lord of the flies jack character development essay

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Lord of the Flies

William golding.

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Analysis of the Jack Character from Lord of the Flies

  Lord of the Flies by the British author, William Golding, is a compelling dystopian novel that explores the inherently evil nature of human beings and their fascination with power. The novel was published in 1954, reflecting the impacts of the Second World War on humanity. The author’s perspective on life and worldview significantly changed after World War II. The lasting impacts of the war on the political and social orders of the world influenced the setting and the primary message of Lord of the Flies . The war exposed the sense that humans are savage and power-hungry, explaining why they are mostly drawn to wars. Golding utilizes a group of young boys of varied ages stranded in a jungle to explain the troubles that arise when everyone wants to govern themselves. The main conflict is between the self-proclaimed leader, Jack, who is determined to control the group, and Ralph, whose main concern is the group’s safety. Through Jack’s character, the author efficiently illustrates what happens when limitations of civilization are unavailable, and human nature takes control. Jack evolves from a civilized schoolboy to a power-hungry savage that cares less about his actions and other people’s welfare. Through Jack’s character transformation, Golding effectively explores the nature of human beings, savagery, and civilization.

Human Nature

Jack’s viciousness and desire for control efficiently explore the inherently evil nature of human beings. The story creates and explores a community that tests human nature in the absence of the constraints of the rules that normally govern society. Golding shows a transformation from civilization to complete chaos when human nature takes over reason. The boys are left in an uninhabited jungle to fend for themselves and, most importantly, create a rule of law to govern themselves. This vacuum of governorship creates the opportunity for Jack to illustrate the flaws of human nature when given power (Spitz, 1970). Piggy informs the group leader, Ralph, that Simon claims to have seen a beast in the jungle. Ralph asks, “He says he saw the beastie, the snake-thing, and it will come back tonight?” Piggy replies, “But there isn’t a beastie!” (Golding, 1954). Jack’s group believes there is a beast that inhabits the pig head that they stake into the ground as an offering. The beast is a supernatural figure that symbolizes the inherently evil nature of humans because it represents a savage monster present in everyone (Jurošević-Kozomara, 2018). The potential for evil and violence exists in the heart of humans, and that is why Jack seizes the opportunity to disrupt Ralph’s leadership for his selfish gains.

Savagery and Civilization

Civilization is the crucial aspect of humanity that keeps in check the potential of evil. Jack does not recognize that he is blinded by his obsession with power and control over others. Prior to their unexpected landing in the uninhabited jungle, Jack was a leader of the chorus group. However, in this new environment with no civilization, Jack enjoys the control and influence he has gained (Chavan, 2013). He only enjoys the rules and laws because he can issue orders and punish those who disobey him. When his group goes out to hunt, Jack commands, “Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill her blood!” to exert his dominance and control. (Golding, 1954). Golding reiterates the feeling of domination that Jack’s group felt after killing the pig. He states, “His (Jack) mind was crowded with memories; knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it.” (Golding, 1954). Chavan (2013) points out that this ascendancy demonstrates the nature of human beings when given the opportunity in the absence of civilization. Jack mirrors the human inclination toward power and dominance and the result of wielding power for one’s own fancy and benefit (Jurošević-Kozomara, 2018). Jack’s outlook and perception of leadership change from a dutiful follower to a leader who believes in dominance. His love for hunting and killing animals in the wild can be attributed to his desire to dominate nature and other people.

Jack’s character is a reflection of humanity’s pursuit of imposing their view, perception, and rule onto others. Jack easily gets frustrated when he does not get things going his way. His defiance of Ralph’s orders results from his anger and frustration of not imposing his view on the group. Simon recognizes that the beast lives within everyone’s heart and tries to tell jack’s tribe. He states, “What I mean is…Maybe it’s only us..,” implying that the potential of violence lies within all human hearts (Golding, 1954). Jack’s group views Simon as the beast as he challenges their viewpoint, getting him killed. According to Jurošević-Kozomara (2018), this savagery portrayed by Jack illustrates the vicious impulses lying deep within every individual, suppressed by civilization. Ralph’s leadership is cultured conversely to Jack’s authority and demand for submission. The lack of civilization forces Jack’s darkest impulses as a savage to sprout in the disguise of demanding obedience.

Evidently, Jack’s character in Lord of the Flies efficiently explores the innate evil nature of humanity and the impacts of a lack of civilization in society. Jack’s desire for commanding and oppressive power illustrates how humans surrender to their darkest impulses when given the opportunity to impose their rule on other people. Civilization clearly forces humans to suppress the savagery and the potential for violence that lies deep in the heart of every human being.

