Between the Chapters One and Four, Jack changes and developed quite extremely, and drastically. He goes from being a civilized choirboy, to a savage and bloodthirsty hunter. In this essay I will define the major points of change in Jack, and attempt to understand why this change occurred. In Chapter One, Jack is introduced as the leader of the choir, well more of a dictator than a leader, but in charge none the less The group of cloaked choirboys began to scatter from close line. The tall boy shouted at them Choir stand still! Right from the beginning, it is obvious that Jack considers himself a most important person.
He makes a dramatic entrance to impress and overwhelm the boys The boy himself came forward, vaulted onto the platform with his cloak flying. He comes across as quite heartless to people he considers beneath him. He doesnt even blink, when Simon faints Hes always throwing a faint. In Jacks opinion, he is so incredibly grown up and mature, that his first name shouldnt be used. First names are only for kids Kids names said Merridew Why should I be Jack? Im Merridew . He is also proven to be extremely superficial. He doesnt respect Piggy, because of his appearance Youre talking too much said Jack Merridew Shut up Fatty!.
Jack starts out quite organized and rescue orientated Weve got to decide about being rescued. He arrogantly decides that he should be chief I ought to be chief said Jack with simple arrogance because Im a chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp. When Ralph is voted chief, the reader feels Jacks vanity has been hit by the loss The circle of boys broke into applause. Even the choir applauded; and the freckles on Jacks face disappeared under a mortification. However, he soon recovers when Ralph offers him control of the choir, as a peace offering.
The first signs of Jack being aggressive, come through when Jack decides that out of everything the choir could do, he wants them to be hunters ” Jacks in charge of the choir. They can be what do you want them to be? Hunters . Jack appreciates Ralph acknowledging him, and giving him power, and a friendship between the two, is born Jack and Ralph smiled at each other with shy liking. There is definitely however, no friendship developing between Jack and Piggy. Jack is blunt, and really doesnt care at all about hurting Piggys feelings We dont want you said Jack flatly.
It only seams to fuel his confidence, a typical bully. Although Jack is not a particularly appealing person, at this point, he is unable to kill. There is still some humanity there The three boys rushed forward and Jack drew his knife again with a flourish. He raised his arm in the air. There came a pause, a hiatus, the pig continued to scream, the creepers to jerk, and the blade continued to flash at the end of a bony arm. The pause was only long enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stroke would be.
Then the piglet tore loose from the creepers and scurried into the undergrowth. They were left looking at each other and the place of terror. Jacks face was white under the freckles. In Chapter Two, Jack becomes slightly worried that Ralph does not appreciate the need for hunting, and might take away the hunters All the same you need an army for hunting. For hunting pigs. He is also becoming a lot more physically and verbally violent. He is always stabbing trees, and daring people to challenge him about his ideas Jack slammed his knife into a trunk and looked around challengingly.
He is also still incredibly keen on the idea of rules and discipline Well have rules he cried excitedly Lots of rules! . His friendship with Ralph is blooming. They respect each other, and look to each other for support Jack, left on his feet, looked uncertainly at Ralph who smiled and patted the log. Jack sat down. He agrees with Ralph and his ideas Ralphs right of course, and is impressed with Ralphs ability to calm the group down, and make them believe in their rescue Ralph flushed, looking sideways at Piggys open admiration, and then the other way at Jack who was smirking and showing he too knew how to clap.
As much as Jack likes Ralph, he still wants to be leader Come on! Follow me! and shows he has the ability to control the group At once the crowd swayed towards the island and were gone following Jack. However, at this point they can overcome their competitiveness and their friendship shines through At the return Ralph found himself alone on a limb with Jack and they grinned at each other, sharing this burden. Once more, amid the breeze, the shouting, the slanting sunlight on the high mountain, was shed that glamour, that strange invisible light of friendship, adventure and content.
Almost too heavy Jack grinned back. Not for the two of us. Together, joined in effort by the burden, they staggered up the last steep of the mountain. Together they chanted. One! Two! Three! And crashed the log onto the great pile. Then they stepped back, laughing with triumphant pleasure.. Jack then does something extremely clever, perhaps his only intelligent action in the book. He thinks to use Piggys glasses to light the fire, however, he doesnt care about hurting Piggy Jack snatched the glasses off his face.
He then says probably the most ironic comment in the book I agree with Ralph, Were got to have rules and obey them. After all, were not savages. He then takes on a great responsibly, to impress Ralph, the rest of the group, and to assert himself as an important person. He offers to look after the fire. The key to their rescue Ralph Ill split up the choir my hunters, that is into groups, and well be responsible for keeping the fire going. In Chapter Three, time has passed. They have been on the island for some time now. The chapter opens with Jack hunting.
