the boys fell silent or muttering. Jack led the way down the rock and across the bridge.

Golding makes it quite clear that Ralph is happy to follow Jack, and that Jack is very clearly in charge of things: here, in Chapter 7, he states it openly:

They set off again, the hunters bunched a little by fear of the mentioned beast, while Jack quested ahead. They went more slowly than Ralph had bargained for; yet in a way he was glad to loiter, cradling his spear... Jack was in charge of the hunt and there would be time to get to the mountain...

Jack even receives a wound - a badge of the true leader:

He turned his left forearm for them all to see. On the outside was a rip; not much, but bloody.

Jack also knows exactly how to undermine Ralph. He doesn't speak much, but when he does, he knows how to put Ralph in a definitely subordinate place: when Ralph wants to start the fire:

'You haven't got Piggy's specs,' said Jack, 'so you can't.'

And finally, when Jack makes himself Chief, he understands the importance of making himself a real figurehead:

Before the party had started a great log had been dragged into the centre of the lawn and Jack, painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol.

This assembly takes place at the beginning of Chapter 8, just after the boys return from the mountaintop where Ralph, Roger and Jack saw the Beast (which was really the body of a dead pilot). Ostensibly Jack called this meeting in order to announce this to the group and decide what to do next, but he actually has other plans. 

Jack wastes little time in accusing Ralph of cowardice, and saying that Ralph called all of the hunters cowards. He also attempts to change the facts, saying that Roger accompanied him to the mountaintop while Ralph stayed behind, when in fact Roger stayed with Ralph. Jack ultimately summarizes much of the reason behind Ralph's struggles with leadership; Ralph demands obedience but gives nothing in return (Ralph would argue that "giving something in return" is an abstract and petulant demand, because his plan will get them rescued, which should be a reward in itself). 

Jack calls for a vote to oust Ralph as chief. When he fails to get any public support, he starts crying, says he "won't play anymore" and runs away. This is a turning point in Jack's character, revealing his deepest fears and immaturity, and signaling his crossing of a metaphorical threshold into savagery.

At the beginning of Chapter 8, the boys are discussing the existence of the beast. Ralph and Jack have both witnessed the beast and Ralph laments that they will never be able to have a signal fire on top of the mountain again. Jack suggests that his hunters can kill the beast, and Ralph's response is, "Boys armed with sticks?" (Golding 125). Jack is offended and clumsily blows the conch to hold a meeting. Jack begins by telling the boys that the existence of the beast has been confirmed, then tells them that Ralph said the hunters are "no good." Jack then compares Ralph to Piggy, who is unpopular amongst the group, and calls Ralph a coward. Jack holds the conch and asks, "Who thinks Ralph oughtn't to be chief?" None of the boys agree, and Jack asks the same question again. When no one raises their hand to agree that Jack should be the new leader, he puts the conch down and says, "I'm not going to play any longer. Not with you" (Golding 127). Jack invites the hunters to go with him and leave Ralph's group to hunt and start a new tribe. Jack turns and runs down the beach into the forest alone. Initially, no one follows Jack, but later on in the novel, the majority of the boys gradually join his tribe.

By chapter 9 of Lord of The Flies things have changed dramatically. At the beginning of the novel all the boys acknowledge the need for rules and organization and Ralph is voted leader. Even Jack is appeased because, as Ralph says in chapter 1, "The choir belongs to you" and so Jack and his "hunters" look for ways to catch a pig. As time goes on it becomes obvious that Jack has a very different leadership style from that of Ralph and he does not have the same concerns for rescue. He even let the fire go out. In chapter 8 Jack suggests that by joining his tribe the boys can "hunt and feast and have fun." His tribe has a dangerous and unhealthy respect for Jack who has even satisfied the beast by leaving a "gift" for it. The head is a sickening sight, "dim-eyed...blood blackening between the teeth" and the boys are in awe and equally terrified of it. 

Jack's "party" is the subject of discussion between Piggy and Ralph and they are aware how Jack is influencing the others. Samneric and the others have all gone to Jack's side for some meat but Ralph pretends not to care. However, even Ralph and Piggy concede that going over to Jack's camp would be interesting, if only "to make sure nothing happens." This speaks to Jack's compelling personality. Even though they do not like him, they are inexplicably drawn to him. Jack is clearly superior to his tribe, making demands on them and passing instructions to them. He gives the appearance of concern, making sure everyone has had sufficient to eat but his tone of voice indicates his control of the situation as "his tone conveyed a warning."  

