Relationship Between Piggy and Jack in Lord Of The Flies

Isolation from the outside world can drive people to do bad things. William Golding's book “Lord of the Flies” is a story about a group of young boys who are stranded on an island by themselves. Causing them to adapt to their new environment while developing an organized society to live in with civilization without adults. While on the island some of the boys begin to behave irrationally, causing violence and suffering  which starts to divide them. Essentially, through the book Golding takes in the symbol of how piggy's intelligence is taken advantage of  and also symbolizes Jack's desire for power.

Throughout the story, Jack displays his desire for power by threatening, bullying, and gaslighting the other boys to get his message across to them. He feels as though the rules don't apply to him and strives to create his own. To begin with, He uses the boy's fear of the beast to manipulate and control them. Jack says to the boys “Quiet! Shouted Jack. you listen, the beast is sitting up there”(Golding 126). He says this in hopes to project fear onto them making them easier to control. With the boys now more terrified of the beast, Jack proceeds to offer his protection to them showing that he is not afraid. He also uses this as an advantage as he is now able to control where the boys go and what they do for him. In addition,  Jack tries to make it seem as though Ralph is a bad chief and he would be a better option. He does this because he feels his ideologies are far better than Ralph’s. He then  proceeds to call a meeting with the other boys requesting a vote for a new chief. He says “He isn't a proper chief.'"(115) Jack says this in an attempt to help himself win the vote by shaming Ralph's ability to lead as chief.  Furthermore, This goes to show how Jack is often extremely controlling toward the other boys, using dictatorship as a way to lead. Overall, Jack is a prime example of what isolation can do to a person. Causing them to become very power-driven.

The symbol of Piggy being taken advantage of is shown when he is constantly targeted by the other boys as they make fun of his asthma , weight and ability to not see correctly. Although Piggy is scared when he enters the island , he hopes that he isn't bullied again like he was back at his old school. While Piggy is introducing himself as what he will be called on the island he says “I don't care what they call me as long as they don't call me what they used to call me at my old school.” (Golding 9) He tells them what his tourmenters used to call him and to which the other boys on the island begin to  use against him. Piggy had hoped that on the island he would no longer be tormented like he was at his old school, but when he told the other boys what his bullies used to call him, and he ended up falling down the same rabbit hole he hoped he came out of.  He now becomes known  as the weak one amongst them due to him having asthma, being built bigger than the others ,and having to use glasses to see. Further on ,Piggy is fat-shamed by Jack. Jack is upset from the fight he had with Ralph when Piggy attempts to intervene. Jack then takes out his anger onto Piggy, the anger he had after his fight with Ralph onto Piggy.  He tells him “You shut up, you fat slug.” (91) Jack is clearly no longer hiding or holding back his harsh words towards piggy. As he begins to take more personal jabs at piggy, making fun of his appearance. Overall, it seems nobody takes Piggy and his intelligence seriously and are constantly bullying him for his appearance.

In conclusion, the story “Lord of The Flies” by William Golding shows throughout the story that isolation from the outside world can drive people to do bad things and crave power they never had before. More specifically, throughout the story Jack is shown to be very power driven often being extremely controlling over the other boys and taking his anger out on them. It seems Jack has developed a lot of insecurities while on the island which he tends to project onto others. Piggy happens to be the perfect target because he is easily manipulated which Jack uses to his advantage. Overall the story goes to show that isolation from the outside world can lead to damaging changes to a person's personality.