Lord of the Flies: who would make the best leader?

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Before considering a persons’ suitability as a leader it is first important to evaluate exactly what constitutes a good leader. A worthy leader must be mature, confident, able to delegate and prioritise, logical, level headed, have the ability to evaluate a situation and a willingness to compromise when others do not agree.

Ralph 

  • On the island Ralph is soon elected as leader. The boys respected him because he had the conch however notably it was in fact Piggy who found the conch and instructed Ralph to use it – to Ralph the conch was just “a worthy plaything”.
  • Similarly the boys were perhaps drawn to the order and ‘democracy’ imposed by Ralph; “We’ll have hands up like in school”
  • Ralph is able to delegate and compromise when his appointment as leader seems to anger Jack; “the Choir will belong to you”. For one so young this ability to maintain peace within the group is very mature.
  • Ralph has a caring disposition and ensures that he looks after the littluns: “we can’t leave the littluns alone with Piggy.” As such Ralph earns himself their respect and trust; “I was frightened and started to call out for Ralph”.
  • Ralph is also practical and logical; “we’ll eat first then go” and unlike most of the group, seems to understand the importance of rescue; “we must make smoke at the top of the mountain, we must make fire”. He also suggests the building of shelters.
  • He accepts his responsibility as leader and is brave enough to put himself in harms way in order to keep the rest of the group safe. “I’m chief, I’ll go.”
  • He seems to have a keen understanding of the nature of the other boys; “he had learnt as a practical business that fundamental statements like this had to be said at least twice”.
  • Very early on in the novel Golding states that Ralph had a “face that proclaimed no devil”. Essentially Golding is explaining through physical descriptions that Ralph is not vindictive in any sense – which in the situation on the island is a crucial leadership quality.
  • Ralph is confident – “This was the voice of one who knew his own mind”.
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However there do seem to be times when Ralph cannot assert any authority over the boys.

  • For example “Ralph was on his feet too, shouting for quiet, but no-one heard him.”
  • Perhaps Ralph also lacked a certain concentration (particularly nearing the end of the novel). “He lost himself in a maze of thoughts”.
  • At times Ralph is shown to be quite immature. For example when he first arrives on the island his primary inclination is to stand on his head.

Jack

From the beginning it is very ...

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