Jack relishes his power and takes an opportunity to rally and garner support for himself at a moment when the boys are full from eating and relaxed. He knows how to take advantage of a situation. Jack expects loyalty in return for the food he has just provided. Even though Jack has no respect for the conch, he is aware how powerful a symbol it is and its absence from the party gives Jack an opportunity to assert himself fully. Even when the boys become uneasy at the approaching storm and Jack's inadequate shelters, Jack deflects the issue and encourages the dancing and chanting which he knows will ensure their loyalty to a "demented but partly secure society." 

Jack , in this chapter, resembles that of a roman "royalty" figure. He is adorned in garlands, and his face and body painted, and is sitting on his own, which is indicative of his role now, that of absolute power. The conch no longer has any meaning, he is not focused on democracy, only his rule.

In this chapter, he is also the benevolent ruler. There are platters of meat, overflowing piles of fruit, and coconut shells filled with drink. He calls for meat, and instructs them all to indulge to their content. The same for drinks. Then he orders every person to dance.

His magnanimous attitude, the fulfillment of the groups need for self-gratification, and such allow him to take over with very little protest, even from Ralph.

“I ought to be chief,” said Jack with simple arrogance, “because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.”

The above quote is found on page 28 of my edition. Different editions might have the quote on a slightly different page.

I love the above quote. It makes me laugh every time that I read it. Jack is brimming with confidence about his ability to lead the group and be chief. As the story eventually shows, Jack is a natural born leader. Readers might disagree with how he takes power, keeps power, and uses his power, but readers have to admit that many of the other boys defer to his power and leadership.

The reason that the quote makes me laugh is because of how Jack supports his nomination to be considered for chief. He claims that he has previous leadership experience by being "head boy." Previous leadership experience is a good qualifier. Jack's next reason is hilarious to me. "I can sing C sharp." How exactly that qualifies him to be a good leader is beyond me. That's like me saying that I ought to be a school principal because I can kick a soccer ball very accurately. Regardless of how ridiculous I think the reason is, the boys on the island don't think it is irrelevant. Perhaps because Jack is one of the few boys that can sing that note, he has more confidence in himself than other boys have in themselves. He exudes that self-confidence, and the boys naturally gravitate toward it.

It is also on page 28 in both my print edition and the online text. I highly recommend checking your edition and the online text, to see if they match up. 

It is interesting to me the way that Jack is so confident that he ought to be the leader. It is particularly interesting because Golding points out that he is arguably correct. There is something about Ralph that makes the boys feel more comfortable choosing him despite the more obvious choice being Jack.

Jack eventually goes on to demonstrate that he has a clearer understanding of how to gain power over the boys because he is the one that sees how he can use their fear to bring them to his side.

Jack is the classic example of a dictator. He's determined to rule the island single-handed, and woe betide anyone brave or foolish enough to get in his way. Like all dictators he uses a mixture of fear and violence to cement his power. Jack knows that so long as the other boys fear him, they won't get any ideas about trying to knock him off his perch.

And it's not enough that the boys fear Jack; fear in general works to his advantage, as he discovers early on. The boys have got it into their heads that there's a savage beast prowling the island. It's all complete nonsense, of course, as Jack himself knows full well. But Jack also knows that so long as the boys believe that there really is such a beast lurking around every corner, then they will look to him as their leader, as he's the only one capable of protecting them.

This is a prime example of Jack cynically using his capacity for violence to keep the other boys firmly in check. At the same time, it shows that Jack's not just a thug; he also has a cunning brain which he uses to remain as king of the castle.

In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, two boys emerge as leaders from the very beginning. Ralph is elected leader by the boys on the island simply because he looks like a leader to them; Piggy has all the attributes of a leader but is never considered one because of his appearance. Jack, the red0headed boy, is a leader when he arrives on the island, and he maintains that position throughout the entire novel. Though he might be considered an effective leader because he maintains leadership, Jack is not a good leader.

Jack is the leader of the choir simply because he "can sing C sharp." He obviously rules the choir by intimidation, as they are afraid even to sit or take off their hot cloaks and hats without his permission. He is rude and bossy, demanding to know where the adults are and telling Piggy (whom he calls "Fatty") to "shut up" because he is "talking too much."

