- No longer than one page
- Typed- Double spaced
- First Sentence should define the topic of their greatest similarity.
- Think about our class discussions on: anger, environment, power, etc.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Lord of the Flies -The Monsta and Jack
Compare and contrast the character of Jack from Lord of The Flies to that of Monsta Cody from the 60 Minutes video we watched in class. Be certain to focus on at least two differences and two similarities with ample examples of the behavior from the text and video. Specific text is needed to support your perspective on Jack, and a detailed reference to the video will be sufficient for Cody.
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Monsta Cody and Jack both share a distinct love of violence. For Jack, vividly describing the grotesque killing of a pig gives him a feeling of power and strength. “There was lashings of blood,” said Jack, laughing and shuddering, “You should have seen it!” (69). As for Monsta Cody, he also felt that killing gave him a sense of purpose and a better status within his community. In the 60 minutes interview, he said that he deeply respected those that were brave enough to kill. Even at the age of eleven, Cody spoke of the thrill he got from being able to take someone’s life. Another similarity between the two is that they are both a product of their environment. The lack of adult-created structure on the island leaves Jack to act without consequence. As things begin to fall apart Piggy, Ralph, and Simon all grieve about the lack of adults. “At home there was always a grownup. Please, sir; please, miss; and then you got an answer. How I wish!” (94) Cody too lacked an adult structure as a youth. The only true structure available in his community was that of the gangs. When interviewed he explained how within his society you were either the victim or the assailant. Although they are similar, there are some significant differences between the two. Their environment shapes them both but Jack has a more innate evil within him. For instance, Jack had a knife with him that he must have carried around school. “Jack snatched from behind him a sizable sheath-knife and clouted it into a trunk.” (24) In Cody’s case if it weren’t for his place of birth, he may have never killed a single person. Another noticeable difference between them is loyalty. Jack bases all his decisions on how they will affect him, and is highly self-centered. “I got the conch–” Jack turned fiercely. “You shut up!” As for Monsta Cody, he has loyalty for his gang members and wouldn’t do something to betray them.
Jack Merridew, a fictional character from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and Monsta Cody, a true “original gangster” share many obvious parallels, but all of these stem from the fact that both Jack and Cody were influenced by a harsh and demanding environment. An island and a gang’s alleyway can be very similar territories with regard to a driving need for power and control, added to the equally needed sense of respect. Respect, for example, was something Jack and Cody attained through acting congruently with their environment. “‘I killed the pig,’ said Jack, proudly,” (ch4.69). Ideas of self worth from violence permeate life for Jack. Cody’s life is similar, as killing becomes part of what one does everyday. It became normal for Cody as if it was his duty, having said the ultimate goal was to spill as much blood on the other side as possible. When Jack killed the pig and when Cody killed members of rival gangs, both enjoyed respect from their group. Another similarity exists in the need to simply survive. “The mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.” (ch4.64). While Cody had no literal mask for protection, there was the membership to the neighborhood gang, which provided a certain safety and protection from its own violence.. Of course, there are differences as well. For one, at no point does Jack feel regret about his behavior, where as during the 60 Minutes interview, Cody claims to be remorseful saying he would renounce murder. Also, Jack’s origins are from the well structured society of Britain, more specifically his choir, as shown when Jack states, “‘Choir! Stand still!” (ch1.20). As revealed in the interview, Cody’s father was not present in his upbringing and had a mother who was unable to help his transformation. So both the similarities and the contrasts of Jack and Monsta Cody are essentially products of their environment, an agent of influence in all of humanity.
Monsta Cody, the true "gangster", and Jack Merridew, from William Golding's the Lord of the Flies, are similar to each other for they both have a strong passion for violence. Jack's passion for violence is present when he decides to make his choir group the hunters; "Jack's in charge of the choir. They can be- what do you want them to be?" "Hunters." (23). Jack's desire for his followers to become hunters shows how he wanted to do something that would give him pleasure and a sense of power, which this desire for power leads to his corruption. Monsta Cody's passion for violence was revealed when he said that the first time he held a gun was when he was 11 years old, and that was also the first time he shot and killed someone. Cody's murder obviously showed his violence, which is similar to Jack's violence; hunters are also technically killers, so if Jack had to kill one of Ralph's men, the chance that he would is very high. Another similarity between Jack and Cody is, when they both committed their first crime, they both felt some pleasure in the act of doing so, and the killing also gave a sensation of power. When Jack cuts the mother pig's head off and stabs it onto the double ended spear; "Jack held up the head and jammed the soft throat down on the pointed end of the stick which pierced through into the mouth..." (137); he shows absolutely no signs of hesitation, and after he mounts the head, he feels happiness for being able to kill the "beast". For Cody, seeing how he was named "the legendary gangster", just that name shows how he has killed so many, and in order to kill so many, it takes a lot of gut, and absolutely no hesitation; thus both Jack and Cody are rather similar to each other. Although they are similar, everyone is different, so there are some definite differences between the two of them. For one, Cody said that he would renounce killing all of those innocent people, where as Jack never shows any of this feeling and is thus a little more cold-hearted. Another difference between Cody and Jack is the environment that they were in when they went into the darkness of human nature. Even though both of their feelings for power and anger are similar, their environments have also changed them; for Jack, he may not have had a choice of whether to start killing animals- because they needed to survive, and for in order to survive, you need food, thus he started killing. But on the other hand, Cody was never stranded on an island, and he had a choice of whether to start killing people or not. Cody grew up in a hard situation with bad parents, but when he was first introduced to the gun, he never had to use the gun to kill anyone. Cody only continued to kill people because of his strong loyalty to his new family, his gang. If both Jack and Cody's childhoods had been nice places with no problems, then they both probably wouldn't have given into the darkness in human nature.
