You said you’d keep the fire going-’ This from Piggy, and wails of agreement from some hunters drove Jack to violence. The bolting look came into his blue eyes. He took a step and able to at last hit someone, stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach.” What really got to Jack was the fact that Piggy wasn’t scared of him in the way the others were. He could bend the other to his beck and call but, ig Piggy didn't want to do something that Jack told him, he would pathetically stand up for himself. He
The influence of power, or “power hungry”, has had a huge effect on many people who feel that they must be in charge. These people often have trouble being told no or being told that they can’t be in charge. People throughout history have done it in many ways. Our own government displays this when we elect a new president every four years. These candidates often tell the public what they want to hear and how they’ll make it a better place, when, in reality, they only mean half of it and they just want to be able to have the power of the president. In the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, the antagonist, Jack, shows throughout the book that he craves power and feels that he deserves it more than anybody else.
In Lord of the Flies the moral is teaching you that man can go mad no matter what age. The kids start trying to build a society after they crashed landed on an island. The way they choose their leader doomed them from the start, Ralph finds a shell and declares him the ruler. There’s a famous saying, “power makes man corrupt.” This holds true in this story. After arguments with other people in the tribe about his ruling situation a sort of revolution erupts. This leads to the boys going back to the savage days of survival-of-the-fittest. The ones with most power start taking in kids as slaves showing how getting the advantage of power made them enslave their own friends. The story isn’t set back in the 1800s either when slavery was tolerated,
Jack, William Golding’s antagonist in Lord of the Flies, reveals through his experience on the island that it is an individual’s assertiveness, manipulative abilities, and charisma which dictate who commandeers power and privilege over others, and that possessing these traits often negatively impacts the lives of the people leaders seek to control.
Piggy had an appetite to be needed and accepted as a person in the boys' society. Jack had to kill a pig; he saw no other way.
“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it's only us” (Golding 80). Referencing the savagery of human nature, this statement is one with great accuracy. While reading Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, many themes and problems presented themselves. The book really highlighted the use of power, and the types of people using it. People in society, whether they want power or not, can use their authority without the best intentions, corrupting themselves and others into inhumanity. For example, Jack uses his urge for authority, and eventually his control, to create an extremely savage tribe of boys, by pushing his own wants and laws onto them. This type of power can demoralize many people, including the ultimate
Piggy believed in laws and rule while Jack believed in hunting and killing. This makes Piggy more outcasted because he doesn’t agree with Jack so all the boys that do follow Jack automatically don’t like Piggy. Piggy got most of the boys to agree with him on one topic. Fire. Jack and Piggy were arguing over where the fire should go and what was best for the boys, Piggy won this battle, but only this one.
Piggy is also very intimidated by boys like Jack and Roger. For example, when Jack tells Piggy to shut up “Piggy [wilts]”and this shows that his confidence always seems to go down whenever boys like Jack are
Piggy’s leadership in the novel is portrayed as knowledgeable but lacks confidence from time to time. Piggy is shown to be a potential leader because of his wisdom. He portrays knowledge from time to time, for example, “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us-” (12). This exhibits his knowledge of the art of survival. Even though in the novel, Piggy is shown as the weak link, his wisdom out powers his flaws. Although Piggy has lots of wisdom which makes him a potential leader, he lacks confidence. “Piggy opened his mouth to speak, caught Jack’s eye and shut it again.” (42) This proves that Piggy lacks confidence because he is afraid to express his thoughts. He would rather not contribute to a conversation than be laughed at his ideas. However Piggy does see the importance of having priorities. Specifically, when he says, “How can you expect to be rescued if you don’t put first things first and act proper.” (45) The quote proves that Piggy prioritizes the needs of his pee...
From the beginning of the novel Jack intimidates the other boys with his flaming red hair, his long black cape, and the brutal way he shouts orders to his choir. Although he is not a good-looking boy, he is amazingly arrogant. He always has to look good in people's eyes. Not that he cares if people like him, but more that they respect him. The only way he knows how to gain people's admiration is by getting them to fear him. He spots Piggy as an easy target and immediately starts to humiliate him in front of the others: "You're talking too much," said Jack Merridew. "Shut up, Fatty."(21) He sizes up Piggy right from the beginning knowing that Piggy wouldn't stand up to him and by making fun of him he was letting the other boys know that he not one to be messed with. When he feels that people are about to think him to be weak or gutless, he uses his knife as if it were a symbol of his superiority: "Jack slammed his knife into a trunk and looked round challengingly"(33). His knife gives him power, a weapon that he would use against anyone who dares to mock him.
Power is very dangerous, as shown in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The novel explores the use of power in both the hands of good and evil and for success and for failure. Also, how some characters respond to having power. An examination of William Golding’s LOTF will show how fear is powerful and how the characters use that to their advantage. Also, the power shifts between the characters and the aftermath of that.
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.
...er mock Piggy, when he “made a move toward Piggy…[and] mimicked the whine and scramble by saying, ‘Jus’ you wait-yah!’” By doing this, Jack causes all of the younger hunters to laugh, giving him even more power over them all because of the new power that the mask gave him, by allowing him to be cruel and unkind.
In order for Jack to be a bully, the story has to hint at his flaws and issues at the beginning of the story. In the book Jack says stuff like,"You're always scared. Yah ---- Fatty!"(Golding 45). He also says,"A fat lot you tried......You just sat..."(Golding 42). These are an example of Jack bullying Piggy. Even though everyone takes part in
Humans are guided by those in higher power; they provide safety, leadership, and courage. But hidden underneath the glorified structure of government, lies perpetuating power struggles. William Golding illustrates the destructive power that exists in our society. Jack and Ralph, two competitive boys with two completely different ways of survival, battle to gain power throughout the book. In Lord of the Flies, Golding reveals that due to humanity’s competitiveness, need for control, and conflicting styles of government, power naturally corrupts.
Jack’s desire for power caused him to commit acts of evil. He caused fear and manipulation so he could gain control over the boys: “ I gave you food, and my hunters will protect you from the beast. Who will join my tribe?”(215). Jack wanted people to join him by saying that he will provide for them food and protection so he could have control over them. When Jack had authority over them, he used them to his advantage by giving them orders while he “sat there like an idol” (213).