When the boys hold an election, no one votes for Jack until the choir reluctantly raises their hands for him. When he loses, Ralph can see that Jack is mortified and offers him the chance to be head of the choir; Jack quickly agrees and says he will be in charge of the hunters.

Jack is not a good leader because he becomes obsessed with hunting; he only cares about the others if and when they can help him him hunt. He is selfish and self-absorbed, Even when he manages to provide meat, Jack is cruel and humiliating to Piggy about eating. When his authority is challenged (which usually happens inadvertently when Ralph just does what he thinks needs to be done), Jack gets angry and wants to fight.

A good leader would take care of his followers, but Jack has no feelings for anyone but himself. He is not interested in trying to get rescued, nor does he care about anything that would improve their lives on the island. His obsession is hunting and accumulating power, and he spends his time doing both.

Soon Jack has moved his tribe to the fort on the mountain. He and his tribe members steal Piggy's glasses, the only means any of them have to start a fire. He participates in Siomon's murder and, unlike Ralph, feels no remorse for his actions. He allows Roger to drop the boulder which crushes both Piggy and the conch he is holding, eliminating all semblance of order. 

As the story progresses and Jack now hides behind the mask of face paint, he also gets more savage. By the end of the novel, Golding refers to Jack only as the chief of his savage tribe. He maintains obedience by violence and he even attacks Ralph directly with his spear. When Jack orders his tribe (which is now everyone on the island except Ralph) to kill Ralph, he means it. 

If the boys had not been rescued, Jack would have gained complete control of the island--or what was left of it after he nearly burned it all. More deaths would undoubtedly have occurred.

When the naval officer arrives, however, the readers are reminded of just who and what Jack really is. The officers asks,

“Who’s boss here?”
“I am,” said Ralph loudly.
A little boy who wore the remains of an extraordinary black cap on his red hair and who carried the remains of a pair of spectacles at his waist, started forward, then changed his mind and stood still.

Jack is an intimidating, violent person who maintains leadership by force; however, he is also just a little red-haired boy who is intimidated in the presence of an adult in uniform. 

Jack turns into a powerful leader on the island for several reasons. First, he shows perseverance. When he isn't elected as leader initially, he is visibly frustrated, but he doesn't give up. He continues hanging close to the group, making opportunities for himself when he can. Little by little, he transforms his image from a mere leader of the choir into a savage boy capable of taking life.

This transformation is appealing to the rest of the group, as evidenced by the continuing growth of his little tribe. And maybe the savagery frightens a few boys into aligning themselves with him. While this isn't a noble leadership characteristic, it can certainly prove effective—as evidenced by historical leaders such as Hitler and Stalin. Powerful leaders are not always good and honorable leaders.

Jack is also able to cater to the basic needs of the group: filling their sense of hunger. Eating fruit constantly has led to some intestinal upset, as evidenced by the growing unsanitary conditions on the island which Ralph grows concerned with. The boys need protein, and Jack delivers. Meeting their basic needs, as is shown in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, is an important feat and helps the boys view Jack as a figure who can be trusted. In this way, he basically buys their (misguided) trust. Look at the way the group responds to him by chapter 9:

A great log had been dragged into the center of the lawn and Jack, painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol…

Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape.

Jack is an "idol" to the boys, something to be worshiped. No longer simply a leader, he has full authority over them; the group will bend to his will.

Golding likely wants to use Jack's character as a warning of this type of leadership in society. He gains power through fear and through a system of quid pro quo. The boys become so distracted by Jack's offers of meat and fun hunting that they disregard Ralph's sense of order and reason. Thus, Jack is a louder and eventually more powerful leader—but not a better one.

Jack has several character traits that make him the main antagonist of Lord of the Flies. He is portrayed as vicious and arrogant from the start of the book, but when he receives the admiration of the other boys for his hunting prowess, it only inflates his already large ego. Jack becomes obsessed with hunting (even going so far as to threaten the other boys) because he recognizes that it impresses the younger children.

Jack's ambition and lust for power are also an important part of his character. The boys view Ralph as their leader, a fact that causes friction between him and Jack. Many of the things Jack does throughout the book are to position himself as the leader of the boys instead of Ralph.

