Jack Merridew's Leadership In Lord Of The Flies

Throughout the novel, “Lord of the Flies” written by William Golding, a group of boys stuck on an island experience many conflicts that children shouldn’t have to encounter. One boy that stands out is Jack Merridew an intimidating, commanding, and brutish like leader that follows Hobbes like philosophy that developed the island into a chaotic realm. Once the children start settling they quickly realize that there is no wreckage from the plane crash, which is the only possible way that they assume they ended up on the island and surprisingly many of the children were in good health. The climate on the island was hot and humid with occasionally some rainy weather traveling over the island. The Children soon start to realize that a leader needs to be appointed. Due to the lack of food and poor leaderships more problems were created. The island was then later split into two different ideas. One building a society where most of the children were able to work together to create a peaceful atmosphere. Another was to have a leader that would set rules to keep everyone in check. With all these problems and lack of resources this wouldn’t create a paradise.

When the first meeting took place and the leader was being decided Jack stood up and stated, “I ought to be chief, “because I’m chapter chorister and head boy” (22). Although, he wasn’t elected to become chief he demonstrates “simple arrogance” (22) enough to position himself as commanding person. Thomas Hobbes illustrated a human frightening enough to control over everyone else and Jack is an intimidating human being capable of controlling people. Hobbes’s type of leadership is exactly how Jack