Jack Merridew Lord Of The Flies Effective Leader Essay

The Most Effective Leader – Lord of the Flies “Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty.” (Plato) No democracy can be successful; they will always transmute to autocracy. It may seem as though a society where everyone is treated equally and has the same amount of power to influence others would be ideal, however this type of government is not effective. A legitimately effective leader can never allow decisions to fall into the hands of others, and must retain power over others at all costs. In William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”, Jack Merridew is an evident example of a leader that is truly effective, as he possesses a variety of aspects that can be

“’Listen all of you. Me and my hunters, we’re living along the beach by a flat rock… If you want to join my tribe come and see us. Perhaps I’ll let you join. Perhaps not.’” (Golding Chapter 8) At first, this short speech by Jack seems to simply tell the others that he is starting his own tribe, however his method of doing so is powerful and important. He starts by addressing Ralph’s group, using the sentence “’Listen all of you’”. This immediately shows that he looks down upon them, and is being exclusive. Later in the quote, when he is telling them what to do if they want to join his tribe, he uses the word “’us’”. By being inclusive when talking about his tribe, Jack is able to create the impression that his tribe is superior and better than that of Ralph. Additionally, in that very quote, Jack talks about letting the other children join. By using the phrases “’Perhaps I’ll let you join. Perhaps not.’”, Jack establishes that he has power over the others, and shows that it is strictly his decision who will join. It seems from this as though it is a privilege to join Jack’s tribe, not just an option. By doing this, he not only shows that he has power over the group, but also that he is a powerful person overall. Later in the novel, during the feast, Jack’s manipulative nature is shown again. “‘I gave you food,’ said Jack… ‘Who will join my tribe?’” (Golding Chapter 9) Even though Ralph also provided food for the boys, getting the meat was Jack’s strength. Since he told them a reason to join his tribe, and then immediately asked them if they would, the rest of the boys were more inclined to listen to him. By stating what he did better than Ralph, Jack was able to use one of his strengths against his opposition. From these sections of evidence, it is apparent that Jack’s manipulative nature helps him