Another important character trait for Jack is jealousy of Ralph tied up in his own insecurities. When the boys choose Ralph as their leader, it is clearly an affront to Jack, and his jealousy leads him to commit many of the heinous acts he performs later in the book.

Near the beginning of the novel, Jack and Ralph are both trying to be chosen as "chief" of the boys. Jack states that he should be chief because of his position in the choir:

“I ought to be chief,” said Jack with simple arrogance, “because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.”

Ultimately, though, Ralph is the boy who is elected chief. This is most likely because he holds the conch shell, which the boys see as a symbol of power and leadership:

“Ralph! Ralph!”

“Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing.”

Jack is definitely not happy that he is not selected as chief, but Ralph does try to give Jack some leadership roles by putting Jack in charge of the hunters:

“Jack’s in charge of the choir. They can be—what do you want them to be?”

“Hunters.”

Despite that role, Jack is never quite satisfied with his position or Ralph's leadership, and Jack slowly begins to wear away at Ralph's power. Jack eventually becomes the leader that most of the boys follow; however, Jack is never officially elected as chief.

A quote that demonstrates the leadership style of Jack in Lord of the Flies is the following: “Bollocks to the rules! We're strong—we hunt! If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down! We'll close in and beat and beat and beat!”

Here is a young man who's not interested in rules, in establishing a rules-based order of democracy on the island. Unlike Ralph, he wants a dictatorship, a dictatorship in which he, Jack, is the dictator, the sole ruler of the other boys.

As the above quotation amply demonstrates, Jack believes that might makes right. Only those prepared to use extreme violence are entitled to be in control. Although Jack's talking about pigs, he might just as well be talking about the other boys. As far as he's concerned, rules mean nothing, whether in relation to the hunting of animals or the establishment of a political order on the island.

Jack's dictatorial leadership style is based on nothing more than violence and physical force, and this inevitably puts him at odds with Ralph.

Jack is a better leader in that he understands that authority has to be backed up with force. Otherwise, it's worse than useless. Having rules and laws is all very well, but if you're not able to enforce them with the threat of violence then they don't mean anything. That's what Ralph doesn't realize and it's why he's so easily outmaneuvered by Jack.

In any given society, if the system of government is to survive, it needs to have a legal monopoly on violence in the form of an army and a police force. If not, then it can be be overthrown at any time by superior force. That's what happens in Lord of the Flies. Ralph makes no effort to enforce his will through violence, and that allows Jack to challenge the rules-based system he's established on the island.

Jack understands that physical force is the ultimate determinant of power in any given society. Once you've established a monopoly of violence, then and only then can you start drawing up a more detailed system of rules. Unfortunately, Ralph got this the wrong way round, which is why Jack was able to defeat him in their epic power struggle, and it's why Jack, for all his faults, is a better leader.

Jack is a tyrannical maniac who encourages violence, and uses fear and intimidation to control the boys in his tribe. Unlike Ralph, Jack does not take into consideration other boys' needs and selfishly makes his band of savages follow each of his demands. Jack dismisses the need to maintain a signal fire which is crucial in order to be rescued, and allows his tribe to run wild. Instead of holding assemblies, creating rules, and organizing essential tasks, Jack chooses to focus all of his energy on hunting pigs and playing. Ralph also displays courage and a strong will, while Jack continually complains and gives up when he doesn't get his way. Jack also takes unnecessary risks and leads his hunters on a dangerous search throughout the island at night. Many of Jack's decisions are rash and dangerous. His affinity for violence, quick temper, and inability to prioritize essential tasks make him a worse leader than Ralph.

In Lord of the Flies, there are many contradictory and conflicting emotions facing this group of school boys who find themselves on an island with no guidance from any adults in their attempts to survive and to ensure their collective safety.  In assigning power within the group, Piggy and Ralph recognize the need to form a cohesive group so that they can be effective in building shelters, finding food, keeping the rescue fire going and setting up a secure community where everyone will be safe. On the other hand, Jack sees great potential for his own self-development through a misuse of power. His grounds for being chief are based on what he considers to be his proven track-record as he is "chapter chorister and head boy." He does not assess the situation as Ralph has done with Piggy's help and his faith in his personal attributes and ability to "sing C sharp" indicate that he has no appreciation for the predicament and no planning ability. The conch sets Ralph apart but Jack's self-assurance gives him power.

