Jack plays a very significant role throughout the novel. During the novel, Jack is portrayed as Ralphs rival and is often shown as the definition of what Golding calls, ‘mankind’s essential illness’. Roger is Jack’s right-hand man – He is to Jack as Piggy is to Ralph. When looking at these two characters it is easy to assume that Golding’s view of human nature is a pessimistic one.
At the start of the book Jack shows a belief in a democratic society, “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages.” Jack convinces the boys that there must be laws and codes of conduct otherwise the island will descend into mayhem and savagery. This is quite ironic as at the end of the novel Jack has led a revolt against Ralph’s egalitarian society and begun his own savage tribe which is led by Jack only – a dictator. Although, it seems as though Jack merely wants rules because with rules comes punishment, “Then when anyone breaks ‘em-”. Jack doesn’t finish the sentence but implies that there will be consequences to those who don’t follow the codes. However, shortly after Jack speaks of a perfect democratic society Jack speaks again, “I ought to be chief.” Jack bluntly elects himself as chief of the boys; this shows that from the start Jack shows tendencies to disagree with the rest of the boys and shows a preference for a dictatorship. Just before this occurrence, we meet Roger, “A slight, furtive boy whom no one knew, who kept to himself.” From the outset Roger is picked out from among the others as being different, a boy who prefers to be alone, he is described as having ‘an inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy’. As the novel continues Roger, like Jack, opts at the start, for a democratic leadership over the boys, “Roger stirred at last and spoke up. ‘Let’s have a vote.’” Roger is the first to suggest a vote for who should be chief.
The vote between Jack and Ralph at the beginning of the book is a very important part. This is the...