Character: Jack

Basic Profile

Jack Merridew is initially introduced as the leader of the choirboys, instantly establishing him as a figure of authority.
Jack’s central qualities are his desire for power, forceful nature, and his savagery, which become amplified as the story progresses.

At first, Jack struggles to kill a pig, showing remnants of his past as a civilised boy. As the story continues, he becomes increasingly savage, shedding his reservations about killing.
Eventually, Jack splashes his face with war paint made from local berries, a significant symbol of his full immersion into savagery and his departure from civilisation.
The brutal and bloodthirsty actions Jack takes become more extreme, such as boldly leading a riotous hunt, organising a tribal dance around the roaring fire, soaring high with power, and at the height of his savagery, orchestrating the murder of Simon.
Jack forms a breakaway group of ‘hunters’ or ‘savages’, rejecting Ralph’s democratic leadership, and establishing his own authority largely based on fear and supplementary food supply.

Jack represents the total abandonment of civilization for savagery and violence and appears to thrive in this state.
His association with the colour red (blood, paint, hair) symbolises his violence, danger, and hellish nature.
His application of war paint acts as a mask that allows him to abandon his past and adopt a completely ruthless persona.
The transformation of Jack could be seen to represent the base instincts lurking within everyone, the capacity for evil and savagery when removed from the structures and expectations of society.

Ralph and Jack initially try to work together, but their fundamentally different approaches to leadership and survival provoke constant conflict.
Jack often bullies Piggy, showing his lack of respect for the intelligentsia.
Jack manipulates the boys’ fear of the beast, claiming it could be killed, thereby establishing more control and influence over the other boys.
Jack’s charisma makes him a popular leader despite his savage rule, illustrating Golding’s theme that mankind instinctively follows a strong, charismatic leader, irrespective of morals and principles.

Jack is a multi-dimensional character, whose transformation from a civilised choirboy into a ruthless chief illustrates Golding’s grim view of human nature and society’s veneer. His rule represents a throwback to a might-is-right type of primitive human society.