Essay Sample on Jack Merridew in Lord of the Flies

Every man has a wild beast within him. What unleashes each individual's inner beast is  unique, and can be altered based on the gravity of their circumstances. William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, begins when a group of boys crash land on an uninhabited tropical island. To intensify their situation, this all takes place in the midst of a world wide war. Without adult supervision to help guide them, the boys attempt to create a society with rules and organization, and eventually turn to savagery and violence. In this novel, a pivotal character, Jack Merridew, transforms from an everyday boy into a cruel devil-like enemy. A plane crash, and no adult supervision, lead to a complicated power struggle leaving Jack feeling afraid about his and his peers' frightening situation. Because he's haunted by insecurity and failure, Jack becomes obsessed with power and unleashes his inner beast. 

The first glimpse is of Jack as a choir boy dressed in a black robe who is used to having authority and leadership over the other choir members. The oldest among the choir boys, Jack immediately attempts to take on an authoritarian role as he snaps at the other boys to stand at attention when marching on the beach. After learning there are no grown-ups on the island, Jack declares, ¨´Then we´ll have to look after ourselves´¨(Golding 21). Jack vies to be leader of the stranded group of boys, but is out-voted and takes on a secondary role as leader of the hunters. He is first tasked with killing a wild pig for food. When Jack is face to face with a pig ready for slaughter, he just can't bring himself to it.¨The pause was only long enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stroke would be.¨´I was just waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him´¨ (Golding 31). Afraid to kill the pig, Jack comes up with an excuse that he was indecisive about where to stab the animal.  Jack starts out as a typical choir boy who is willing to take a leadership role being one of the oldest boys on the island. He shows his cowardly side when he is unable to end the life of a wild pig. Out of insecurity and fear of failure, Jack lies to Ralph and the other boys about why he could not carry out the act of killing. The stranded boys relyon Jack to kill the pig for food, and he knows he has sorely let them down. This failure begins the unraveling of Jack's inner beast.

The power struggle between Ralph and Jack escalates, contributing to Jack's insecurities yet once again.  From here, the evolution from choir boy to beast perpetuates. Jack´s numerous unsuccessful hunts trigger Ralph into becoming aggravated with the hunting group. Ralph says, ¨´You wouldn't care to help with the shelters, I suppose?´ Jack replies,´We want meat-´ Ralph retorts, ´And we don't get it´¨ (Golding 51). Jack is peeved that Ralph beat him out for leader of the castaways.This is just the beginning of the rivalry between Jack and Ralph. Jack becomes obsessed with proving to Ralph that the value and importance of the hunters are equal to that of those building huts.  While faces are painted with charcoal,  the hunters chant, ¨´Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood´" (Golding 69). The hunters finally get their kill! In fact, Jack's obsession with proving to Ralph they could kill a pig causes havoc within the camp.  The fire that was meant to signal for help was accidentally extinguished due to the hunters' negligence. The hunters carelessly let the fire go out while they killed the pig. This is where  Jack's transformation from  the choir boy turning into a bloodthirsty, power hungry obsessed savage becomes recognizable by the other boys. 

Throughout the novel, there are many instances in which Jack's transformation from choir boy to beast unfolds. But, in chapter 11 of the novel, Jack desperately resorts to tormenting the other boys to get his way.¨´What you'd mean by not joining my tribe´¨ said Jack, as he repeatedly jabbed at Sam's ribs with a spear (Golding 182). Sam and Eric are coerced into joining the savages because they feel terrorized by Jack. In the final chapter, Jack's devil-like traits lead him and his hunter group into full-on savagery mode. In an attempt to kill Ralph, the group uses a boulder that inadvertently kills Piggy. Afraid for his life, Ralph hides deep in the forest. ¨They had smoked him out and set the island on fire¨ (Golding 197). The other boys' fear of Jack and his savages is warranted.  Jack would stop at nothing due to his fear of not succeeding and his nagging insecurity of being a failure. He has completely transformed into an unhinged beast

Over time Jack's evil antics intensify. What began with a choir boy showing a desire to lead a group of castaways, ends in an uncivilized, barbaric conflict among a traumatized group of young boys. Jack Merridew, the main antagonist, who is one of the oldest, feels an obligation to take charge of the dire situation bestowed upon a group of boys stranded after their plane crashes onto a deserted island with no adults present. Jack's bossiness in the beginning transitions into using dangerous fear-tactics to persuade others to join his group of savages as the story progresses. By the end, Jack is willing to kill. Had Jack not been on the island, the relationships between the other boys may have been more unified, and at least two tragically lost lives may have been saved.