Both Jack’s and Monsta Cody’s biggest similarities are that they both kill and do things that others think of as animal like actions or not right. In Lord of The Flies, when Jack does anything, there is at least one person on the island that thinks it is extremely wrong. One example is when Jack punched Piggy in the stomach and slapped him in the face; both Simon and Ralph did something other than talk that showed that they weren’t happy. Ralph: “Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head.”(71) Simon: “He went crouching and feeling over the rocks but Simon, who got there first, found them for him.”(71) Also, in 60 Minutes Cody had betrayed the law many times which kept him in jail. When ever people would see him or even talk about him they would also think of him badly and that he does things like an animal would do. On the show when his lawyer talked about him she said that he was a very intelligent man, but could probably kill you the first time he shook your hand. Another similarity is that they both become leaders of something that is totally wrong. Jack becomes a leader of a group that goes out hunting and playing all the time but not for the reason to help everyone stay alive in the dangerous wild or be rescued. “It’s them that haven’t no common sence that make trouble on this island.”(132) Cody also becomes a leader that encourages others to be strong by shooting innocent people and disobey every single law which leads them to living in a jail sell for the rest of their lives.
A difference that both Jack and Cody have it that Jack kills Pigs. “We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief.”(133) But Cody kills innocent people that he thinks needs to be killed. Another difference is that Jack’s consequence towards his actions is not being rescued. “You and your hunting! We might have gone home-” (70) But Cody does which is the police finding him and putting him in jail for a long time.
"Monsta" Cody and Jack Merridew have some similar characteristics even though one is a gang boss and the other is a preppy British kid. They both share a love for killing and are always hungry for power. "Monsta" killed and committed acts of violence to move up through the gang hierarchy, to gain respect. During his sixty minute interview he clearly expressed his constant need for respect and to be the leader. He said blatantly and openly, that he respected someone if they had the courage to take another person's life away. Jack clearly revels in his acts of bloodshed and. “There was lashings of blood,” said Jack, laughing and shuddering, “You should have seen it!”(pg 69. The other similarity is the hunger for power and prestige. As mentioned before, "Monsta" killed as an eleven year old just to gain respect and to someday become a leader. Jack also clearly wishes to be leader and will do what is necessary, and if anyone tries to stop him, they will clash and no holds are barred. As soon as the call for a chief is voiced, Jack puts in his name. "I ought to be chief, because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing in C sharp." At other times in the book, Jack vies for power and in the end he gets it, taking care of his rivals with violence. Though both violent and what some would call crazy, Jack and "Monsta" have many differences as well. Though they were both raised in harsh and taxing environments, one thing remains different. In the interview, Cody's mother says that they was no gang violence in their neighborhood and that Cody would have to have sought it out to find it putting blame on "Monsta". Jack is in a somewhat different position, in the fact that him and his group of British school boys are in direct contact with violence every day in their search for meat. This doesn't make what Jack did right, but allows him to be more easily influenced and fall back to his more primal state faster. "We're strong - we hunt! We kill! If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down! We'll close in and beat and beat and beat-" (pg 91) They are also different in the respect that Jack is incredibly stupid while "Monsta" is charismatic and intelligent. "Monsta" talks with confidence and in a way that shows his brain is always at work. Jack hardly uses his head for anything, "Who cares! Bollocks to the rules! Who needs them anyway!" (pg 91). So, even though Jack and "Monsta" Cody are similar in their actions of violence and brutality, their inner selves show that they can also be quite different.
The biggest similarity between Jack and Monsta Cody is that they both want to be respected and accepted by society. Both Cody and Jack have a drive for violence as well. Cody has grown up with no adult figure or sense of family in his life. His father left to play football, leaving Cody in the hands of his mother. His mother had to work two to three jobs at once just to support them. Since Cody had no sense of family, he turned to a gang, and began his life on the streets. Jack, on the other hand, is now stranded on a deserted island, and is stuck with a group of boys younger than him. When the boys agreed that they needed a leader, Jack said “I ought to be chief…because I’m chapter choirster and head boy...” (22) He wants power, just as Cody did. They also both have a knack for showing multiple personalities. Cody claimed that when he was released, he wouldn’t return to gang violence…but many did not believe him. Jack can be nice, and does sometimes aide the group, but is often very manipulative. Jack breaks off from the group, which he was a member of, for his own, where he can be leader, and gain the respect he wants through fear. Cody left his family because there was no one there for him, to look after him, and to ask how his day had been. Jack and Monsta Cody are two completely different characters, however. Jack wants power more than a sense of family. He is determined to win power, and his main technique is fear. Cody believes that he is fighting back for his people, who don’t get as much respect as he would like. Cody killed his first person at age 11, and has stayed loyal to the gang. Jack has only killed a pig, and frequently gloats about it. Jack says “There was lashings of blood…you should have seen it!” (69) Both Jack and Monsta Cody are looking for respect, but violence is not necessarily the way to gain it.
-natalia
Monsta Cody and Jack from Lord of the Flies are different and similar in many ways. One way they are different is that Monsta Cody grew up in a nice neighborhood, even though in Lord of the Flies there is no information on where Jack grew up, where he was on the island there weren’t any real rules or laws, but where Cody grew up there were rules and laws he just decided to break them and he had to pay for them by going to jail. Another difference between the two is that Monsta Cody wasn’t afraid to kill but Jack was afraid to kill at first. “You cut a pig’s throat to let the blood out,” said Jack “otherwise you can’t eat the meat.” “Why didn’t you--?”(31). Later he does build up the courage to kill the pig though. “I cut the pig’s throat,” said Jack, proudly, and yet twitched as he said it. (69). Yet another difference between Cody and Jack is that Monsta Cody had to pay for what he has done by going to jail but Jack really hasn’t had to pay for what he has done so far.
