Characterization Of Jack In Lord Of The Flies

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Russian novelist and historian once said,”The battle line between good and evil runs through the heart of every man.” In William Golding’s novel Lord of the flies, Jack, the supposedly good former choirmaster and student leader, is a representative of evil and violence when tempted by savagery and greed. Jack has the major authority and develops a higher status compared to other characters in the novel. He is a born leader who carries out his concerns over various problems, however the abusive use of power leads him towards the evil path. Golding has effectively used figurative devices such as a beast metaphor, colour symbolism , controlling tone, imagery of Jack’s appearance and environment to demonstrate his desire of power and devolving character.

Golding characterises Jack as the primary representation of the instinct of violence through the use of a beast metaphor. In extract one from chapter one, Jack is not given a name, instead Golding describes him as a “creature steed from mirage on to clear sand”(line3,page15,chp.1). Jack’s first appearance and impression to the readers is

Jack’s eyes is a recurring motif throughout the entire novel. In extract 1, he is described as the boy with “two light blue eyes, frustrated now, and turning, or ready to turn, to anger”. His eyes are used in various situations to depict his emotions. Golding uses blue, as a colour symbol to represent Jack’s cool and cold-blooded character. HIs appearance contrasts to Ralph’s attractive appearance, while his frustrated eyes foreshadows Jack’s cruelty and evilness that will soon kill. In extract two, Jacks bright blue eyes “seemed bolting and nearly mad”. His eyes show his determination to kill for food, as well as power. The symbolism occurs more and more as the plot develops, in order to show readers Jack’s transformation from an ordinary arrogant schoolboy into painted