Lord of the Flies In Chapter 8 a split occurs among the boys and they are divided into two tribes(TM). What factors led to this split?
Topic: In Chapter 8 a split occurs among the boys and they are divided into two ‘tribes’. What factors led to this split? IntroOSTh.SBP1 methodMethodMethodMethodBP2Conc.‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding was published in 1954 after Golding’s experiences in WWII. The novel deals with a group of British school boys who are evacuated out of England by plane to escape a fictional atomic war. Their plane crashes on an island in the Pacific and the boys are forced to survive until they are rescued. In Chapter 8 a split occurs among the boys and they are divided into two ‘tribes’. In addition to the conflicting personalities of the two main characters, an overall psychological decline also occurs as some boys slowly choose to follow their instincts in preference to order. These two factors cause the group to become divided. From early in the novel a conflict begins to emerge between Ralph and Jack over the issue of leadership. The first sign of Ralph’s leadership potential is his physical comfort and relaxed attitude on the island. This contrasts Piggy who is physically overweight, clumsy and uneasy about the prospect of no adults. Ralph is clearly dominant from the outset of the novel. We see this in his interaction with Piggy in the first chapter: “Sucks to you auntie” “Sucks to your
ass-mar!”This shows that Ralph feels self-confident and prepared for survival on the island because he dismisses Piggy’s physical weakness and his ties to the female adult. However, Golding also shows that Ralph is sensitive to Piggy when he, Jack and Simon leave the group to explore the island. We see that he apologises for using Piggy’s nickname and gives him the responsibility for taking names. I think that this shows Ralph, despite his playful put-downs, recognises and respects Piggy’s intelligence and this perception is a sign of his leadership qualities. The second character to establish himself as a leader is ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
ass-mar!”This shows that Ralph feels self-confident and prepared for survival on the island because he dismisses Piggy’s physical weakness and his ties to the female adult. However, Golding also shows that Ralph is sensitive to Piggy when he, Jack and Simon leave the group to explore the island. We see that he apologises for using Piggy’s nickname and gives him the responsibility for taking names. I think that this shows Ralph, despite his playful put-downs, recognises and respects Piggy’s intelligence and this perception is a sign of his leadership qualities. The second character to establish himself as a leader is Jack. Jack is first seen leading the choir in a military-style march and Golding uses description of Jack’s appearance to mark him as a figure of authority: “The boy who controlled them was dressed in the same way though his cap badge was golden.”Golding uses imperatives in Jack’s opening speech to reinforce his authority: “Choir. Stand still!”Like the relationship between Ralph and Piggy, Jack also has to deal with a weak character, but there is no sympathy shown towards the fainting Simon. This hints at a ruthless, dictatorial quality in Jack which is confirmed in his reaction to an election for the position of chief: “I ought to be chief!”Golding’s verb suggests that he perceives leadership to be his right rather than a responsibility that requires thought and hard work. This is further emphasised in Chapter 3 when a clear conflict emerges between Ralph and Jack. Ralph is motivated by the need for survival and rescue which is why he insists on a signal fire and hut building. However, Jack is more concerned with his macho pride in killing a pig. This has disastrous consequences in Chapter 4 when a chance of rescue is missed because Jack ordered Sam and Eric away from the signal fire. This event shows that Jack’s leadership is short-sighted and only centred on his own glory. Another event which shows their conflicting styles of leadership is in response to the littluns’ fear of a “beastie” in Chapter 5. Ralph calls a meeting to try and establish a sense of order and also “Talk about this fear”. In contrast, Jack dismisses their fear in a bullying manner. “Anyway, you don’t hunt or build or help – you’re a bunch of sissies.”Jack’s bullying nature eventually turns him into a totalitarian leader. Golding uses the connotation of nouns such as “Castle”, “throne” and ”chief” to reinforce this. When Jack runs off after his failed coup in Chapter 8 he has “tears” his eyes, which indicates his frustration at not being able to assert his power. On the other hand, Ralph’s cry of “Jack…No!” indicates that he would prefer a collective, united, cooperative style of organisation. These different personalities and ideas of leadership are the main factors which led to the split in Chapter 8.Another factor which led to the split in Chapter 8 is the psychological state of the boys which is also shown in the characters, Ralph and Jack. Jack shows early signs of a vicious temperament at the end of Chapter 1 when he slams his knife into a tree and promises “no mercy” next time after he fails to kill a pig. Golding also uses animal imagery to describe Jack at the beginning of Chapter 3: “dog-like” “apelike”This description of Jack shows that he is regressing into a primitive state. This is reinforced by Jack’s face-painting in Chapter 4. Jack does this out of a belief that he will be able to hunt more efficiently: “I cut the pig’s throat… There was lashings of blood.”This shows that by masking his civilised human appearance, Jack is able to expose his inhumane viciousness. This is clearly seen in the killing of the sow in Chapter 8 which is more an act of blood thirsty sadism than a hunt for food. Golding uses connotations of pagan ritual to show that Jack is regressing into a pre-Christian practice: “This head is for the beast. It’s a gift.” This shows Jack’s delight and determination to satisfy his primitive instincts. On the other hand, Ralph, though attracted to some of Jack’s wildness, is more cautious and reserved. For example, in the game with Robert in Chapter 7, Ralph wants to “get a handful of that brown , vulnerable flesh”, but he also reminds everyone that it is ”Just a game”. I think this shows that Ralph also has the potential for violence if he surrendered to his instincts, but he is still able to hold onto the moral codes of civilisation. Golding also shows this through the characters’ appearance. While Jack eagerly hunts semi-naked on all fours, Ralph shows dislike for his unwashed teeth, torn clothes, dirty nails and tangled hair at the beginning of Chapter 7. I think this shows that Ralph (at least unconsciously) does not want to share in the decline into savagery which he sees among Jack and the hunters. This is shown through his repeated insistence on rules because “That’s all we’ve got.” Ralph’s attempt to hold onto a sense of moral, civilised behaviour and Jack’s delight in following his instincts is the main psychological reason for the split in Chapter 8.In conclusion, the boys’ separation into two tribes is due to the different political and psychological attitudes of the two leaders, Jack and Ralph. I think Golding uses these two characters to warn us that civilisation is not a thing that we should take for granted because it can easily slip into chaos. TSStatementIntroduce exampleExample = long quoteExplain effectStatementEx. = referenceExplain effectStatement + introduce exampleEx. = long quoteStatement Ex.=long quoteExplain effectStatement +introduce exampleEx.=long quoteExplain effectStatement= introduce ex. Ex. = referenceExplain effectStatement +introduce ex. Ex.=longquoteExplain effectConc.Sentence =return to qs.RestatementFinal comment