Lord of the Flies Essay: Importance of Ralph

Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel by Nobel Prize-winning author William Golding. The novel discusses how culture created by man fails, using as an example a group of British school-boys stuck on a deserted island who try to govern themselves with disastrous results. The story stances on the already controversial subjects of human nature and individual welfare versus the common good; and the novel widely explores certain themes-most that relate to the inherent evil that exists in all human beings and the malicious nature of mankind. In Lord of the Flies, Golding shows how the boys' gradual transformation from being civilized, well-mannered people-turns to a savage nature; and their inner 'ritualistic beast' develops. This culminates in a vivid and disastrous ending that is both significant and allegorical. Throughout William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, a post apocalyptic scenario is portrayed in which a group of young British schoolboys are stranded upon a desert island, as aforementioned. The beast within; an evil longing for power, which is developed by the build-up of fear, gradually begins to manifest itself inside each of the boys-although they all deal with it in very different ways. Ralph, the athletic and charismatic protagonist, is seen as one of the key characters to withstand this base of evil nature; and he shows a strong sense of leadership and

  • Word count: 2598
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Lord Of The Flies - Ralph Monologue

Lord Of The Flies Ralph Monologue (A boy stood adjacent to a fire on an island, looking resentful) Should never have let this happen. Should never have let this happen. (Ralph shaking his head) Jack's an idiot, bloody idiot. Divide and rule. What does he think he's playing at? Does nobody want to go home? I miss my family. Don't they miss theirs? I just can't understand (sighs). What's wrong with him? It's his fault we're still here on this stupid island. He should have watched the fire like we said, not disappear off into the jungle. Showing off, "I cut the pig's throat." So what. Who cares! We can all do that if we want to, anyone can be a hunter. It's so pointless, he did it on purpose we were nearly there. He did it on purpose, I know he did. (Ralph quietens down momentarily appearing thoughtful) If only Jack had done as he was told we would never missed that ship. Stupid face painting, do that at six not at his bloody age. (Kicks the ground in exasperation, throws his hands around his head grabbing his hair) When we worked as a team, couldn't Jack see the benefits of that. He must have had rules at home. If only they'd obey the rules like they used to. (Reaches for the conch) The conch, obey the conch. That's what we had agreed, obey the conch! (Shaking his head) Piggy should have some ideas but he's lazy and weak. Jack scares him. Jack the bully. Jack

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  • Word count: 604
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Lord of the Flies- Jack vs. Ralph

Camilla Mauritzen English IB 1K Ms. Lake 22.09.08 Compare and Contrast two characters- Ralph and Jack Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a book about a plane crashing onto a deserted island with the only survivors being children, all of them boys, who were on that plane. This novel was meant to portray boys being just that, -boys. Boys doing exactly what boys would naturally do, not what boys should do in order to become perfect angels. Much of the idea behind the descent from civilization to savagery is based on Golding's real experiences during World War II. They set up a kind of society to stay together, and they hope that they will, hopefully, soon be rescued. Two of the first characters we meet in Lord of the Flies are Ralph and Jack. The two of them are natural leaders and compete with each other to gain the most power. They are both friends and enemies, as they both want the same thing but do not know how to work together to achieve what they want. Ralph is a born leader, he may sometimes be careless, and he really strives to get off the island they get marooned on. He is described as "handsome", with fair hair and an athletic build. His very name tells us alot about his personality, originating from the Anglo-Saxon language and meaning 'counsel'. Just as this implies, Ralph is calm natured, thinks clearly through things (or at least tries), and thinks

  • Word count: 1361
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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The Character of Ralph in Lord Of The Flies.

Alex Oliver 11K The Character of Ralph in Lord Of The Flies In the novel, Lord Of The Flies, Ralph is a twelve year old boy who has been stranded on the island as well as the other boys. He's a young, charismatic, natural born leader. Ralph dealt with changes that all the boys underwent as they gradually adapted to this isolated freedom from society. In the novel, Ralph stands for responsibility and the civilization of the island and the boys. He looks like a boy that the others would look upto and appreciate as we could keep everything settled. When we first met Ralph in the beginning of the novel, he was quite immature as he didn't show any interest in Piggy mostly because of his appearance and he didn't really appeal to Ralph. Piggy was just a fat boy with glasses and asthma. Nothing very interesting according to Ralph but he was of fair nature and he did hear him out and his interaction with Piggy demonstrated his pleasant nature as he did not call him names with hateful intent as Jack had. Ralph gained most of his confidence from being accepted by everyone around him. As the days go by, Ralph became increasingly dependant on Piggy's wisdom and often became lost in the confusion surrounding him. As soon as Jack came into the picture, he seemed like the obvious leader (and he made it show) seeing as his he was the tallest boy. When the idea of there being a chief,

  • Word count: 792
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Lord of the Flies - Letter from Ralph

Lord of the Flies Letter to Ralph parents Dear Mom and Dad, I am writing you to inform you that I am very well, I hope you are fine too. I have spent the last few days on a deserted tropical island where our plane was evacuate and shot down. I am now being rescued by a navy officer. I just wanted to let you know about my experiences that I had on the island. Well when I first reached the island I found it really surreal and beautiful. The atmosphere was so calm, quiet and peaceful. Then I met a boy called Piggy. He was very fat, he had very thick spectacles. He also told me that he had asthma. He always used to say my aunty told me not to do this/that. After a few minutes Piggy found a conch shell and showed me how to make a noise with it. I used the conch to call the other boys from across the island then suddenly a party of choirboys came. Jack was the leader of choir; he was an arrogant and unpleasant fellow. Then we had a meeting and I was declared as the ruler and Jack and the other choir boys went hunting for something to eat. While the other boys were hunting I was trying to maintain some remnants of civilization. Later on some of the younger boys believed that they saw a "beastie" on the island. This beast scared all of us. We had many fears on that island, but needed to remember that they could not let us get in the way of what was important to us. We all

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  • Word count: 1172
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Lord of the Flies: Character Analysis of Ralph

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

  • Word count: 1191
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: World Literature
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Ralph is the athletic, charismatic protagonist of Lord of the Flies.