One similarity between Monsta Cody and Jack is that at points in their life there were like no adults around. Monsta Cody’s mother worked like 3 jobs and there just wasn’t an adult that could be with him all the time or someone he could go to. Another similarity between them is that they both have been mean or have done stuff that they should not have.
Although similarities and differences between two people define their characters, the main similarity or difference set the mood for the audiences’ opinions. Monster Cody and Jack Merridew both wanted one thing among their society and that was power. The struggle that each had to bear for power did not stop them but only inspired them to continue on with their mission.
Jack and Monster Cody shared many similarities through their journeys in becoming the authorized figure. Both ha a certain motive or direction that they were willing to take. Just as he said in 60 minutes, Monster Jack chose the violent way and that was to commit murder. As his reputation started to fly, Cody had no choice but to continue his work because he thought that if one gains power, he cannot let it go. Although his technique was different, Jack also made way for power. He chose the method of nonviolent resistance during the beginning of the novel. As the boys were voting for chief to be Ralph, Jack protested against it. “I ought to b chief, because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C Sharp” (22. 14-16). Not only did he resist once, but a little further along the story, Jack decides to leave the majority and create a minority.
Similarities are shared between these two power hungry people, but they differed in a way that may have changed the audiences’ opinions. Monster Cody did not have a choice. He was raised in a violent society and his upbringing by his parents was not able to affect what he saw, heard, or sensed around the neighborhood. It can be said that he was almost forced to become what he became. In his childhood society, there was not one person that could have survived without authority and they went to full extent for power. Jack, on the other hand, chose to gain power. He had a choice to either support society or go against it and he chose the minor decision.
- SP
Jack and Monsta Cody share their similarities of aggressiveness and savagery. The two are very similar in their wants and like of killing. Both individuals feel that killing gives them a sense of respect. “I killed the pig,” said Jack, proudly,” (pg 69). Jack is proud of killing the pig and wants everyone to acknowledge him slaughtering the pig. Monsta Cody said killing gave him a sense of respect from his fellow gang members. Both Monsta Cody and Jack grow up in an environment that forces them to resort to violence, with no guidance. In the documentary, Monsta Cody only had his mother for help. His father never met him and his godfather couldn’t always be there for him. He spent most of his days in the streets and his actions demonstrated that. Jack has no grownups around him to give him guidance from being a violent killer. “At home there was always a grownup. Please, sir; please, miss; and then you got an answer. How I wish!” (pg 94) The lack of adult mentoring causes Jack and Cody’s violent personalities to bloom. Jack is different from Cody because he wants power to do wrong and is a control freak. “I ought to be chief…because I’m chapter choirster and head boy...” (pg 22) He only wants power and control to do wrong. In the interview, Cody said he joined the gang because it was customary for every kid in his environment to do so. As a small leader, Jack showed violence against his peers. “Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head.”(pg 71) Jack’s violence towards Piggy shows that he isn’t friends with anyone. Cody was always loyal to his gang members, and now fights for peoples’ rights in Africa. He at least had a sense of unity and respect. Although they have the same violent ways, Jack and Monsta Cody’s inner selves are completely different.
Monsta Cody and Jack are both fueled by violence. After first killing a pig Jack starts to becomes crazy about violence “There was lashings of blood, said Jack, laughing and shuddering, you should have seen it!” (pg.69). Monsta Cody was the same way once he started killing it was hard to stop doing it. Although Cody may have killed people instead of pigs like Jack their blood thirst was still very similar and scary. To Jack and Cody killing something was an accomplishment. “I killed the pig, said Jack, proudly." (pg.69). A huge difference between the two is that Cody had to go to jail for his actions but Jack didn't because he did not live in a civilized society like he did. Also it is shown in the video that we watched that Cody's life in prison has changed him into a better man, unlike Jack who has not shown any change in his blood thirst. Both Jack and Cody have been shaped by their environment and child life without any parents to tell them what is right or wrong.-hunter f
Both Monster Cody and Jack love violence and like what they are doing. They both like power and want people to follow them. They also plan ahead. both of the people like killing and say that is gives them power/strength. Both of the people lacked the nurture of their parents, for Jack no adults on the island and Monster Cody never spoke with his parents because they were working all the time. A difference is Jack can't have any consequence because their is no law on the island and Monster Cody grew up in a nice society and he choose to talk to bad people on the street and this is how he became bad and was jailed. Community and their surroundings both have to do a lot with how people are affected same with the environment.
-tk
Jack Merridew and Monsta Cody will do anything to have the most power possible. Jack sacrificed the chance of survival to appear strong and have power over the other boys. "We can light the fire again. You should have been with us, Ralph. We had a smashing time" (pg 69). Like Jack, Monsta Cody sacrificed his chance of a normal life to be cool and have power. He lived in a suburban neighborhood with people who cared about him, but he still felt the need to throw away his life for power and death. They are also similar because Jack and Cody both persuade people into following them. "'The rest are making a line. Come on!' 'But-' '-we-' 'Come on!'" (pg 64). Jack was able to convince some boys to abandon Ralph and the fire to go hunting with him. Monsta Cody said that he was an important part of his gang so he must have been able to convince people to follow him. One major difference between Jack Merridew and Monsta Cody is their environments. Jack is on an island and is behaving the way he is because he is a scared child trying to survive. "We are on an island. We've been to the mountain top and seen water all around"(pg 32). While Monsta Cody is in an environment that is ruled by peer pressure and the need to be accepted. He found his acceptance through a gang that he was peer pressured into. Another difference is that on the island there is no ultimate punishments for the boys' actions so they can never learn what they did was wrong. Monsta Cody was sent to jail for what he did and there he realized what he did is wrong and is now trying to change things for others. Monsta Cody and Jack Merridew have similar problems each in their own different environments.
