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The Moral Compass in Lord of the Flies

 


             Jacks savagery becomes more visible through his interactions with others over time. For example Jack at the beginning of the novel Jack hesitates killing a pig because he knows what he is doing is wrong. "The three boys rushed forward and Jack drew his knife again with a flourish he raised his arm. There came a pause a hiatus the pause was only long enough for them to understand the enormity the downward stoke would be." Later in the novel Jack beats one of the boys in his group without a reason "he is going to beat Wilfred What for Robert shook his head doubtfully." By stating this, the author shows how Jack had no just reason to beat Wilfred and maybe his reason was for the enjoyment of beating Wilfred. If Jack at first could not kill a pig and then later in the novel began to beat innocent people it shows how living on the island without a strong sense of civilization or rules allowed him to embrace humanity natural side in a situation in which we are not afraid to act out our thoughts.
             Through out the novel there are many symbols that can reveal Jacks character, the symbol that represents it the most effective is the mask. In the novel it appears that he can only play his role as a savage truthfully is when wearing the mask. The author makes this point true when begins to allow it to take control of his thoughts and actions allowing him to be free of all rules and thus granting the possibility for him to embrace his true inner savage. "The mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-conscious come on ill creep up and stab the mask compelled him." It's clear the author wanted to portray a human being in there truly natural state. In order to do so he has Jack allow the mask to take away shame and self awareness so he can show what we as humans do when we lose all shame and self conscience revealing our hidden inner being which is a savage.


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