What Does Jack's Search For Power In Lord Of The Flies

Human society has been long perceived as a mechanism to restrain humans from their natural inclinations towards evil and savagery. However, William Golding's novel the Lord of the Flies argues that despite society’s attempts to civilize and domesticate, human beings are inherently capable of committing evil and violent acts. Published in 1954, Golding used his experience in the Royal Navy as inspiration to write the novel based on World War 2. The Lord of the Flies follows a group of British Boys that are left stranded on a deserted island and their gradual descent into savagery despite the boys attempts to civilize. Golding backs this statement by showing the reader the effects of fear and how it inflicts itself on the boys. Additionally,

Firstly, Jack and a group of boy break off from Ralph’s tribe and create their own. They appoint Jack as their chief and he has complete control over them: “The Chief was sitting there, naked to the waist, his face blocked out in white and red”(176). Jack’s desire for power turns him into a tyrant. He has complete control over his tribe allowing him to harm and beat anyone in his way. This is evident when Jack orders his tribe to tie a boy up so he can beat him for fun: “‘I don’t know. [Jack] didn't say. He got angry and made us tie Wilfred up. He’s been’—[Robert] giggled excitedly—’he's been tied for hours, waiting—’”(176). As Jack is chief and has control over his tribe, he is able to commit violent acts on people with his desire for power influencing his actions. His pursuit for power reveals his savage side causing him to act violently. Finally, Jack’s desire for power makes him violent when he attacks Ralph’s camp to steal Piggy’s glasses, in order to make a fire. Jack see’s Ralph as a threat so he brings two savages with him. He steals the glasses, but destroys the camp and harms others in the process: “Then the shelter collapsed with smothering finality; and the anonymous shapes fought their way out and through”(185). Jack lets his desire for power take control of his actions causing Ralph’s camp to become demolished. In conclusion, Jack's obsession with power leads him to commit horrific and brutal acts of violence, highlighting the dangerous consequences of the corrupting influence of