Having a sense of righteousness resonates in Monsta Cody and Jack
Merridew. For Monsta Cody, murdering opposing gang members for a death, turf, and so forth gives him a sense of righteousness because he helps his gang. For jack murdering pigs for meat gives sense of righteousness because he is feeding the boys. These two characters have similarities and differences. One of their similarities is the prestige gained by murdering animals.
Both people have gained titles by their groups. Cody has gotten the title of "Monsta" because of his killings of other rival gang members. Jack has gotten the title of "chief" by the lost boys because of his giving of meat, "' We'll hunt and I'm going to be chief.' They nodded, and the crisis passed easily." (pg.133). Even though they have similarities, they also have differences. One difference is their environment.
Cody grew up in an environment that told him that you had to be something or nothing. To be something you had to join a gang, and to be something in a gang you had to kill. On the other hand, Jack was thrusted onto the island. This island forces him to live. For him to live he wants meat and therefore hunts. Although, they kill, they kill different creatures.
Monsta Cody kills humans, while Jack kills pigs. Killing humans is taking a mind that can be put to use. Killing pigs gets humans food. There are differences between Cody and Jack.
But also similarities between them. In conclusion, jack and Cody are takers of life. However, they have a difference of taking life.
Both Jack and Monsta Cody want to belong in society. They take lives and fling apart the dignity and egos of others so that they may feel secured in their place. Jack kills pigs, and Monsta Cody kills humans, but the meaning is the same. They take apart others qualities so that they may be accepted. For Monsta, the society he craved to belong into was The Crypts. For Jack, the group was the survivors on the island. He degrades others so that he seems a better person. “And you shut up! Who are you, anyway? Sitting there telling people what to do. You can’t hunt, you can’t sing…” (91). Both groups “needed” them to kill to belong. Jack needed to provide food and the Monsta needed security from the gang itself. It was a choice. Either be the hunter or the hunted and these people chose to be hunters.
The environments that the two lived in are similar, at least in spirit. The city is a jungle of buildings and the fruit of the trees is money. For some, like the Littuns, life can be a simple existence by picking up fruit. But Monsta and Jack have ambitions and goals, and wish for better fruit. They not only want to live, they want to control. Pressures from other people and from themselves drove them to become who they are. Jack was pressured mainly by himself to hunt. Monsta Cody also convinced himself to join the Crypts. “If you weren’t the aggressor, you were the victim”. Monsta seemed to believe that he was protecting himself by joining a gang, instead of putting himself in harms way. Both Jack and Monsta begged to belong and were willing to risk anything or anyone to get it.
Monsta Cody and Jack bear a striking resemblance in the fact that when confronted with a brutal, bloody, and violent scene, they are untouched or undeffected. Often in life when confronted with even mere death, most people get at least a small chill. That is where Monsta Cody and Jack are seperated from the rest, they are cold-blooded and have no feeling for those who have passed, and no fear of blood and gore. “There was lashings of blood,” said Jack, laughing and shuddering, “You should have seen it!” (69). Jack is excited over the site of gore, not by the least hurt or nervous. Similar to Monsta Coday, who killed an obsurd amount of people in even more obsurd fashions. Though they won't admit it, they both have a small amount of anger toward the world and this is their way of unleashing it. Killing may give them both a sense of power and confidence, almost is if they are in control and they are calling the shots. Overall the Monsta and Jack are very similar, though they have some differences. Monsta Cody did his killing, because of a rival gang, there has been history and he is doing it because he is told that, not because he has a complete grudge with anyone on the other side. Jack is killing, because it is necessary for his survival, even if he does enjoy it. The two characters are both very brutal and take no shame in hurting and killing others.
Both Monsta Cody and Jack have been negatively influenced by there environment because three was no one there to guide them before it was too late to bring them back. For example Monsta Cody lived in LA, were there are a lot of gangsters. He never really saw his dad much and his mom worked 2 or 3 jobs. So he had to revert to his primal instincts, seek out the strong and roll with them and that’s exactly what he did but got mixed with the wrong people. By the time his mother knew Cody was too far on the verge of transforming into what he called a “hero”. Jack’s environment shaped him to be barbaric. This transformation occurs because he has to survive on this island, with not parents, which means no guidance between right and wrong, as seen on the mask scene. “He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He capered toward Bill, and the mask… which jack had hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness”. This also shows there similarity, that they both have a thirst for blood, Cody and his murders, and Jack and his pigs. A difference between the two delinquents is that Jack doesn’t have control anymore; he has lost it. “Kill the pig. Cut his throat. Spill her blood”. But Cody has still his intact state of mind, since he wrote a book about his unfortunate experiences. Another difference between the two monsta’s, is that in the begging of there transformations, Cody wasn’t hesitant to kill but Jack was. “He hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood”. There are many differences and similarities between the monsters but a monster is still a monster.
-HS
Jack from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and Monsta Cody experience the demands of their environments in similar ways. Jack, stranded on an island with only a small group of boys, and Cody, trapped in the circle of threatening peers both face similar problems. Neither control the place they ended up, but each control their position in their society. They both felt the need to lead, and they both lead well. Status is important enough to both of them to cause them to struggle and fight their way to the top with persistence. They were both fighting for survival in their demanding environments and they both achieved leadership during their fights. Jack and Cody love violence and use it to get what they need. Jack is a hunter and loves killing pigs for food but will not hesitate to take advantage of a human in the same way. While a young boy, Robert is pretending to be the prey, Jack gets carried away and chants “Kill him! Kill him!” (114) and the “play” becomes violence. “The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering” (115). Cody also describes killing as necessary in his position. He says that if a person chooses not to be the assailant, they will become the victim. The difference between Jack and Cody is their expectation of people and their loyalty. Cody’s gang is like a family. They come together to fight other gangs. In Jack’s case, he shows no connection towards the boys and will leave them anytime he feels unwanted. “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you” (127). Another of their differences is whether they are threatened by consequences or not. In Jacks world, adults don’t exist, and there is no one to tell him he has done something wrong. He lives by his own expectations. Cody’s interview tool place in jail so he obviously has rules to live by that he did not decide. Cody’s killings and violence are considered wrong whereas Jack feels no obligation to abide by rules.