Ralph takes his appointment as chief seriously and allocates jobs appropriately whereas Jack acts in the moment with little concern for consequences. One of the biggest differences between Ralph's democratic style of leadership and Jack's leadership is in their use or abuse of their seniority. Even though Jack was not voted chief he does hold a position of authority, especially over the choir boys. Ralph's recognition of this speaks to his ability to work as a team rather than as a figurehead. Unfortunately, Ralph has overlooked Jack's competitive nature and controlling personality.

Jack sees himself as an expert in all things related to hunting, making himself invincible with his face paint and thinking that an apology is sufficient to obviate his flagrant abuse of power when he lets the fire go out. He sees others as followers who must obey him. He does not appreciate interference, especially from Piggy and uses the boys' fear against them in establishing himself. He attempts to make the boys so reliant on him that they cannot function without him and if they do, he wants then to understand that they are surely doomed. The beast can only be controlled if Jack takes charge. He uses this power consistently, from the time that he denies the existence of a beast to leaving a "gift' for it. He challenges the beast and sets his tribe up as hunters and even suggests that he has the power to include or exclude the other boys from joining the feast. Ultimately, he will withdraw from his apparent position of power when the naval officer asks Ralph who the "boss' is. For the first time, Jack reveals that he is aware of his unacceptable behavior in the eyes of the civilized world, hesitating and making the decision not to reveal himself as leader, letting Ralph face any potential consequences. Jack has always hid his cowardice behind his seemingly powerful facade.  

A hero is defined as someone who is admired or idealized for courage, exceptional achievements or noble qualities. The question is, does Jack meet any of the requirements to make him a hero? Let's look at each aspect and see if he measures up.

Courage. Jack seems to possess some courage in the sense that he is willing to venture into the unknown to find prey, to hunt, albeit in the company of others. However, when he has the first opportunity to kill a living thing, he lacks the courage to strike, as illustrated in the follwing extract:

There came a pause, a hiatus, the pig continued to scream and the creepers to jerk, and the blade continued to flash at the end of a bony arm.

... Jack’s face was white under the freckles. He noticed that he still held the knife aloft and brought his arm down replacing the blade in the sheath. Then they all three laughed ashamedly and began to climb back to the track...

He makes the excuse that he was looking for a place to stab, but it was the thought of killing which overwhelmed him and he lacked the heart to carry it through. This embarrassment, however, does not deter him and he is later successful at achieving his goal. The question arises whether we should actually consider if Jack's inner savagery was what ovewhelmed him instead of sheer courage. His desire to hunt was not borne from a noble purpose to find food so that everyone could eat. There was more than enough edible vegetation on the island for the boys to survive. He wanted to have fun and, furthermore, exercise his bloodlust, dominance and savagery.

Furthermore, Jack's bravery is offset by the fact that he bullies Piggy, who is weak and vulnerable. He literally does not 'pick on one his own size' but targets someone he knows cannot retaliate. Although he is involved in confrontations with Ralph, these are emotional incidents, spurred by anger and frustration. In the final chapters, he employs the boys to hunt Ralph down since he needs them because he lacks the courage to do so alone. Therefore, all things considere, Jack falls well short in this regard.

Except for hunting and killing a pig, there is nothing exceptional about what Jack has done. His desire was selfish and self-serving. Although the boys at one point showed their admiration for him when he apologised to Ralph for allowing the signal fire to die when a ship passed in the distance, there was nothing significant and memorable about much else he did. His hunters followed his instructions because, firstly, he had been their leader from the beginning since he was head of the choir and secondly, they shared his sentiment. They wanted to enjoy their freedom and do much as they pleased, which was to hunt instead of being bogged down by rules and responsibilties as Ralph and Piggy demanded. In this regard then, Jack also failed.

Finally, Jack lacks noble qualities. In fact, his actions speak only of savagery and malice. He intentionally sets out to kill pigs to satisfy his lust for blood. He hides his identity underneath a painted face and assumes a new persona, he bullies and hurts Piggy, steals his spectacles, imprisons the twins against their will, hunts Ralph with the assistance of others, does not care much about rescue, just wants to have fun, refuses to take responsibility for tasks which are meaningful such as building shelters and taking care of the signal fire, encourages others to kill and hurt. These are definitely not noble attributes.

So, all in all, Jack Merridew is definitely not a hero. 

Ralph and Jack both offer very different qualities and styles of leadership.

