Lord Of The Flies Character Analysis

Does a person’s personality define them? No. Knowing someone’s personality is key to understanding their actions. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, each individuals’ personality defines their actions, and this helps the reader understand why people act the way they do and what their true intentions are. To begin, one of the characters whose personality defines them is Jack. From the very beginning of their time on the island, Jack wants to be the leader. He envies Ralph because the other boys choose him to lead them. Jack acts aggressively. This is first shown in the beginning of the story. When Ralph is chosen to be leader, he tells Jack to be in charge of the choir boys who become hunters. At first, Jack cannot handle being a hunter. He has trouble trying to kill the pig, “’Before I could kill it-but-next time!’” (31). Once he has finally killed a pig, however, he becomes more violent. He feels as though he is superior, and able to do anything. Taking the life of another living thing gives him the impression that he is more capable to lead. Therefore, he is no longer cooperative with Ralph; all he wants to do is get meat and kill. Through his aggressive personality, it becomes clear that Jack likes to pick fights. “’You would, would you? Fatty!’ (says Jack) Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head” (65). As their time on the island progresses, Jack becomes even more violent. “‘He [Jack] got angry and made us tie Wilfred up’” (145).