Do we like them?

Do we like Jack Merridew?

A character from Lord of the Flies (1954)

Our score: 1 out of 10. No. He starts out merely bossy and ends up ruling through fear. Those who follow him pay for it, so we wouldn't back him.

Jack is the head chorister at a boys' school, used to giving orders and being obeyed. When a plane crash leaves a group of boys alone on an island with no adults, he arrives leading his choir in neat lines. He expects to lead, and he is angry when the boys vote for Ralph.

Ralph gets the title of chief, so Jack takes charge of the hunters. His real drive is the hunt, and it slowly crowds out the boys' priorities of keeping a signal fire alight and building shelters. He is charismatic and brave, and he gives the frightened boys meat and a sense of belonging. That appeal is why he keeps winning them over.

He scores low because he plays on the boys' fear and gives up on rules and responsibility. Over time he turns the hunters into a tribe in which he alone decides, and he is willing to hurt anyone who stands in his way. He is a clear picture of how a group's order can break down.