When Ralph first summons the boys with the conch shell, he becomes the obvious choice for chief of their fledgling tribe.  Ralph had a "stillness" that "marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely; yet most powerfully, there was the conch" (22).  Ralph has the "directness of genuine leadership" and attempts to be fair to all the boys and look after the littluns (25).  Ralph instills rules and order on the island, but struggles with maintaining the discipline to enforce the rules. 

Jack, on the other hand, is "the most obvious leader," since he already has experience leading the choir boys from his experience as "chapter chorister" and "head boy" (22).  The choir boys vote for Jack out of obligation, but do not seem very enthusiastic; their response indicates that his style of leadership was less than favorable.  As the novel progresses, Jack gains power as the new leader of the hunters.  They respect him for his stregth, lack of fear and ability to kill.  His leadership style is based on intimidation and fear, using terror to command and dominate the younger boys, like Sam and Eric. 

This is a truly difficult assignment, since Jack shows very few positive traits of any kind in Lord of the Flies. Jack does possess some abilities of leadership, since he is the "chapter chorister and head boy." (In addition to being the chief of the chorus, he is also the equivalent of president of the school student government.) He also shows guile in his various methods to secure power. He transforms the choir boys into a group of hunters; he also realizes that the beast on the mountain holds a mystical power over the littluns, and he seeks to keep its true identity a secret to maintain this hold. Jack further shows his cunning by attracting Ralph's loyal followers into his own camp with the promise of a great feast. Most of these examples are only of a slightly positive nature, but then Jack is the most evil human on the island.

Jack is a very powerful character.  From the beginning, he had leadership qualities.  He is the choir leader and voices that from day one.  Not only is he very dominating with his personality, but he is a tall kid as well.  When he makes decisions, the littluns would rather go along with him and make him happy (so they don't get punished).  He also offers fun to them.  There they are, trapped on a deserted island with no adults.  What better way to spend your time--painting faces, hunting for pigs--playing "fort" or whatever it is that they do at Castle Rock.  When Ralph wants to work and act like grown-ups, Jack offers them a chance to "play."  They would much rather have fun and play than work. So his power comes from the fact that he stands up to and challenges their chief.  He offers these things that Ralph (as a true leader who wants to get rescued) can't offer.

Jack's style of leadership is dictatorial. And as with all dictatorships, Jack's rule is based on fear, repression, and the use of violence. Almost from the start, Jack makes it abundantly clear that he doesn't have much time for the kind of rules-based civilization that Ralph wants to establish. He looks upon rules as a source of limitation, a way of holding back the strong from taking what's rightfully theirs. As far as Jack's concerned, the only law that matters is the law of the jungle, where the strong thrive, and the weaker members of society go to the wall.

But Jack's not simply a brainless thug; he's also quite clever, and uses his cleverness and cunning to cement this power over the other boys. For instance, he encourages everyone to believe in the existence of the mysterious Beast, which he knows full well doesn't actually exist. However, he also knows that if the other boys continue to believe that the Beast is real, then they'll be more likely to look towards him as their protector. Jack understands that being a dictator involves more than just the application of brute force. (Though that's still very important, of course). You also have to be devious and manipulative to get what you want, to consolidate your power-base and maintain control.

Jack, Golding makes very clear right from the start, is a charismatic, authoritative and natural leader. Here's Piggy's reaction to the first few lines Jack speaks:

Piggy asked no names. He was intimidated by this uniformed superiority and the offhand authority in Merridew’s voice. He shrank to the other side of Ralph and busied himself with his glasses.

The glasses, the symbol of clear-sightedness and democracy, are ironically enough, the opposite to Jack's one-man tyranny. Jack, right from the start, has the natural quality of a leader - he says "do this", and people do it.

At the start, of course, he isn't elected chief, though it's obvious to the boys that he is a natural leader:

Jack started to protest but the clamor changed from the general wish for a chief to an election by acclaim of Ralph himself. None of the boys could have found good reason for this; what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy while the most obvious leader was Jack.

Jack gradually makes the glamour and excitement of hunting and finding pigs, as well as the idea of an army and violence, appeal to the boys. Before long, he's shouting "Bollocks to the rules", and leading the boys in adrenalin-filled dances. It's all very attractive.

And they do have common sense. But glamour and excitement are attractive... even Ralph, the Everyman of the boys, finds "the desire to squeeze and hurt... overmastering". Even Ralph joins in with the dance which kills Simon.

