In "Lord of the Flies," a classic novel by William Golding, the character Jack Merridew embodies the transition from civility to savagery, showcasing the darker aspects of human nature. He represents the primal instinct and hunger for power within humanity. This article delves into 10 key themes, each with 12 notable quotes from Jack, providing insight into his leadership style, conflict with Ralph, and his descent into madness. Through examining these quotes, we gain a deeper understanding of Golding’s critique of society and human psychology. This exploration of Jack's character provides a rich tapestry of thought for both literature enthusiasts and those interested in human behavior.
Quotes on Leadership and Authority
"We’ll have rules! Lots of rules! And when anyone breaks ‘em—"
"I ought to be chief... because I’m chapter chorister and head boy."
"You should have seen the blood!"
"Who’s going to join my tribe and have fun?"
"We want meat!"
"We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief."
"The conch doesn’t count on this top of the mountain."
"This’ll be a real hunt! Who’ll come?"
"I’m going to kill the pig."
"The beast is a hunter."
"I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you."
"He’s like Piggy. He says things like Piggy. He isn’t a proper chief."
Quotes on Power and Control
"I’m chief! I was chosen!"
"We’ll raid them and take their fire."
"My hunters will protect you from the beast."
"The conch is gone—"
"We don’t need the conch anymore."
"Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Spill its blood!"
"See? They do what I want."
"The fire is the most important thing on the island."
"They let the bloody fire out!"
"I ought to be chief because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. And I can sing C sharp."
"I said ‘grab them’!"
"The head is for the beast. It’s a gift."
Quotes on Fear and The Beast
"Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us."
"This head is for the beast."
"Fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream."
"The beast is a hunter."
"We’ll kill the beast."
"We’re going to forget the beast."
"If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down."
"There isn’t a beast. There isn’t a trace of it on this island."
"He’s a spy; you look like one."
"Serve you right if something did get you."
"We don’t need the conch any longer."
"This will be a real hunt."
Quotes on Chaos and Savagery
"Bollocks to the rules!"
"Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Bash him in!"
"We’re strong— we hunt!"
"We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat—"
"Sharpen a stick at both ends."
"We hurt Piggy. We’ve killed Simon."
"We aren’t savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything."
"No! How could we—kill—it?"
"The mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness."
"We’re going in circles."
"Which is better—to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is?"
"We hunt and feast and have fun."
Quotes on Civilization vs. Barbarism
"You and your blood, Jack Merridew! You and your hunting! We might have gone home—"
"Ralph thinks you’re cowards, running away from the boar and the beast."
"He’s not a proper chief."
"Jack had him by the hair and was brandishing his knife."
"We’ll have rules! Lots of rules!"
"Ralph is like Piggy. He’ll call an assembly."
"I’m going to be chief. Who’ll join my tribe?"
"If there’s a snake thing, Mom’ll worry."
"Conch! Conch! We don’t need the conch anymore."
"Hear him! He’s like Piggy."
"We mustn’t let anything happen to Piggy."
"We shall take fire from the others."
Quotes on Conflict with Ralph
"You’re talking too much. Shut up, Fatty."
"Why should choosing make any difference? Just giving orders that don’t make any sense—"
"We want meat."
"Just an ordinary fire. You’d think we could do that, wouldn’t you? Just a smoke signal so we can be rescued."
"This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grownups come to fetch us we’ll have fun."
"He’s like Piggy. He isn’t a proper chief."
"Who are you, anyway? Sitting there telling people what to do. You can’t hunt."
"Ralph was on his feet too, shouting for quiet, but no one heard him."
"I was chief. I was chosen."
"You and your blood, Jack Merridew! You and your hunting! We might have gone home—"
"He’s just a Ralph. That’s what it is."
"Why shouldn’t I run away? I’m the chief, why don’t we run after them?"
Quotes on Human Nature
"The rules are the only thing we’ve got."
"I know what you’re thinking. No one will notice that I’m not ordinary. They’ll think you’re great."
"I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you."
"I ought to be chief."
"We can’t have everyone talking at once. We’ll have to have ‘Hands up’ like at school."
"Who cares what you believe—Fatty!"
"Which is better—to have laws and agree, or to hunt and kill?"
"We know who ought to say things."
"The littluns are frightened."
"The attraction of wildness and violence became almost civilized among them."
"I was going to! I was choosing a place. Next time—!"
"Jack, Jack is ashamed of himself."
Quotes on Survival Instincts
"If there’s something you ought to do, there’s something worth hunting and having."
"We must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire."
"We don’t want you three, we want some meat."
"We’re all hunters. We all kill."
"You want a real pig."
"We need meat."
"If you want fire to put on a pig’s nose, you’ll have to do what we say."
"You’re no use on a hunt. You can’t sing."
"I was choosing a place. Next time I’ll not go to school."
"You caught pigs and this time it was fine, but next time."
"I’ve been watching bivouac flies."
"You wouldn’t care, would you?"
Quotes on Chaos
"Which is better—to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is?"
"Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong—we hunt!"
"What d’you mean by not joining my tribe?"
"The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away."
"We’ll kill a pig and get forearms decorated with a boy’s head."
"Don’t you understand, Piggy? The things we did—"
"He’s not a proper chief."
"He’s like Piggy. He is not a proper chief."
"Who’s going to join my tribe?"
"A second after that, Jack, Jack Merridew began to cry."
"You let the bloody fire out!"
"Run when you see the beasties."
Quotes on Identity and Masking
"The mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid."
"The face of red and white and black swung through the air."
"A mask rubbed on his shoulder became a violent face."
"Before I could see my face. Now I can stop looking at myself—"
"With the paint on, I’m a savage untouchable."
"A ship with sail and figurehead will teach the world."
"The painters masked the thoughts in them—“You’ve got to leave them behind.”
"No fear! Come here and hide when you see them."
"We’ll dance and hunt and do anything!"
"Beneath the mask was a black savage spirit. It looked back."
"We are crazy."
"You wouldn’t dare!"
Final words
Jack Merridew's quotes serve as a chilling reflection of the darker sides of human nature. Through his desire for leadership, power, control, and his struggle with civilization versus savagery, we witness Golding's exploration of humanity's innate flaws. Jack’s character challenges readers to reflect on the delicate balance between societal norms and primitive instincts. The tension between order and chaos, conflicting leadership ideals, and the symbol of the mask illustrate the complex interplay between identity and conformity. Golding's narrative through Jack presents the thought-provoking idea that when stripped of the constructs of society, humans may easily revert to primal instincts. The profound and unsettling nature of these quotes urges us to contemplate the essence of authority, the depths of fear, and the true potential for both order and savagery within us all.
