The Sound of the Shell 2
English Lit: AQA GCSE Lord of the Flies, topic 2.1.2
Jack Merridew
Jack Merridew is the leader of the choir boys. He is also presented as a character who enjoys having power, and has little sympathy for others.
Other characters
- After a few moments after Ralph blows into the conch shell, more children begin to appear from the forest:
- Johnny and 3 other boys – around 6 years old.
- Another boy around Piggy’s age.
- Eric and Sam – twins.
- A group of choir boys.
- All of the boys are 6-12 years old.
Jack Merridew
- The leader of the choir boys, Jack Merridew, talks to Ralph.
- Jack commands the choir boys to stay in line.
- However because it is so hot and they have heavy choir robes on, one choir boy (Simon) faints.
Jack's character
- Jack allows the other boys to lift Simon up onto a rock.
- Then he orders them to leave Simon alone because he faints all the time.
- Jack is immediately presented as a character who enjoys having power, and has little sympathy for others.
Piggy's humiliation
- Ralph confirms to Jack that there are no adults on the island.
- Piggy tells Jack that Ralph blew into the conch shell to call a meeting, and then he begins to talk about the boys.
- Jack dismisses Piggy:
- Jack: “You’re talking too much. Shut up, Fatty.”
- Without knowing much about Piggy, Jack’s first conversation with him causes Piggy some humiliation (much like Ralph earlier).
Piggy's victimisation
- Ralph tells Jack that his name isn’t Fatty; it’s Piggy.
- This causes all of the boys to laugh and start chanting “Piggy!”
- It does not take very long for the boys to start victimising Piggy because he is different to them.
Society
- These initial interactions between Piggy, Ralph and Jack all show a nasty, unfair side of society: people harshly judging others for their appearance or the way they come across.
The Vote
The group decide they need "a chief to decide things” and conduct a vote. Ralph wins but allows Jack to retain control of the choir.
Finding a leader
- Jack says that they need to come up with a plan to be rescued.
- It is Ralph who says: “We ought to have a chief to decide things”.
- They decide to vote between Jack (who thinks he should be the island chief because he is the choir leader) and Ralph.
The vote
- The choir vote for Jack, but everyone else votes for Ralph.
- Ralph is elected as the chief of the island: “Every hand outside the choir except Piggy’s was raised immediately”.
Control of the choir
- Ralph gives control of the choir to Jack (“the choir belongs to you, of course”) which makes Jack start to like Ralph.
- Jack decides that he and the choir will be the hunters – he allows them to remove their robes.
Exploration
- Ralph and Jack decide to explore the island.
- Piggy wants to join them but is rejected (“We don’t want you”).
- Instead, they take a boy named Simon.
- Jack reveals that he has a knife on his belt.
Exploring the Island
Ralph, Jack and Simon head off to explore the island. As they explore, they play-fight and wrestle with each other.
Power over nature
- Ralph, Jack and Simon head off to explore the island.
- They follow an animal track and come to a huge boulder, blocking their path.
- Together, they push the boulder out of their way and stand on top of the mountain.
- This could symbolise them exerting their power over nature.
The island
- As they stand on top of the island, the boys are able to see that they really are on an island.
- There are no villages, smoke, or other civilisations on the island.
- The boys are excited at the idea that they can be the leaders of their own island and that they have plenty of food and water to sustain them.
A wild pig
- Walking back down the mountain, the boys see a wild pig tangled in vines.
- Jack pulls out his knife but pauses too long at the idea of killing a living creature (“They knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood”.).
Jack's shame
- The pig escapes.
- Jack feels ashamed that he hesitated.
- He promises Ralph that he will kill the next time he has an opportunity.
Test yourself on The Sound of the Shell 2
Which choir boy faints in Chapter 1?
Events of Chapter 1
In Chapter 1, who says: “We ought to have a chief to decide things”?
In Chapter 1, which characters head off to explore the island?
In Chapter 1, what symbolises the boys exerting their power over nature?