How does Jack Represent Savagery in the Novel?

In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the character, Jack, symbolizes evilness and savagery. At the beginning of the story, Jack manipulates the reader into thinking that he is a good character. This is shown when he volunteers to lead the group of boys. However, on the contrary, Jack portrays evilness throughout the book in many scenes such as when he kills the pig, chants the phrase “‘Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. and when he attempts to kill Ralph on the island.

Jack Symbolism

Golding first introduces Jack’s violent tendencies when Jack has the urge to kill the pig early on in the story, during their exploration of the island. When he faces the pig, he’s hesitant to kill it, There came a pause a hiatus… the pause was only long enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stork would be. (Pg.31). Jack’s reluctance to kill the pig makes him feel weak, therefore he makes it his mission to kill a pig, which he later achieves. He rushed out the undergrowth and stanched up his spear. The patterning of the pig’s trotters died away. (Pg.49). Jack kills the pig for no other reason than to fulfill his need, his want to kill something which shows how evil and savage he is. Jack killing the pig doesn’t fully satisfy him, and instead, opens the door to his progression into deeper savagery and evilness.

Jack’s Savagery

In addition to this, Jack chants about killing a pig, cutting its throat, and spilling its blood several times in the book. This illustrates Jack’s savagery by exposing his very strong desire to kill and see somebody’s blood spilled, whether it be an animal or one of the boys. The first time the chant, Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. (Pg 69) is used, is when jack kills the first pig. This excites the boys so much, thus making them want to reenact it. Another time the chant is used is when Jack and the other boys are killing Simon Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!… Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in (pg 152). What’s so horrific about this is the fact that Jack and the other boys know it is Simon they are killing, and yet he still dies. Jack’s savagery and evilness do not stop there, it shows through his effort and success of killing Simon and his newest attempt to kill Ralph.

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