Jack came to the island after being a choirmaster and "head boy" at his school, giving him some experience in exhorting power over others. His militaristic attitude led him to dominate the choir.

"Shut up," said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. "Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things."

"A chief! A chief!"

"I ought to be chief," said Jack with simple arrogance, "because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp."

Jack feels that because his main interest is hunting, he should be the given ruler and make the rules for the boys. Conflict arises between Jack and Ralph. Ralph feels the conch is necessary for each boy to have their voice heard, while Jack sees the conch as rules and boundaries that try to stop him from dominating others. About Ralph, Jack says,

He'd never have got us meat.

Jack quickly learns that the fear of the beast by the boys can be used to gain their following.

"I expect the beast disguised himself."

"Perhaps […]. We'd better keep on the right side of him, anyhow. You can't tell what he might do."

The tribe considered this; and then were shaken, as if by a flow of wind. The chief saw the effect of his words and stood abruptly.

In Lord of the Flies, Jack reveals his ambition to be chief of the tribe from the very beginning. At the first assembly meeting, Jack insists he should be chief because he is "chapter chorister and head boy" (22).  As the story progresses, Jack's determination to be chief leads him to undermine and challenge Ralph's authority:

"'[Ralph's] like Piggy.  He says things like Piggy.  He isn't a proper chief'" (126). 

In chapter eight, "Gift for the Darkness," Jack splits from the tribe, calling out Ralph as a coward, citing his lack of experience in leadership as the main reason he should not be chief.   Despite Jack's protests, none of the other boys publicly disavow Ralph as chief, choosing to slip away and join Jack's tribe without drawing attention to themselves.  Jack uses his hunting prowess to draw the allegiance of the boys:

"Far along the beach, Jack was standing before a small group of boys.  He was looking brilliantly happy.

'Hunting,' he said.  He sized them up. [...] 'We'll hunt. I'm going to be chief'" (133).

Jack connects his ability to hunt with his natural predilection for leadership; in his mind, the best hunter should be chief.  He uses this rationale to justify his actions in taking control of the tribe.

I would say that the first thing he does to try to portray himself as powerful is to have the choir march up the way they do -- it's like he's showing them off as an army and himself as their general.

Then, when he finds out there are no grown ups around, he sits down, looks around confidently and says that they'll have to take care of themselves.  He also identifies himself, saying that he was the Head Boy at his school.  By acting in these ways, he's trying to show that he is calm and mature and powerful.

The "Lord of the Flies" could be described as the best leader throughout the novel because the majority of the boys choose to act like savages and subscribe to the belief that they need to make sacrifices to the beast. The "Lord of the Flies" is symbolic of the inherent evil and wickedness present in each individual. It also represents the carnal desire in each human. The boys who chose to join Jack's tribe essentially follow their inherent desires, thus choosing to follow the "Lord of the Flies." They neglect civility and opt to become savages. The "Lord of the Flies" is regarded as a significant figure that requires attention from the boys and encourages violence on the island. Flies surround the rotting pig's head, and the name "Lord of the Flies" is the actual translation of the Hebrew word Beelzebub, also known as the Devil. The savage acts of violence and disregard for humanity on the island result from Satan's "leadership" on the island. Murder and intimidation are prevalent, which is why the "Lord of the Flies" can be described as the most successful leader on the island.

Jack provides the boys with meat by hunting and killing pigs.  In chapter 4, Jack kills his first pig.  The boys tell about the adventure and what fun they had hunting and killing the pig.  Ralph, on the other hand, has been trying to get the boys to work, building huts and to tend to the fire so that they might get rescued.  Ralph sees the need for work and organization, Jack sees the need for meat and fun.  The boys, being young and immature, would rather have a good time than work, so Jack is more attractive to them than Ralph.  At the pig roast, the boys chant, sing, and dance around the fire.  The roast has brought out the unbridled savage in them. It gives them an exciting and fun sense of freedom.  This, too, makes Jack more attractive.  In chapter 8, Jack feels confident enough to call for another vote, and even though he loses the vote to Ralph again, he is victorious in that he separates himself from the rest of the group and establishes his own tribe of boys.  With this separate tribe, he continually lures more and more boys - most through temptation, but some like Samneric, through threat, to his tribe.