Monsta Cody and Jack are both very brave people. Jack is brave to be living in an island with no adults and to survive and be a leader. Meanwhile, Monsta Cody is brave to be in a part of a gand and to kill people at the age of eleven on the day he graduated sixth grade. Both the Monsta and Jack are very violent people. Jack was furious about not killing a pig and stabbed his knife into a tree stump and said “There was lashings of blood,” said Jack, laughing and shuddering, “You should have seen it!” (69). Monsta Cody is also extremely violent. When the interviewer asked him how many people he killed he said he didn’t know, probably because he killed so many. In addition, Monsta is in prison because of murder. Aside from their age and physical features, Monsta Cody and Jack are not so different. One difference is that Monsta kills people because he says it is enjoyable while Jack has to kill to survive. Monsta is also much more intelligent than Jack. Jack should be smart and reason with everyone else on the island, instead of causing conflict while Monsta is able to write a book while in a prison cell. Also Jack kills because he wants to be leader. “We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief.”(133). While the Monsta kills for enjoyment and satisfaction. Monsta Cody and Jack are both very similar and different.
-Dylan B.
Jack and Monsta Cody both are very similar to each other in the regards to their love for violence. Monsta shows this love as he calmly describes how he has killed multiple people and even admits to enjoying himself as he committed these crimes. Jack on the other hand, his violence is more directed towards the hunt and animals at least so far. He shows this love on page 69 saying things such as “There was lashings of blood,” and “You should have seen it!” (69). Another blatant similarity is their desire to be accepted and respected by their community. Jack demonstrates this after the group denies him of the respect he believes he deserves when he says "I ought to be chief, because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing in C sharp." and the storms of to start his own group in which he uses fear to gain authority over his people. Monsta on the other hand joined a gang to become accepted in his community and used fear to gain the respect of all around him. Although very similar these individuals have differences as well. The first difference is that Jack has no adults to guide him at all on the other hand Monsta did have adults in his life, although they were not there all the time. Another difference is that Monsta was killing human beings and Jack has only killed pigs so far. These individuals although their actions are very similar they truly are worlds apart.
Jack and Monsta Cody share the same erg of getting control. Monsta Cody said in the 60 minutes that if he does a job he wants to do correctly and not half done. Jack shows this quality when he becomes a skilled hunter. They both show when they do a not so pleasant job they start to let their jobs control their thoughts. “(Jack) He snatched his knife out of the sheath and slammed it into a tree trunk. Next time there would be no mercy.” (31). Jacks actions in this quote show that since he didn’t kill the pig he takes it personally and now thinks he has to kill a pig to show he is still a powerful figure, just like Monsta Cody .
Monsta Cody and Jack also don’t have father figures in their lives. This shows that when there are no laws in forced or guidance provided children don’t understand what is civilized and savage. Monsta Cody didn’t have a father figure to tell him when something is bad and something is good so Cody turned to a gang for that support. Jack is doing the exact same thing; he is breaking away from the group and creating his own, so he is turning to his peers for support and to follow him.
Monsta Cody and Jack are different because Monsta Cody has harmed and kill people in a stable environment. Jack, on the other hand, has not yet killed anyone in an unstable environment. Monsta Cody is very different then Jack because he killed people everyday when he knew the consequence and took his chances when Jack thinks there is not consequence on the island and thinks it is right because he is losing his mind. Monsta Cody is classified as a killed. Jack is classified in need of mental help.
Monsta Cody and Jack are also different because Jack hasn’t killed anyone yet when Monsta Cody has killed many people. This shows Jack as only a child still and doesn’t have the guts to kill someone. Monsta Cody on the other hand is a grown man and now he pretty much knows that he is a horrible person for killing people. Jack is just a child and won’t be able to kill a person.
Jack Merridrew, from William Goldings Lord of the Flies, and Monsta Cody, the "gangster", share many similarities as well as differences. Jack and Monsta both have a strong passion for violence and they both seem to feel like violence will make them bigger and better people, not to mention make people afraid of them and think that they are the best. Both Monsta and Jack enjoy killing things and putting them through agony. Jack shows his love for violence when he kills the pig. "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood" (69). Monsta enables us to see that he finds pleasure in violence during the 60-minute video, let alone the fact that he was put in jail for killing someone. Jack and Monsta share yet another similarity, which is leadership. Both the boys want to be the best and they want everyone to look up to them. It is told in the video clip that Monsta killed someone at such a young age because he felt that that would bring him the respect and leadership that he wanted. Jack's yearning for leadership is shown in Lord of the Flies, by the fact that he will do just about anything to get people to follow and listen to him. "I ought to b chief, because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C Sharp" (15). Jack and Monsta don't only share similarities but they also have many differences too. The knowledge of the two is very different. Monsta shows in his interview and how he wrote a book, that he is a very intelligent person and is very wise and he knows how to put his mind at work. Whereas Jack is not the brightest bulb and he rarely uses his head to get him anywhere. Another difference between Jack and Monsta is the consequences that they face when they do something violent or cruel. Monsta, as we see, is put into jail for his actions. But Jack doesn't have to worry about any major consequences seeing as there aren't any adults on the island. Jack and Monsta have similarities of violence and leadership but at the same time are completely different, like when it comes to the consequences and their knowledge.