• Chavan, P. (2013). Subversion of Civilization in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.  European Academic Research ,  1 (7), 1516-1526.
• Golding, W. (1954).  Lord of the Flies: Casebook Edition . Penguin.
• Jurošević-Kozomara, M. S. (2018). Civilization and savagery in William Golding’s Lord of the flies. Reči (Beograd) ,  10 (1), 156-167.
• Spitz, D. (1970). Power and Authority: An Interpretation of Golding’s” Lord of the Flies.” The Antioch Review ,  30 (1), 21-33.
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Jack of Lord of the Flies: His Character Development

follow the guidelines Sample Literary Essay Outline Template Introduction- “Hook” – Thesis - Body 1- Topic sentence- Text Evidence from novel- Text Evidence from novel- Transition Sentence- Body 2- Topic sentence- Text Evidence from novel- Text Evidence from novel- Transition Sentence- Body 3- Topic sentence- Text Evidence from novel- Text Evidence from novel- Transition Sentence- Conclusion- Restate Thesis- So What?- look for thesis Write in the present tense throughout when describing the plot! Look for this throughout your paper. Body 3: Text evidence 1: I need more context here about why they kill Simon. They think that he is the beast and they are riled up from dancing and chanting and reenacting the hunt. Rewrite the second text evidence from the novel, rechoose text evidence discuss Piggy's death in this body paragraph, which mentions him in your transitional sentence from body 2. Add so what in the conclusion.

Jack’s Personality in Lord of the Flies

This essay will provide a character analysis of Jack in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies.” It will explore Jack’s transformation from a civilized schoolboy to a savage leader, examining his personality traits, leadership style, and the influence he exerts over the other boys. The piece will discuss how Jack’s character embodies the themes of savagery, power, and the loss of innocence. On PapersOwl, there’s also a selection of free essay templates associated with Lord Of The Flies.

How it works

In the story Lord Of The Flies by William Golding, published in 1954, there is a young man, named Jack. Jack is a that has crashed landed on a deserted island with other younger boys. Lord of the Flies takes place on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. There are no older adults on the island to boss the kids around. there are much different symbolism the boy’s encounter while on there stay. for instance, Piggy’s glasses to create fire, pigs head (Lord of the flies), and the conch.

While these are big factors of the novel, Jack is also a major one.

At the start of the book, Jack is still trying to be civilized and wants to create rules. “We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything.” Jake states in chapter 2.Then Jack begins to change slowly and develops a crazy and violent side. We see this when his hunting job starts to take over his mind and we are told Jack had a “compulsion to track down and kill things that were swallowing him up”. The word ‘compulsion’ suggests that this feeling is not something Jack has any control over. Throughout the novel, Jake kept getting more violent and his innocence was lost.

When Jack decided not to kill the pig in chapter 1 page 15 it made him more spontaneous for him or a crazy addiction to killing it next time he sees it. This is backed up by the idea that this feeling/action was ‘swallowing’ him up, it was a feeling or thought that was taking over his life. There’s a possibility that Jack became so obsessed as he felt like a failure and less masculine for failing to kill the pig in the first place and now wants to kill one to prove he is a man and he is the right person to become chief. In chapter 1 and going to chapter 2 pages 15 and 16, jack keeps saying that next time he is going to see the pig he is going to spill his blood and eat its meat. This makes Jack fascinating as it is difficult to understand how someone would want to kill something or be so infatuate on that unless he was going crazy in some type of way.

Jack’s first interaction with the other boys on the island is as leader of the choir and a boy that wants to be the leader of the boys. He maintains control of that same group of boys for most of the book, transforming them into hunters and killers. Jack mocks the use of first names, insisting he is called “Merridew” in chapter 1 on page 9, but it does not stick. Also In chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, Jack’s true domineering nature starts to emerge, along with all his arrogance and desire for control. Piggy and Ralph are making strong efforts to establish a rules-based system of order, but Jack is not remotely interested. It’s obvious from the actions that he wants to be in sole charge of the other boys. From the start, he actively tries to undermine Ralph’s authority by interrupting his speeches in front of the other boys even tho he has the conch.

