Sunday, December 21, 2014

In Lord of the Flies, how is Jack involved with Piggy's death?

Jack is indirectly involved with Piggy's death.  I would like to make it clear that Jack does not kill Piggy.  Roger kills Piggy in chapter eleven when he pushes a huge boulder down, and it smashes and kills Piggy.  


The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, traveled through...

Jack is indirectly involved with Piggy's death.  I would like to make it clear that Jack does not kill Piggy.  Roger kills Piggy in chapter eleven when he pushes a huge boulder down, and it smashes and kills Piggy.  



The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, traveled through the air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went. The rock bounded twice and was lost in the forest. Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across the square red rock in the sea. His head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed. Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and when it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.



Jack is indirectly involved with Piggy's death, because it is Jack who causes the boys on the island to start believing in a might makes right mentality.  Ralph attempts to lead through a sort of democracy, while Jack favors a dictatorship.  Strength and violence are what Jack's camp supports, which is why Roger is able to get away with the constant tormenting of the little kids and the general sadism that he exhibits throughout the story.  Without Jack, I believe that Roger's personality would have been held in check by Ralph and the rest of the boys.   

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