George R.R. Martin once said, “There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war, the beast stirs.” In the Lord of the Flies by William Golding the children can be seen to have this savage beast hidden within them. Human savagery is influenced by power, sport, and even possession of tools. Ralph and Jack, leaders of the group, allow for the beast to awaken in them as they struggle to survive on the island.
Jack is the first character who is corrupted by his human savagery. Jack is the first to deviate from order. The first hunt that Jack goes on invigorates him, but he is unable to kill the pig that they caught. Jack then realizes that being nice won’t allow him to catch the pig, so he instills a ruthless mindset to kill this pig, “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in.” This unwillingness to the kill the pig shows Jacks innocence.
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Some see the beast as primitivity or savagery, while others see the beast as power. Many of the issues on the island arise from power struggle. Ralph is very clear to state his leadership qualifications, “’I ought to be chief,’ said Jack with simple arrogance, ‘because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.’” But, Jack disapproves and believes that he is more qualified. This struggle is the spark that ignites the cruelty in Jack and the demise of Ralphs leadership. Moreover, power is found within objects on the island. Jack believes that Piggy’s glasses are a tool of power and he raids their camp to obtain this power. The raid represents the human drive to get an advantage over others. Ralph realizes the power of Piggy’s glasses when Jack burns down the jungle to get Ralph out in the open. This form of the beast promotes the primitivity among the children. None of the children realize the damage they cause to the others as they tear down the tents and beat up the remaining children in Ralphs