Jack Flashcards
What does Jack represent?
Evil and violence, the dark side of human nature.
How is Jack described and portrayed?
He is portrayed as being quite militaristic and bossy. He and his choir are originally shown to be a black monster moving down the beach at the beginning. He also says he can sing top C#.
Jack is a redhead. How may this be indicative of his personality?
This could represent his anger, violence and blood-lust, showing him to be a very fiery person.
What is Jack’s favourite past time on the island? What does this show about him, and what theme does this emphasise?
His main interest is hunting, a past time that begins with the desire for meat and builds to the urge to kill other living creatures. This develops the savagery that already ran close to his surface, making him “ape-like” as he prowls through the jungle. His domain is the emotions, which rule and fuel his animal nature.
How does Jack try and assert his dominance?
He frequently impugns the power of the conch, which represents civilization and order, and has been keeping the boys in the civilization mindset. He also tries to prove that hunting is more important than trying to get home.
(Jack is also the only character of whom we know the surname)
Is there any sense of civilization left in Jack?
Some: he wipes the blood off his hands after hunting and is said to be repulsed by the dead pig, which could show he is still uncomfortable with savagery.
How does Jack rule his “tribe”?
They refer to him as “Chief” which indicates a lack of personality in Jack, and they have face masks and “ululating” calls which also gives a sense of them not being human any more.
What does Jack realise at the end of the play?
He begins to step forward when asked who was in charge, then, having seen that civilised rules will now apply, thinks his savage rules will be suppressed again.
