Jack Flashcards
(21 cards)
1
Q
how is Jack presented in lotf?
A
- arrogant
- vain
- immature
- egomaniac
- cruel
- narcissistic
- antagonist
- manipulative
- impulsive
- power-hungry
- controlling
- violent
- sadistic
1
Q
potential exam questions for Jack
A
- examine the presentation of Jack
- examine the relationship between Jack and Ralph
- examine the presentation of how Jack changes
- how does Golding use Jack to present evil within human nature?
2
Q
beginning quotes for Jack
A
'’I ought to be chief’’ said Jack with simple arrogance’ (ch.1)
‘the freckles on Jack’s face disappeared under a blush of mortification’ (ch.1)
‘for a minute became less a hunter than a furtive thing, ape-like’ (ch.3)
‘the madness came into his eyes again’ (ch.3)
‘he looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger’ (ch.4)
3
Q
middle quotes for Jack
A
'’Serve you right if something did get you, you useless lot of cry-babies’’ (ch.5)
‘The words came from Jack viciously, as though they were a curse’ (ch.7)
‘He looked at Ralph, his thin body tensed, his spear held as if he threatened him’ (ch.7)
'’He isn’t a proper chief’’ (ch.8)
‘The humiliating tears were running from the corner of each eye’ (ch.8)
‘He was safe from shame or self-consciousness behind the mask of his paint’ (ch.8)
4
Q
end quotes for Jack
A
‘The chief’s blush was hidden by the white and red clay’ (ch.10)
‘He was a chief now in truth’ (ch.10)
'’This is my end and my tribe’’ (ch.11)
‘A little boy’ (ch.12)
‘changed his mind and stood still’ (ch.12)
5
Q
'’I ought to be chief’’ said Jack with simple arrogance’ (ch.1)
A
- Jack is entitled and confident
- Jack believes that leadership is earned by right
- foreshadows the struggle for power later in the novel
- highlights the beginning of the conflict between Ralph and Jack
- the dialogue is short and assertive with no hesitation
- the description of ‘simple arrogance’ suggests Jack’s arrogance is innate and he does not recognize how arrogant he is - this is dangerous
6
Q
‘the freckles on Jack’s face disappeared under a blush of mortification’ (ch.1)
A
- Jack has intense embarrassment
- he feels deep shame and humiliation and this hurts his sense of pride
- suggests Jack’s desire for power is linked to his sense of self-worth
- shows how Jack is unable to accept failure and this fuels his desire for revenge and dominance
7
Q
‘for a minute became less a hunter than a furtive thing, ape-like’ (ch.3)
A
-‘less a hunter’ dehumanizes Jack and makes him seem primitive and animalistic
- ‘a furtive thing’ makes Jack seem predatory and suggests that Jack is losing his identity and becoming dangerous
- ‘ape-like’ suggests Jack is in a state of devolution and regression from a human to a primitive creature
8
Q
‘the madness came into his eyes again’ (ch.3)
A
- ‘the madness’ has connotations of violence, irrationality and loss of reason
- ‘again’ makes the reader aware that this a recurring event, and Jack is often taken over by this ‘madness’
- shows Jack’s descent from civilisation into savagery
- Jack’s ‘madness’ is a symptom of him rejecting the rules and morals of society
- this reflects how the boys are losing their innocence and embracing violent instincts
9
Q
‘he looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger’ (ch.4)
A
- ‘he looked in astonishment’ suggests that Jack is in awe of what he sees; a powerful and unexpected appearance
- ‘no longer at himself’ implies that the mask disconnects him from his real identity
- ‘awesome stranger’ shows how Jack is alienated from his old identity, and is proud of his new appearance
- the mask allows Jack to become more savage and less human
- the mask provides Jack with anonymity and allows him to act immorally without shame and guilt
- this is the beginning of Jack’s transformation into a sadistic leader
- the mask becomes a symbol of tribalism, violence and chaos
10
Q
'’Serve you right if something did get you, you useless lot of cry-babies’’ (ch.5)
A
- ‘Serve you right’ has a hostile tone as Jack scorns the littluns for being afraid
- the use of ‘something’ portrays how Jack refuses to identify the beast, amplifying the littluns fear
- ‘you useless lot of cry-babies’ conveys how Jack belittles and abuses the littluns as he sees fear as a weakness
- it becomes clear Jack wants to use leadership to intimidate and control the other boys
- Jack uses fear to assert power and dominance
- Jack shows no compassion to the littluns, only contempt
- Jack weaponises the boys fear to undermine Ralph’s leadership
11
Q
‘The words came from Jack viciously, as though they were a curse’ (ch.7)
A
- the adverb ‘viciously’ has a violent and aggressive tone, suggesting Jack attacks the other boys with his words, to hurt them and assert his control
- the simile ‘as though they were a curse’ suggests that his language is destructive and harmful, and highlights how poisonous his speech has become, so he can destroy the other boys
- this highlights Jack’s cruelty and his desire to assert his power over others
- this also portrays how Jack is no longer attempting to maintain his emotions, and is letting his anger and impatience take over his actions and words
- this has also corrupted his moral compass
12
Q
‘He looked at Ralph, his thin body tensed, his spear held as if he threatened him’ (ch.7)
A
- ‘He looked at Ralph’ displays how Jack and Ralph’s relationship has come to its climax, and is filled with hostility and tension
- the description of Jack’s ‘thin body tensed’ implies that Jack is preparing to fight with Ralph, however the adjective ‘thin’ suggesting that Jack still has a level of vulnerability due to his young age
- the ‘spear’ is a symbol of Jack’s savagery and violence, and by holding it like a threat, Jack aims to assert his physical dominance over Ralph
- this moment marks Jack’s increasing authoritarianism
- Jack’s body language and tension conveys how Jack has become a product of his environment, and marks his descent into being dangerous and animalistic
- Jack’s use of the spear emphasises his battle against democracy and civilisation as he conflicts with Ralph
- the spear also shows how Jack is willing to use force to take absolute control of the island and the boys
