Lord of the Flies (1st few chapters only) - Discuss the issue of leadership as presented in the novel so far

Ralph gains status from his possession of the conch shell, which gives him the authority to speak. This is an indication of civilization and ownership. He surveys the island from the summit of the mountain and he states it “belongs” to them. Ralph develops a society with rules and gives everyone a job and a purpose on the island. Ralph creates these rules based on justice, and allowing the boys to live fairly. This fits in with his democratic sensibility. Jack sees rules as a base for control and punishment. This is a reflection of his dictatorial personality and violent attitude, at the beginning it is jack who says, “We’ll have rules”, yet later he is the one to break them. Piggy sees rules as necessary to survive and whether it will contribute to their rescue. Golding uses the boys to show human development. First they build a fire, then shelter. Jack is more interested in hunting and causing pain and disorder than in contributing or constructing anything of use. Jack is a leader by force “ I ought to be chief”. He is arrogant and uncaring. He is a leader by fear “Jack turned fiercely, “you shut up!”

Lord of the Flies was written just after the Second World War and around the time of the cold war, between the USA, UK and USSR. The three boys represent the political leaders of these countries. Together, with a mix of all their skills, they would make the perfect leader. Individually they only cause conflict. The main conflict on the island is the conflict between jack and Ralph. “The two boys faced each other. There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilarating skill, and there was the world of longing and baffled common sense”. There is a conflict of ideas and strengths between the boys. “They were on different sides of a high division”, at the end the boys are divided by an invisible barrier each a leader in their own way. “ I was chief and you were going to do what I said.” Golding’s use of the past tense shows that inside Ralph knows he no longer has control, but keeps on trying as at the end when they are finally rescued, the Navy officer asks who is chief and Ralph says “I am”. It is Ralph who wants to keep the fire alight as knows that they need smoke, and ironically they try to kill Ralph with fire, and are rescued as a result of the smoke caused. Ralph finally achieves his goal of rescue just as everything seems lost.