--Hannah
Monsta Cody and Jack both reflect the uncivilized part of human beings. Both of their ability to kill without regret amplifies their ego and sense of security. "I cut the pig's throat," said Jack, and proudly... “There was lashings of blood,” said Jack, laughing and shuddering, “You should have seen it!” (69). Jack is overly proud of inhumane behavior. His reason of enjoyment however is the feeling of safety. If he is able to kill, then there are little chances of getting killed. In the 60 Minute interview, Monsta Cody mentioned this and it was as real as it gets. This was the basis of survival in the early uncivilized human days. The major cause in such happenings is childhood events or rather a lacking of good childhood events. In the interview, Monsta Cody said that he really grew up without a father figure. Living with no male figure other than gangsters outside the house has its pile of negative influences. Having that has his environment, that is what he depended on and based his life and future as. In the condition of Jack Merridew, it seems that he was just left alone to live and lead. Again, no adult to guide a young boy that has a lot of growing up to do.” Jack snatched from behind him a sizable sheath-knife and clouted it into a trunk.” (24) Jack’s mind was set up to gain control, to survive, and gain respect. He accomplished this using fear and his aggression. The environments for both are hard to deal with and different in a lot of ways however, the end result is a corrupt and uncivilized human being.
Jack and Monsta Cody both show a compassion for violence and murder. Both people are at a young age when they first start to get into the state of loving murder. In the movie Cody said that he was only eleven years old killing someone gave him a good feeling he said, it gave him power, to controls someone’s life. Jack also was around the same age; when killing the pigs on the island gave him a sense of power, and made him feel good, like no one could stop him. “‘I killed the pig,’ said Jack, proudly,” (69). In both situations Jack and monster Cody lacked supervision. Cody did have a mother and a godfather that watched out for him but because his father moved out Monsta's mother had to work very much and could not be around. Without supervision all the time, he lashed out, thinking that since no one is around he can do what he wants. In Jack's situation, he is stuck on an island and there are no adults around. Knowing that there is no one to stop him from doing something wrong, Jack also lashes out. He loves to kill the animals, and if an adult were around, he would not be the one to go out and hunt. "At home there was always a grownup."(94) There are also differences between Jack and Monsta Cody. Jack has followers; he has the choir that he is in charge of. Having the choir makes Jack feel that he has more power and control. “‘Choir! Stand still!” (ch1.20). Cody on the other hand is just part of a gang. Most likely he has no control over them. With no control over a certain group, Monsta kills more living creatures than Jack because of lack of power, and the more people killed the greater feel of power. Another difference between Jack and Monsta is that Monsta is more loyal to his gang. In the gang he said that they looked out for each other, they did not just let each other go out and die. On the other hand, Jack didn’t care about his group, he just wanted his own power, and not to have to look after other people. All Jack cares about is himself and no one else. “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you” (127).
Monsta Cody and Jack have a trait in common-they like seeing and being part of violence. These too characters have may have different personalities, but they outcome of their actions give them the same "great" feeling. From Jack's point of view, he feels domination or strength from killing the pig. "There was lashings of blood," said Jack, laughing and shuddering, "You should have seen it!"(69). Jack felt as if he were better than the others, superior because of his actions and control. For Monsta Cody, he experienced the same emotions and thrill after commiting a murder. Monsta Cody started killing others at the age of eleven, and throughout the interview he stated that it was what everyone did-if you didnt you wouldn't be looked at as having a high social level. Another similarity these two had in common was that the enviornments they were in made them realized their actions and what they were used to-especially for Jack. The meaning of this is that jack was used too having adults around whenever he needed, but on the island it became every man for his own-or so it seems. After the disagreements between the boys, they all realized that they depended on the adults in teir lives and realized how much they revolve from the adults in their lives. "At home there was always a grownup. Please, sir; please, miss; and then you got an answer. How I wish!"(94). As Jack and the others noticed this situation, so did Cody. Cody was out on the streets at age eleven, and his mother wasn't around a lot. With the lack of time his mother spent with him, his community(family)was with the gangs on the streets. In cases like these, you can either be the attacker of the victim, neither of which are desirable. Jack and Cody were both the attackers in their situations. Jack had a knife that he must of had for a while and used it as his weapon. For Cody two things affect his situation;who he was associated with and what the times were like, not mentioning the weapon. For Cody he was pressured by his gang members to do things he might not have ever done if he wasn't part/one of them. Both of these characters also have passion and loyalty to what they belong to or what they want to follow. They were both two people who could have made different decisions, if they had thought about the outcome-which isn't an easy thing to do.
~a.p
Monsta Cody from the video 60 minutes and Jack, a fictional character from Lord of the Flies by William Golding, have similar aspects of their personality yet also some different ones. Both boys are influenced by their harsh surroundings and share a love of violence. "There was lashings of blood!" said Jack, laughing and shuddering, "You should have seen it!" (69) Jack finds it funny to hurt others. He doesn't realize it to be a bad thing, he sees it to be a strong thing. Monsta Cody felt as if violence gave him a purpose of living. It made him feel strong and in control. He spoke of the thrill that he got from having someones life in his hands, being able to decide whether they will live or die. Both were influenced by their harsh and lonely surroundings to become violent, savage-like, humans. Although Monsta spent most of his time on the streets and his father did not pay much attention to him and his life, he had a caring mother and beautiful home in a nice neighborhood. Monsta chose not to say no to gang life and stick to more civilized activities. This was a path that he chose for himself he easily could have prevented himself from going down this dark road. Jack however is stranded on an island with no parents. On the island it's every man for himself. With these low standards you are destined to become a bit crazy. Jack could not save himself from this harsh image he is creating.
