Lord of the Flies Group

Question:

windfaller
windfaller
Student
High School - 10th Grade

Can you show me Jack's understanding of the beast and how he uses his knowledge?

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Posted by windfaller on Saturday April 18, 2009 at 2:16 AM and tagged with lof, lord of the flies.

Answers:


  1. rugator Teacher
    Middle School

    eNotes Editor

    Initially, Jack is as much confounded by the presence of the "beast" as the rest of the boys. He comes to realize that, as one of the few willing to aggressively (at least outwardly) hunt, he can use this overriding fear to control those who fear it too. Jack states, that "there is no beast. But if there was, he'd hunt it and kill it." This is liberating to many of the others who fear the beast but feel powerless to do anything about it. It leads the insightful reader to contemplate the notion that leaders might have an incentive to keep those they lead "in the dark" or at least fearful. The idea that those who are led need their leaders is a powerful inducement for a society which values compliance with authority. On the other hand, it reminds those who value liberty of the responsibility they have to insure that they are "paying attention" to the words and deeds of those they are willing to entrust their faith in.

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    Posted by rugator on Monday October 5, 2009 at 9:07 PM