All throughout history governments from the most tyrannical to the most democratic, have those select few who are looking to become the utmost figure of the people for the simple feel of superiority. They are distinct in character and have priorities aimed at appeasing the majority, but only if it is beneficial towards the figure gaining authority. Jack takes on his arrogant figure once again after the cautious Ralph gave Jack control over the choir. His motives gave the impression he was a negative figure, but his intentions can be seen with positive outlook that are extremely beneficial to his authoritarian power over the boys.
Jack wasted no time defining his almost infinite authoritarian power through his savage ways which included tribal rituals and masks. The boys, who Golding began to call savages, would do “their dance,” a reenactment of the pig hunts, when commanded by Jack. This ritual will eventually lead to the death of Simon, the elder of the group who found out what the Beast was and who is a symbol for natural goodness as opposed to the malevolent Jack. His ability to command the boys demonstrates that he has full power over them compared to earlier times when Ralph had a greater level of power. His increasing power begins to mold him into an egotistical figure and grants him the ability to be more demanding with the boys. When he paints the mask on his face this begins the time at which the boys and he lose all civility and become barbarians bent on bloodlust.
As he becomes possessed by the power he begins to use it for the shedding of blood and securing his place on the island. The few throughout history that have done the same as to assume power and abuse it all have all came to the same point that Jack has come which is confined power and repression of opposition.
Jack manipulates society’s fears and concerns so that boys would believe his objectives were aimed at the boys’ well being and them being saved. His attempts to appease the boys under Ralph by can be seen three times throughout the time they are present on the island. He tempts the unanimous crowd of boys with meet, freedom of living and most important a resolution to the feared Beast. His appeasements towards the boys were to ensure his capture of power and authority from Ralph.
Jack manipulates society’s fear and concerns so that the boys would believe his objectives were aimed at their own well being and them being saved. His attempts to appease the boys under Ralph can be seen three distinct times throughout the novel. He tempts the crowd of boys with meat, freedom of living and most important a solution to the feared Beast. His appeasements towards the boys were to ensure his capture of power and authority from Ralph for himself.
He tries to manipulate the boys’ hunger with meat, something that is considered luxurious because the boys have been eating nothing but fruit for most of the time and capturing the pig can be tiresome. The boys would much rather go for meat that Jack has to offer because it is something that the boys haven’t eaten for a long amount of time. But what the boys did not realize was that Ralph was working the boys so that they could be rescued and all Jack was doing was simply enhancing their stay on the island as if it were permanent.
Next he gives the boys the freedom to do as they please because under Ralph they had to work (Huts, fire, etc). Although he gives them this freedom he still expects them to do as he commands. Roger, a sadistic and cruel "bigun," a name given to the elders on the island, served as a lieutenant to Jack so that Jack could have some sort of figure to “police” the boys, but through means of intimidation and cruelty. The boys were very wanting of this freedom because they were tired of being worked constantly by Ralph.
Lastly, he provides some closure to the boys about the Beast on the island by telling doing ritual sorts of things that would supposedly keep the Beast from attacking them. This calms the boys down about the Beast. The boys are already caught up in the excitement of hunting. He ultimately gains the absolute power over the boys and Ralph that he had yearned for all throughout the novel with the help of his strategic manipulation of the boys. The boys, who were soon referred to as savages, have no realization of what truly is going as a whole because they all think so indirectly to Jack.
Jack Merridew did everything possible so he could to take the influence of the boys away from Ralph. Prince Lorenzo di Medici of Florence replied to Machiavelli writing, “But you should know that this independence upon which I insist so strongly raises more than anything the authority of the master, and that it alone shows that he is governing them instead of being governed by them.”