He is described like an animal Then dog like, uncomfortably on all fours yet unheeding his discomfort, he stole forward five yards and stopped and almost insane He let out a breath in a long sigh and opened his eyes. They were bright blue, eyes that in this frustration seemed bolting and nearly mad. He is now desperate to kill a pig, however lacks the skill and technique to do so He rushed out of the undergrowth and snatched up his spear. The pattering of pigs trotters died away in the distance. The shelters are not going well, as people are being lazy and dont want to work.
Jack is anxious that the blame is not put on the hunters You remember the meeting? How everyone was going to work hard until the shelters were finished? Except me and my hunters Except the hunters . Jack becomes excited and overcome by his inhumane obsession with death He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill, that was swallowing him up. I went on by myself The madness came into his eyes again. I thought I might kill . Jack doesnt want to help with anything, his is just obsessed with hunting You wouldnt care to help with the shelters, I suppose? We want meat .
Jack is described in a very ugly manner He rolled over and peered into Jacks fierce, dirty face. Jack tries to explain to Ralph, about how when hes hunting, he feels like hes being hunted Theres nothing in it of course. Just a feeling. But you can feel as if youre not hunting, but – being hunted; as if some-things behind you all the time in the jungle. This is a very animal like instinct. By this time, Jack has forgotten completely about being rescued, he is completely hunting orientated Jack had to think for a moment before he could remember what rescue was. Rescue? Yes of course!
All the same, Id like to catch a pig first He snatched up his spear and dashed it into the ground. The opaque, mad look came into his eyes again. He still wants to agree with Ralph Jack nodded, as much for the sake of agreeing than anything else, however their friendship is reaching breaking point They looked at each other, baffled in love and hate. All the warm, salt water of the bathing pool and the shouting and splashing and laughing were only just sufficient to bring them together again. In Chapter Four, Jack is developing his hunting skills, so he can be more successful.
He smears charcoal over his face this is his mask. With it on, he feels like a different person He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. With this mask on he can now let go. Give in to his animal instincts. Lose his sense of reality and morals, he is now someone else He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He capered towards Bill and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self consciousness. His hunters all put on their masks, and go after a pig. This time they are successful. Jack is excited and fueled by their success.
He is ecstatic when he leads the group back to camp, unaware that the fire was abandoned, and a ship had come and gone. He once again shows his leadership Ralph picked out Jack easily, even at that distance, tall, red haired, and inevitably leading the procession. Having killed, he is now completely obsessed with blood, and cutting up the pig. He cant get enough of it I cut the pigs throat said Jack proudly, and yet twitched as he said it. Can I borrow your knife Ralph, to make a nick in the hilt? . When Jack is informed about the ship, he is embarrassed, doesnt know what to do.
So starts to stab the pig, it seems it has now become almost therapeutic for him Jack went very red as he hacked and pulled at the pig. He also absentmindedly covers himself in blood Jack transferred the knife to his left hand and smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair. Jack is in an uncomfortable situation, he doesnt know what to do or say, so he lashes out a Piggy. He builds himself up by putting Piggy down You didnt ought to have let that fire out. You said youd keep the smoke going. 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, struck his fist into Piggys stomach. Piggy sat down with a grunt. Jack stood over him. His voice vicious with humiliation. You would, would you? Fatty! . Jack knows however, how to manipulate the group into admiring and liking him again, by apologizing The buzz from the hunters was one of admiration at this handsome behavior. Clearly they were of the opinion Jack had done the right thing, hed put himself in the right by his generous apology and Ralph, obscurely in the wrong.
Ralph sums up Jacks behavior simply, and truly That was a dirty trick. Jack is still however, slightly afraid of Ralph, and his power Still Ralph was silent. No one, not even Jack, would ask him to move. Jack once again uses Piggy to assert himself Jack had meant to leave him in doubt, as an assertion of his power; but Piggy by advertising this omission made more cruelty necessary. Jack is furious when Simon, a member of his choir, undermines Jack, and gives Piggy some food Then Jack leapt to his feet, slashing off a great hunk of meat, and flung it down at Simons feet.
Eat! Damn you!. At this point, the group admires, and are afraid of Jack, but cannot relate to him, or understand where hes coming from Jack looked round for understanding but found only respect. Jack has changed greatly. At the beginning of the book, Jack was a great deal like Ralph. They shared similar opinions about their situation and its solution. They both want to be rescued and taken home. They both realise that there are lots of things they must do to survive on the island until they get rescued. And lastly, they are both dominant types.
By the end of the fourth chapter, rescue is the last thing on Jacks mind. He constantly argues with Ralph, and has turned bloodthirsty, and death obsessed. In my opinion, William Golding created the character Jack, to demonstrate that when there are no restrictions from society, our primitive desires and actions are released. We often like to forget or pretend that humans are not animals, but in reality there is no escaping that fact. Jack is not an anomaly, none of the characters are. That is why the novel is so successful in conveying its meaning and moral.