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Jack Merridew's Allegory

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William Golding’s Lord of the Flies portrays the author’s war experience through his characters: Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack as allegories. Ralph posed as democracy and order, Piggy represented the intellect, Simon was the allegory of religion, and Jack was taken as corrupt power. Although, Golding focuses how society struggles when the foundation of civilization, which include morals, gradually deteriorates. This is illustrated by narrating English boys who are deserted on an island, especially Jack Merridew who is introduced as the tall, thin, red-headed leader of a choir group. After experiencing the plane crash, he arrogantly feels that he can take on this role of chief for the entire tribe, but Ralph is chosen instead. Living on an uncivilized island, this dynamic choirboy …show more content…

Because of the symbolic objects, such as the knife and mask, Jack’s character development that influences his actions and mindset, and his allegorical representation of tyranny and savagery, the author uses Jack Merridew to develop his theme of man’s capacity of good and evil. Two main objects that revolve around Jack and his growing sense of barbarity are: the knife and mask. Such as, the boys, including Ralph, reenacted their pig hunt to celebrate Ralph’s successful attack on the boar. However, this sudden bloodlust resulted in Robert who was “screaming and struggling with the strength of frenzy. Jack had him by the hair and was brandishing with his knife” (Golding 114). Jack held the knife as his power for the hunting tribe, in contrast to Ralph’s conch. The potential of the knife affected Jack’s

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