13
Q
'’He isn’t a proper chief’’ (ch.8)
A
- the adjective ‘proper’ suggests that Jack believes that a good chief is someone who embodies strength, dominance and maybe even fear
- Jack values these qualities over democracy and morals
- Jack’s dialogue reflects a breakdown of the social order of the boys, and his belief that he is superior to Ralph’s rule
- this presents Jack’s sense of entitlement and rejection of Ralph’s rule completely
- Jack also rejects the idea of democracy and believes he should be the leader based on his strength and his ego
14
Q
‘The humiliating tears were running from the corner of each eye’ (ch.8)
A
- Jack is emotionally vulnerable here and his tears are fueled by anger and frustration
- the adjective ‘humiliating’ suggests that Jack may feel frustrated that he is not able to control the situation as he is a sadist
- this demonstrates Jack’s struggle between his desire for power and his immense fear of failure
- Jack’s tears show that beneath his desire for power, he is still a naive and young boy who is emotionally vulnerable
15
Q
‘He was safe from shame or self-consciousness behind the mask of his paint’ (ch.8)
A
- ‘the mask of his paint’ acts as a barrier between the boys and their civilised selves; who are now free to act without guilt
- the paint depersonalises them and gives them a new identity
- the idea that the boys are ‘safe from shame or self-consciousness’ is critical as it explores how the boys are liberated from their moral inhibitions and are now free to engage in savagery in Jack’s tribe
- for Jack, the mask is also a tool to escape guilt and morality and provides him with the means to detach from the responsibilities of being a leader
- the mask also allows Jack and his tribe to dehumanise themselves so they can act without personal responsibility or conscience
- at this point in the novel, Jack has fully embraced savagery and the mask represents his detachment from civilisation
- the mask also signifies the loss of individual identity, and collects the boys together as they become part of a tribal collective - this provides the boys with a group mentality and allows them to embrace a more primitive identity
16
Q
‘The chief’s blush was hidden by the white and red clay’ (ch.10)
A
- the ‘blush’ typically symbolises shame, guilt or self-consciousness
- Jack’s blush could suggest that he is experiencing internal conflict and could feel guilty about the brutality of Simon’s death
- this ‘blush’ contrasts with Jack’s previously savage exterior and signifies a moment of human emotion that he attempts to suppress
- Jack being described as ‘The chief’ also strips him of his identity and appoints him in a position of power over the rest of the boys on the island
- ‘the white and red clay’ symbolises Jack’s new and savage identity; effectively hiding his feelings and increasing his estrangement from his former self
- this marks his growing dependence on savagery as a way to assert control and overcome his own insecurities and vulnerabilities
- the ‘blush’ represents a potential moment of guilt, and suggests Jack is not entirely immune to the emotional impact of the violent acts he has committed - the mask symbolises Jack’s efforts to mask his humanity in order to fulfill his role as a ruthless leader
- the war paint also allows Jack to fully embrace his violent and authoritative identity
17
Q
‘He was a chief now in truth’ (ch.10)
A
- ‘in truth’ emphasises how Jack’s position as chief has risen from his desire for power, to his genuine claim of the role of chief, through his actions and control over the group
- Jack has fully embraced his authority, ruling with a brutal and unyielding grip
- this is significant as it highlights the nature of his leadership, and his ability to command through fear and force
- Jack has become a chief through dominance and has attained power through violence and intimidation, rather than mutual respect
- after Simon’s death, Jack’s control over the tribe becomes absolute and the ruthlessness and killing of Simon has solidified his status as chief - Jack has conquered the boys loyalty through being a tyrant
- the phrase ‘in truth’ also suggests that Jack feels a sense of vindication and satisfaction, and claiming the title of chief is a personal triumph for him
18
Q
'’This is my end and my tribe’’ (ch.11)
A
- “This is my end” marks Jack’s recognition of the inevitable outcome of his rule: the destruction of Ralph’s group and the finalisation of his power
- Jack’s lust for power has ended in the ultimate destruction of the opposite tribe which has resulted in a breakdown of civilisation and the death of morality
- “my tribe” reflects Jack’s ownership of the situation - his claim implying that he owns it and rules over it by force
- as Jack declares that this is ‘‘my end’’, he recognises the chaos he has created and his tribe represents the triumph of savagery over civility
- the tribe marks the loss of identity and humanity of the individual boys who make up the group and suggests how Jack sees them only as extensions of himself
19
Q
‘A little boy’ (ch.12)
A
- this emphasises the contrast between the innocence and helplessness of the children and the evil creatures they have become
- the ‘little boy’ is a reminder that they are still children, and underlines how the boys’ descent into violence was unnatural
- this also highlights the loss of childhood innocence into something darker
- this perhaps conveys how their time on the island has corrupted them, and they are deeply scarred by their experiences
- this phrase speaks to the tragic irony in the story: Jack has become savage, however he is still a child
- the idea of Jack as a ‘little boy’ also might be seen as a symbol of weakness, as the title of chief becomes hollow and meaningless as he is ultimately a child
20
Q
‘changed his mind and stood still’ (ch.12)
A
- this moment marks a shift in Jack’s behaviour and suggests that the presence of the naval officer reminds him of his moral compass which he once had
- this also suggests that Jack realises that his rule on the island is over, and he must return to the life he once had
