The Truth about These Leaders...

The Truth about These Leaders… 

              In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of boys from England land on an island after being evacuated due to a nuclear threat. One of their leaders is Jack Merridew. He is irresponsible has red hair, freckles, and a knife. Much like Adolf Hitler, Jack was a dictator. Both Jack and Hitler steal power, use violence to keep their power, and blame others to take attention off of themselves.  

Jack and Hitler both steal their power. Jack takes Piggy’s glasses Golding states, “From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses.” (2). The glasses were important because they helped them make fire. Without the glasses, Ralph would not have had that much power. The glasses also represented the only way to cook food, stay warm, and get rescued. On the page  "The Holocaust Explained," it is stated that, "Between 1939 and June 1941 the German army invaded and occupied many countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Yugoslavia, Greece, Norway and Western Poland." (4). Hitler took entire countries and this gave him more power. Both Jack and Hitler take power that was not theirs.  

Jack and Hitler both use violence to keep their power. Golding writes, "He got angry and made us tie Wilfred up" (2). Jack tied up Wilfred up and beat him. This is important because this shows Jack becoming violent and using violence to keep power. On the page "United States Holocaust Memorial Museum," it is stated that, "The vast majority of ghetto inhabitant's died from diseases or starvation, were shot, or were deported to killing centers" (1). Hitler made people suffer and die because of the conditions in the ghetto. Both Jack and Hitler used violence to maintain their power. 

Jack and Hitler both blame others to take attention off of themselves. Golding writes, "He isn't a proper chief..." "He's a coward himself." (2). Jack takes away Ralph's power by calling him a coward. This makes Jack look like a better chief. It makes the boys forget the mistakes Jack has made. On "The History Place," it is stated that, "During his rise to power, Hitler had repeatedly blamed the Jews for Germany's defeat in World War 1 and subsequent economic hardships."(3). Hitler told the Germans to blame the Jews, so he could start a war. Both Jack and Hitler often blamed others to take attention off themselves and give themselves more power.  

Jack and Hitler are both dictators because they steal their power, use violence to keep their power, and blame others to take attention off of themselves. Both Jack and Hitler were rough on their followers. Nothing was ever their faults and they kept everything for themselves. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited 

1. "Ghettos." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial  

Council, 29 Jan. 2016. Web. 02 June 2016. 

2. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Penguin, 2003. Print. 

3. "The History Place - Genocide in the 20th Century: The Nazi Holocaust 1938-45." The  

History Place. 2000 The History Place, 2000. Web. 02 June 2016. 

4. "Which Countries Did the Nazis Occupy?" The Holocaust Explained. London Jewish Cultural 

 Centre, 2011. Web. 02 June 2016.