Final answer:
In 'The Lord of the Flies', Jack places a pig's head on a stick as a savage offering to the 'beast', symbolizing the innate human evil and the descent into barbarism among the boys.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the novel The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Jack puts a dead pig's head on a stick as an offering to the 'beast'. This action symbolizes the savagery and loss of civilization among the boys on the island. The head, known as the 'Lord of the Flies', becomes a powerful symbol for the innate human evil that Golding suggests exists in all people. Its presence on a stick is not only a gruesome image but serves as a physical manifestation of the fear and darkness within the boys' own hearts.
The pig's head also relates to the theme of death and decay, which can be circled back to the role flies play in nature, as they are attracted to dead matter for reproduction, signifying the depth of corruption reached by the boys. Similarly, the political cartoon featuring Andrew Jackson on a pig symbolizes the gluttony and corruption he brought to his administration, which reflects the novel's depiction of how power can lead to moral degradation.