One of Jack’s most significant actions toward the beginning of the novel is his insistence on being in charge of the hunters. He decides to volunteer to maintain the signal fire on the top of the mountain. Jack does finally manage to kill a pig but all this seems to do is make him madder and dreadful. He leads a group of boys after they kill the pig and starts a war dance around the carcass chanting “Kill the pig, cut her throat, spill the blood” in chapter 9 page 84 and 84. This is quite a disturbing scene, the boys appear far too young for such crazy actions, they look like barbarians. The chant shows how savage they have become under Jack’s instructions. The words ‘cut’ and ‘spill’ are quite visceral and forceful and the boys are acting far more maturely and savagely than we’d expect them to. Then right after Jack takes is painting his face. The act of face painting is symbolic for the hunters, as it allows them to liberate themselves and rapidly descend into savagery. Also, a major point was when Ralph and Jack engage in a fight which neither wins before Piggy tries once more to address the tribe. Any sense of order or safety is permanently eroded when Roger, now sadistic, deliberately drops a boulder from his vantage point above, killing Piggy.

Jack is described by Golding as “tall, thin, and bony; and his hair was red beneath the black cap. His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without silliness. Out of this face stared two light blue eyes, frustrated now, and turning, or ready to turn, to anger.”Jack is the leading advocate of anarchy on the island. Jack is the leader of the savage tribe which hunts the pigs. Opposed to Ralph and Piggy on almost all matters, Jack represents the id of one’s personality— he supports the notion that one’s desires are most important and should be followed, regardless of reason or morals..Jack is charismatic and inclined to leadership. Unlike Ralph, he gets off on power and abuses his position above others—so, he’s basically an ’80s teen villain.

In a nutshell, Golding creates a fascinating character in Jack by making his personality develop from a reasonably pleasant boy to one who begins to challenge authority and eventually become the authority on the island. Jake has been a whole charter through the novel.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Lord of The Flies — Lord of the Flies: Ralph vs. Jack

Lord of The Flies: Ralph Vs. Jack

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Published: Jun 6, 2024

Words: 686 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, ralph: the embodiment of order and civilization, jack: the descent into savagery and power, conflict and consequences.

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Defining Moments: Charting Character Evolution in Lord of the Flies

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Help students analyze characters by noting the ways in which defining moments shape personalities. In this lesson, students chart the evolution of Lord of the Flies' Jack and Ralph in order to gain perspective on how life on the island affects them. Students will chart changes, note the “direction” of their characters, support their conclusions with textual evidence, and present their findings. The strategies that students learn in this lesson will be applicable to future novels, making it a great one for improving overall critical reading. As a post-lesson assessment, teachers can also use the essay reflection directions and rubric.

Featured Resources

• Character Evolution Organizer : Students use this organizer to find and support defining moments from the novel.
• Character Evolution Chart Grading Rubric : This rubric is used to guide and assess students' charts created defining importatnt moments from the novel.

From Theory to Practice

Before students graph their characters’ defining moments, they must find appropriate quotes in the book that demonstrate these moments. Morache (1987) explains, “Junior high students can be introduced to the idea of backing one's statements with evidence through a character analysis activity” (p. 61). While Lord of the Flies is often a novel read in high school, high school students can also benefit from practicing this important analysis skill. Like Morache’s activity, this character evolution lesson similarly “… encourages subjective response to literature yet requires that opinions be validated” (p. 63).

By charting moments that are supported with quotes and written explanation, students are free to draw their own conclusions but must ground their thinking in evidence. This type of analysis is crucial in sound critical reading/thinking, and practicing it in this lesson will help students interpret future novels, as well.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Class set of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies
• One computer for every four students
• Dynamic vs. Static Characters
• Character Evolution Project Directions
• Character Evolution Organizer
• Character Evolution Chart Grading Rubric
• Character Evolution Reflection Directions
• Character Evolution Reflection Grading Rubric

Preparation

• Before this lesson, students should have finished reading William Golding’s Lord of the Flies .
• Reserve the computer lab or library computers for one class session (students will need these computers for session three of the five sessions in this lesson)
• Create a list of student groups (four students in a group). Heterogeneous grouping is recommended.
• Divide list in half: one set of groups will investigate Ralph, while the other half will investigate Jack.
• Make class copies of  Dynamic vs. Static Characters printout, or have the handout ready to project onto screen for students to take notes.
• Make class copies of Character Evolution Project Directions , Character Evolution Organizer , Character Evolution Chart Grading Rubric , Character Evolution Reflection Directions , and the Character Evolution Reflection Grading Rubric .

