What Does Jack Represent In Lord Of The Flies

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Do opposites really attract? The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is an allegorical novel that follows the story of a group of schoolboys that are stranded on an island with no adults. Throughout the novel, they face the decline of civilization, fear, and the battle with their own inner-evils. Being allegorical, the story relies mainly on symbols and character development to reveal these themes. Two such characters that carry heavy significance in the novel are Jack and Ralph. The theme of civilization versus savagery is revealed and developed mostly by Jack. On the other hand, the theme of rules and order is revealed mostly by Ralph. Jack’s first appearance in the novel is rather innocent. He is the lead choir boy and he likes to be a …show more content…
He reveals the theme of rules and order. This is first noted by his use of the conch. He uses the conch to bring everyone together in the first chapter and it is also used to let someone talk in a group setting. “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking.” (pg.45). The conch gives the power of speaking. The alternative would be everyone talking over one another. The conch is important to him because of this. It represents the unity between the boys and the rules they lay down. Ralph heavily asserts the need of the signal fire all throughout the novel. It is the only way he can think of to get the boys off the island. He lays a rule down to always keep the fire going. They ignore the rule and as a result, the fire goes out multiple times. Ralph’s contact with Jack’s tribe near the end of the novel reveals the disorder that has occurred over time. “You go away, Ralph. You keep to your end. This is my end and my tribe. You leave me alone.” (pg.254). No longer are they connected with the unity they once had. Jack’s tribe has their own base on one side of the