Jack and Monsta Cody share a strong overpowering craving for power. They both feel they must dominate and be the best, or someone in turn will grow stronger and gain control over them. With the dominance and power they obtain their actions a love for violence arised from both of them. Jack obsessed over killing a pig; he wanted to feel power over the creature the way he wished to feel power over others. Monsta Cody came to love violence from social endorsement. His peers in the Crypts were all murdering and committing violent crimes and he wanted to be the best, he wanted to dominate so he joined in the slaughtering. Although Jack and Monsta Cody share quite a few attributes, they differ in many ways as well. According to the common morals of our society, to take the life of an animal, greatly differs from taking the life of a human being. Jack kills pigs. He kills them violently and with passion, but he is a hunter, and he is getting meat for the boys, which serves a beneficial purpose in their group. Monsta Cody is a murderer. He takes the lives of human beings with no beneficial purpose to society, in fact the opposite purpose, to disrupt society. Marking a distinct difference in Jack and Monsta Cody, they both kill for fun, but Jack's killings have purpose and are animals, Monsta Cody murders people without cause or benefit. Being in prison as long as Monsta Cody was gave him enough time to think about what he had done, almost like a child being sent to his room to contemplate his actions. He realized his crimes were wrong and made a genuine effort to change, writing a book to prevent future gang violence. Jack has not yet come to the realization his actions are hurting others and that his violence is wrong.
Monsta Cody and Jack are similar due to their love of violence. Both Cody and Jack have the ability to slaughter and kill without being phased by their gruesome actions. “‘I killed the pig,’ said Jack, proudly.’ (69)” Jack shows a sign of pride and excitement at the thought of killing the pig. Monsta Cody and Jack both resort to their violent actions because of the environments in which they were in; they both felt that they needed to kill in order to survive. Jack and Monsta Cody also share the desire for power over others. "'I ought to be chief,' said Jack with simple arrogance, 'because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.’ (22)”
One major difference between Monsta Cody and Jack is that Jack killed in order to survive, but Cody killed and it soon became his “lifestyle” and thought of it as his occupation. Jack killed the pig because he thought that it would make a good meal for him and his boys, and Cody did it simply because he enjoyed the act of murdering. Another difference between Cody and Jack is that after being arrested for murder, Cody claims that he realizes his actions were wrong and inhuman. After slaughtering the pig Jack doesn’t seem to be affected and doesn’t show regret for his cruel decision.
Monsta Cody and Jack Merridew, from William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”, both share an extreme love for violence. In the interview with Monsta Cody, he talked about how liked to kill people. “Kill the Pig. Cut her through. Spill her blood.” (69). Jack and the hunters were chanting that after they had killed a pig. Both Jack and Monsta Cody like to kill, and neither feels very guilty about these actions. Another similarity between the two is that their environments greatly effect their decisions. Jack is stranded on a deserted island where he wants to be in charge and hunt all day. Monsta Cody goes to school were you are either part of a gang or you were a victim of gang violence, he decided to join a gang at a young age. “There was lashings of blood…You should have seen it?” (69). Obviously Jack enjoyed killing the pigs, he also greatly enjoys hunting. Monsta Cody talked about how he also enjoyed killing people and when he killed someone he would get this rush. Even though the two of them are similar because of their love of killing they are different. Monsta Cody killed people and in result is in prison. Jack only killed animals. Also, Monsta Cody does seem intelligent because of the way he talks and when he answers questions he answers them intelligently. Jack, from the book, does not come off as intelligent but hot headed and impulsive. Finally Jack Merridew is a fictional character while Monsta Cody is a real human being who has actually committed these crimes. These two people are similar mainly because of their love of killing but they are also different.
~ED
Jack from Lord of the Flies, by William Golding and Monsta Cody both share the need/want for power and control. Jack wants control and power over the boys. “I ought to be chief. (Pg. 22)” Jack wants to be the one who makes the decisions and controls outcomes. Same with Monsta Cody he wants to control the outcome of life or death by doing so he feels the sense of power that he wants. Another thing Jack and Monsta have in common is there acts are based upon the environment they are in. Jack has to behave violently because he has no survive and has no other option. While Monsta behaves violently because he was peer pressured into it and kept doing it because it was a thrill. Jack has no choice in the matter but Monsta could have chosen either way. Jack and Monsta are both power hungry and violent, however the choices and environments they live in and deal with are different.
Monsta Cody and Jack both think there are justified reasons to kill someone. First of all they have both killed and want to keep killing. Monsta only kills because he clams “they deserved it” and won’t kill unless he thinks they deserved it. Jack on the other hand will only kill because he needs to survive. Monsta will kills because he is crazy and was born crazy, Jack kills because he has reverted to his savage ways because of being stranded on the island. Monsta is the more capable of the two to be able to be rehabilitated. He is (or was at the time of the video) in jail, and in jail you can’t kill and there are people trying to teach you how not to kill. Jack is stranded on the island with many things that can be killed. And worst of all there are no consequences for Jacks killing, so he will keep going until he has nothing left and probably dies on the island.
The biggest similarity between Jack and Monsta Cody is that they are both skilled killers and both of them, to some extent, take pleasure in it. In the film, Cody said that he was only eleven years old when he first killed someone, and that it gave him the feeling of power within his gang. Similarly, the first time Jack killed a pig, he felt excited and powerful. “There were lashings of blood” said Jack, laughing and shuddering. “You should have seen it!” (69) As the book progresses, Jack also becomes more skilled at hunting and killing pigs, like how to track them. Monsta Cody was also skilled at killing; the film stated that it would become like a calling to him, almost like a job. Another similarity was that both Monsta Cody and Jack were very young when they first started killing. At their age, their own sense of judgment was not fully developed and they could be easily influenced by their environment. On the island of Lord of the Flies, Jack felt that he had to prove himself by killing a pig and the society he was in made him feel that way. Monsta Cody said that he never had a father figure in his life and his mother and the adults close to him were rarely there to create a loving environment for him to grow up in, so he was most influenced by the many gangs in the area where he grew up. There are also, however, many differences between Monsta Cody and Jack. The most important is that Monsta Cody has been punished for his actions, and Jack has not. This is because of the kinds of creatures that they killed. Monsta Cody killed people, and therefore was seen as a criminal and charged with murder. Jack, on the other hand, killed animals. The boys on the island saw killing pigs as a necessity and let him hunt. He was not punished because there were no grownups on the island and because, in our society, killing animals is not nearly as serious as killing humans. Through examining their motives and environments, one can see the many similarities and differences shared by Monsta Cody and Jack.