Student Objectives

Students will:

• apply literacy knowledge to identify defining moments for Jack or Ralph in Lord of the Flies and support their choices of defining moments with quotes from text.
• create a Graphic Map of defining moments and write individual reflections supporting choices.
• present findings and interpretations to the class.

Session One

• Begin the session with a short review of the main points and characters of Lord of the Flies , which students should have just completed reading.  Ask students if anyone knows the difference between “static” characters and “dynamic” characters. Come up with a class definition and write it on the board/chart paper.
• Static characters : do not experience basic character changes during the course of the story.
• Dynamic characters : experience changes throughout the plot of a story.
• As a class, list the static and dynamic characters of Lord of the Flies on the board. (Example: the “littluns” are generally static, while Jack becomes significantly more aggressive.)
• Talk about the reasons that dynamic characters change. Explain that moments that change us significantly are “defining moments.” The moments themselves may be big or small.
• To check understanding, ask students to individually think of a single defining moment for Ralph or Jack and choose a few students to share these moments with the class. If time remains, challenge students to think of defining moments in short stories or novels they have read earlier in the school year.

Session Two

• Hand out the Character Evolution Project Directions and the Character Evolution Organizer . Explain to students that this week they will chart the changes of either Ralph or Jack, first on paper and then on a computer. They will find five defining moments for a character, support it with a quote, and note if the defining moment was low, medium or high in the character’s evolution.  ( NOTE : Teachers may choose to give students this printout while they are reading the book--before the lesson is taught--to avoid having to go back to the book to find defining moments.)
• Explain how to fill out the organizers and remind students that all group members must participate.
• Model the organizer by using an overhead or projected computer screen to partially fill out an organizer.  Allow time for students to ask any clarifying questions.
• Split students into their groups and allow them to begin working on their organizers.
• Circulate among the groups, guiding students and answering questions.
• Wrap up the session by asking each group to share one defining moment with the class.

Session Three

• Ask students if they have any questions about yesterday’s activity. Allow time for students to finsh their Character Evolution Organizers .
• Return to the Character Evolution Project Directions and explain Part Two: Creating Your Chart to students so that they have a full understanding of the next step of their projects. Hand out the Character Evolution Chart Grading Rubric , explain, and allow time for students to ask questions.
• Explain to students that they will be using the Graphic Map interactive in the next session to create a chart based on their findings.  Demonstrate the Graphic Map by projecting your computer’s screen onto the board. Show students how to find the Graphic Map , and explain how to fill out the appropriate sections. (Using pictures on the map is optional.)
• Tell students that they will get started on their personal Graphic Maps at the beginning of the next session.

Session Four

• Remind students that they have only today to use the Graphic Map interactive. Ensure that students have their Character Evolution Project Directions and Character Evolution Organizers .
• Take students to the library or computer lab and allow them to begin their charts, refering to the Character Evolution Chart Grading Rubric as they work.
• Circulate among the students, guiding them and answering questions.
• At the end of the session, ask students to print their work (one copy for each student, and one for you). Students will bring these printouts to the next class to be presented to their peers.

Session Five

• Explain to students that today they will present their findings to the class.
• Give students five to ten minutes to discuss their presentations with group members.
• Call up groups to share their moments with the class. Each group should give their quotes and explain the items on their charts. They should end their presentations by explaining whether their character moved in a positive, neutral or negative direction.
• If student presentations are not finished by the end of class, finish them in the next session.

Session Six (Optional)

• Explain to students that today they will begin to reflect on their findings.
• Hand out the Character Evolution Reflection Directions . Read the directions aloud and answer student questions.
• Hand out the Character Evolution Reflection Grading Rubric . Discuss the requirements of “excellent” papers. Take questions.
• Give students the rest of the session to brainstorm/outline their reflections. Circulate among students, helping as needed. ( NOTE : Teachers may choose to build in more in-class writing days or direct students to finish reflections at home.)
• Reinforce students’ understanding of defining moments by using this same lesson with your next class novel.
• Aid students in brainstorming the defining moments of their own lives, and follow up with a unit on personal narratives, based on students’ defining moments.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Students present their findings in groups in order to demonstrate their understanding of defining moment and textual support.
• Use the Character Evolution Chart Grading Rubric to further assess students’ understanding of defining moment and textual support.
• Students write an essay to demonstrate understanding of character and defining moment.  Use the Character Evolution Reflection Grading Rubric to assess students' understanding.
• Student Interactives
• Lesson Plans

The Essay Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to organize and outline their ideas for an informational, definitional, or descriptive essay.

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