In this essay I will show my interpretation on how the most important characters in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies' could represents different historical figures through time, especially the history around Hitler and the 1st and 2nd World War. My evidence is the characters' behaviour and how they progress through the story. It may be that I cannot show that all the characters represent somebody but I will still try and explain the kind of people they could have in common to.
The first and probably most obvious character to deal with is Jack Merridew. Through the book he appears to be a very selfish and power hungry person. At first he goes along with Ralph being the chief as long as Jack himself can be the leader of the hunters. However because Jack is also easily jealous he soon tries to take control over the society among the boys.
He is especially jealous at the bond between Piggy and Ralph. At several occasions he mocks or makes sarcastic notions to Ralph.
"That's right. Keep Piggy out of danger.".
The way Jack behaves is like the dictators through history, and especially modem history, such as Hitler and Stalin. People who have gone against the old system, taken over it and in the end turned it to their own favour. I would like to mostly compare Hitler and Jack. Many times does Jack try and make Ralph a scapegoat to take over. Sometimes he directly attacks Ralph by accusing him and sometimes Jack simply refuse to follow his rules.
"You're breaking the rules!" (Ralph).
"Who cares?" (Jack).
This is very common to Hitler going against the German democratic system before he became the supreme leader. Hitler accused and refused the rules and position that Germany had.
Jack later on also appears to be a hypocrite. While Ralph is in control, Jack uses the authority of democracy, that is the conch, to tell all the boys that rules is something bad and they should not care. However when he becomes chief himself he quickly makes his own rules and starts to act like some sort of god.