-Hannah C.
The character of Jack Merridew in Lord of the Flies and Monsta Cody from the 60 minutes video are similar because they demonstrated a propensity towards violence. Jack and Cody both killed at an early age. When Cody was only 11 years old, he was given a shotgun by a gang member and instructed to fire at the opposing gang multiple times. He did this without reservation. In the Lord of the Flies Jack was obsessed with killing pigs and later, the "beast". "'I cut the pigs throat', said Jack proudly."(p69) Jack and Cody enjoyed killing. They also made poor decisions based on their desire for power that put them in jeopardy. Jack said, "Ralph, I'll split up the choir-my hunters that is-into groups and we'll be responsible for keeping the fire going."(p42)
"'You let the fire out,', Ralph said."(p69) Although the boys needed food, it was more important to get off the island and Jack failed here. Cody made a poor decision by joining the gang. Rather than trying to be a good citizen, he thought by joining the gang he would become more powerful.
Jack and Cody lived in very different environments. Cody lived in a working class neighborhood in Los Angeles. it wasn't the best of neighborhoods but not everyone who grew up there became a killer. Jack experienced a different environment. "The ground beneath them was a bank covered with coarse grass, torn everywhere by the upheavals of fallen trees, scattered with decaying coconuts and palm saplings."(p9-10) A deserted island is an odd place for a child to grow up. Another difference was adult supervision, or lack of it. Although Cody's Mom worked three jobs to support them, she did try to help Cody the best she could. Unfortunately, Cody gravitated towards adults involved in crime. On the island Ralph said, "Perhaps there aren't any grownups anywhere."(p8) Without any adult supervision to guide them, Jack broke away from normal values to become more angry and savage. Jack and Cody were young men raised in different environments whose need for power
led to their violent behavior.
Monsta Cody and jack are very similar in their way that they use violence to solve their conflicts. Jack is obsessed with hunting and is quite bloodthirsty. Monsta Cody used to be obsessed with murder, crime and robbery. They are also different in the way that Monsta Cody rejected his gang violence and does not do it anymore, but Jack just wont quit. Jack wants more blood; and doesn’t see that his violence is affecting the boys on the island. If jack wasn’t so bloodthirsty and violent, they may have been off of the island. Monsta Cody rejects all gang violence and is working towards a cause. He is helping out his community and learned his lesson from his time in prison. He believes that he has truly turned around and that he does not have to be the powerful gangster he thought he needed to be. If Jack can learn the lesion from Monsta Cody, then the boys will be off the island and the conflicts will be resolved. Jack has to put away his selfishness and violent acts in order to achieve power.
Jack and Monsta Cody share a weakness. Monsta Cody and Jack both are easily affected by peer-pressure and their surroundings, to the point where their surroundings define who they are. They also have a mutual yearn for power in the face of uncertainness and fear. Monsta Cody and Jack both love violence and do not think very thoroughly before they act. These two characters are very much alike and in time we will see Jack develop into more of a Monsta’s characteristics.
The biggest gaping similarity between the two is their ability to be affected by the surroundings. Monsta was born in L.A. and currently serving a seven-year jail sentence for gang related crimes. He has written a book with “government pencils” and “scrap paper” while spending twenty-two hours a day in solitary confinement. He describes his book as “383 pages of gore”. This is showing that he has obviously made some wrong choices along the way. Monsta claims that this is due to the environment where he grew up. He says that “only the weak wouldn’t join gangs” and “if you weren’t in a gang you we’re going to get hurt”. In Lord of the Flies Jack becomes increasingly savagely and inhuman. This is because of the environment or more specifically the lack of a stable society. Both would be stronger characters if they could hold their integrity in the face of danger. Another similarity between Monsta and Jack is that they both want power when they are afraid. Monsta tries to move up the gang latter just as Jack is afraid of the new setting and wants to be the leader of the boys.
However there are many ways the two are different as well. Jack hasn’t yet shown us that he is as vicious as Monsta. He has not killed a human thus far and he has not done anything past hint at his personality being egotistical and violent. In the coming chapters it may be seen that Jack is a Monsta type character but as of now it has only been foreshadowed.
sean connolly
William Jenkins
Monster Cody and Jack
Monster Cody and Jack have multiple similarities and differences between them. Both of them have aggression run through their veins. Jack has become aggressive on the island, not at home like Monsta Cody. “Jack drew his knife again with a flourish (31)”. Monsta Cody was just aggressive by nature. He told 60 Minutes that the people that he had surrounded himself with influenced him. Both of the alpha males are also ferocious people too. “He rolled over and peered in Jack’s fierce face (52)”. Jack wore his ferocity on his face and Monsta Cody showed it with actions. He went on to tell a story of the gang life and the killings that he had committed. These similarities bring out the differences of these two figures as well. With the same quotes it is possible to tell a few differences. As previously stated, Monsta Cody showed his ferocity by example. Jack wore this as a facial expression. Also, the aggression by the two people in this situation was brought out for different reasons. Jack had to adapt to survive and that is where his aggression came from. Monsta Cody got his aggression from the gang life which he felt he had to be a part of he told 60 Minutes.
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