Ralph Ralph is the athletic, charismatic protagonist of Lord of the Flies. Elected the leader of the boys at the beginning of the novel, Ralph is the primary representative of order, civilization, and productive leadership in the novel. While most of the other boys initially are concerned with playing, having fun, and avoiding work, Ralph sets about building huts and thinking of ways to maximize their chances of being rescued. For this reason, Ralph’s power and influence over the other boys are secure at the beginning of the novel. However, as the group gradually succumbs to savage instincts over the course of the novel, Ralph’s position declines precipitously while Jack’s rises. Eventually, most of the boys except Piggy leave Ralph’s group for Jack’s, and Ralph is left alone to be hunted by Jack’s tribe. Ralph’s commitment to civilization and morality is strong, and his main wish is to be rescued and returned to the society of adults. In a sense, this strength gives Ralph a moral victory at the end of the novel, when he casts the Lord of the Flies to the ground and takes up the stake it is impaled on to defend himself against Jack’s hunters. In the earlier parts of the novel, Ralph is unable to understand why the other boys would give in to base instincts of bloodlust and barbarism. The sight of the hunters chanting and dancing is baffling and distasteful to

  • Word count: 407
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Antagonist and Protagonist in Lord of the Flies Ralph is the antagonist in the story Lord of the Flies. The boys on the island choose Ralph

Antagonist and Protagonist in Lord of the Flies Ralph is the antagonist in the story Lord of the Flies. The boys on the island choose Ralph as their chief, and he tries his best to keep the group in an orderly, civilized fashion. Ralph's main concern is being rescued and returned to a life of adult supervision. He is very persistent in keeping the fire lit at all times, and making shelters for the boys. Although must of the boys are out playing and hunting, Ralph and a few loyal others stay back to do their hard work. Whenever things become out of hand, Ralph will hold assemblies reminding the boys of where they came from. He also listens to others opinions at these meetings, and stresses the main facts. However, as the story advances, barbaric instincts begin to develop in all of the boys except for Piggy and Ralph. There is just something about blood shed and violence that leads everyone but these two boys, into the leadership of Jack. Although Ralph experiences these hidden natures, the first time he helps slay a boar, he is quick to remember his morals. Eventually, Jack's cult becomes so strong, that they manage to add everyone into their society, even if it means killing them. Soon, Ralph is the only one left, and the target of Jack's society. However, Ralph is a strong moral person, and instead of surrendering in order to save his life, he stands up against the

  • Word count: 575
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Lord of the Flies - Was Ralph the best choice for leader?

Lord of the Flies Was Ralph the best choice for leader? I think that in 'Lord of the Flies' Ralph was the best choice for leader, because of his good leadership qualities, and because on the island, there were no realistic alternatives. The other boys on the island that may have been considered for leader were Jack, Roger, Piggy and Simon. Although these characters have many qualities, there are also negative aspects to their personalities that would make them an unsuitable option for chief. The boys on the island, by the end of the book, appeared to be divided into two halves: the good and the bad. On the 'bad' side were Jack, who eventually became leader of his own tribe, and Roger. Although both had control over the boys, neither was a suitable leader for a democratic society. On the 'good' side were Ralph, Piggy and Simon, as they believed in democracy, and were more aware of the feelings of the other boys. In my opinion there are many points that constitute a commendable leader. Any worthy leader should think maturely, have confidence, organisation, concern for others, trustworthiness, the ability to prioritise, common sense, logic, to be clear headed and, in general, a good person. A good chief, when leading discussions, would also need the ability to evaluate a situation, form an unbiased opinion, and come up with a sensible solution. In this situation a good leader

  • Word count: 2889
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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What role does Ralph play in the novel 'Lord Of The Flies'?

What role does Ralph play in the novel 'Lord Of The Flies'? During an unnamed time in the war, a plane carrying a group of school children was shot down, the pilot was killed, but many of the children survived the crash. They found themselves stranded on a deserted island they were all alone with no adults to look after them. During the daytime the boys are hopeful about being rescued, they explore and enjoy the scenery, but during the night they become scared of there own imaginations. The boys split into two tribes the hunters and the others, some of the others joined the hunters and by the end of the book they become one big tribe of savages, apart from a few of the others. The novel is set in the near future, you can believe it could happen, you know that it isn't in the past because there are planes, but the planes are flying quite high because in the book it says that the man that fell from the plane was wearing a oxygen mask and that he was flying at about 12 miles up. The novel was published in 1954 so during this time people were scared about atomic warfare and nuclear bombs. Golding wrote the book with knowledge about what happened in the World War 2 because he joined the royal navy and he saw action against aircraft's, submarines and battleships. Then he returned to school, he then wrote the novel Lord of the flies. Some parts of the book may relate to what

  • Word count: 1903
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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