Ralph: The Complex Development of A Boy Removed From Society
William Golding’s literary masterpiece, Lord of the Flies, is closely examined by experts and amateurs for its powerful characters, themes, and plot. Golding’s characters evolve and mature throughout the novel, each losing a part of himself as the story progresses. After all, as one trades innocence and naiveté for maturity and understanding, his systems of beliefs and his thoughts must change. These changes are often a result of being removed from a familiar environment, in which case the individual is forced to adapt quickly to a new one. Throughout Golding’s insightful novel, the protagonist, Ralph, develops from an immature child with romantic ideals to a boy whose experiences have brought him maturity and wisdom beyond his years. The course of his friendship with Piggy, the thought of rescue, and the responsibility of assuming a leadership role cause Ralph to mature quickly, and ultimately forces his thoughts and beliefs to become similar to those of an adult: brutally realistic and weary of potential dangers.
The intelligent boy called Piggy is Ralph’s first companion on the island, and the development of their relationship from acquaintance to true friendship mirrors the growth in Ralph’s maturity level. Ralph proves to be quite inconsiderate at the start of the novel: against Piggy’s wishes, he tells the other boys Piggy’s unfortunate nickname, and when Jack forcibly takes Piggy’s glasses to star the fire, Ralph shoves him aside. Ralph is childish because he cannot stand up for those who are weaker than he is, even when he knows it is the right thing to do. Although he is relatively kind to Piggy, he thinks “Piggy [is] a bore; his fat, his ass-mar, and his matter-of-fact ideas were dull (Golding 59).” This description shows his immaturity and showcases the fact that Ralph has yet to learn some important lessons: to look past appearances, to appreciate one’s intelligence, and to understand that dull ideas are not necessarily bad ones. Ralph quickly realizes the importance of all these lessons when he realizes how valuable Piggy’s friendship really is: “Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief. But Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains (71).” Through several unfortunate events such as the death of the boy with the mulberry birthmark and the passing of the rescue ship, Ralph has realized the value of Piggy’s rational thinking. Very much like an adult would, Ralph finally looks past Piggy’s flaws (fat and ass-mar) to see his full potential. Piggy becomes Ralph’s advisor, and remains loyal to him even when all the other boys have joined Jack’s tribe. Eventually, Ralph stands up for Piggy in front of Jack, something he was not able to do at the beginning of the novel. When Piggy is murdered, the boys’ deep bond is broken and Ralph is devastated, later wishing he had his friend there to help him think of the sensible thing to do to escape Jack’s savage tribe. To Ralph, Piggy’s death was undeniable evidence of human capacity for evil, and it completed his mental transition from a naive boy to a wise individual. Had the circumstances never forced him to rely on Piggy for companionship, ideas, and support, Ralph would have never had this maturing experience. Over the course of the novel, Ralph’s bond with Piggy deepens substantially, and the influence of this true friend causes his thoughts to become less child-like and more mature.
