Preview

Lord of the Flies

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
412 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Lord of the Flies
KOURTNIE MCLAURIN
ENGLISH 4
DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY: LORD OF THE FLIES MAIN CHARACTER: RALPH

Lord of the Flies is a novel by author William Golding. Lord of the Flies story line is about a group of British boys stuck on an uninhabited island who try to govern themselves, with disastrous results. The setting takes place on an unnamed island, during a nuclear war. The book sets out their descent into brutality, left to them in an exquisite country, far from modern civilization, the well-educated children regress to a primitive state.
Ralph, one of the older boys, is the protagonist of the novel who at first is overjoyed to be on a tropical island free from adult restraints. He is neither the smartest nor the strongest but has a kind of quiet charisma and good looks. He tries to keep the boys focused on trained order and the rules of civilization but loses his authority and almost his life to Jack’s, the antagonist of the story, seizure of power. By nature, he is an innocent, mild- tempered boy who accepts leadership when it is thrown at him. He portrayed as a democratic leader who tries to keep the boys together on the island. Ralph has courage when the occasion demands it, but he really longs for the secure world of grown-ups, especially when order starts breaking down on the island. He dreams about a rescue and insists the signal fire burn at all times so that they can be seen.
There’s conflict. Ralph knows that the main reason for the disorder on the island is Jack, representation of evil in the novel. There is a constant conflict between the two boys. Ralph stands for civilized ideals, while Jack leads a tribe of savages and lapses into primitive rituals. In the midst of the savagery, Ralph holds on to rationality and the hope of rescue. There is only one occasion when Ralph lapses into mild savagery; it occurs when he joins the ritual dance at the feast, the same feast where Simon is killed.
The guilt that Ralph experiences as an outcome of his being a

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    ‘Lord of the Flies’ is a novel written by William Golding which follows the story of a group of school boys, the survivors of a plane crash, who find themselves isolated on a desert island, waiting to be rescued.…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Lord of the flies

    • 3879 Words
    • 11 Pages

    For the 1963 film, see Lord of the Flies (1963 film). For the 1990 film, see Lord of the Flies (1990 film). For other uses, see Lord of the Flies (disambiguation).…

    • 3879 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding in 1950s. The story is set on a deserted tropical island where a plane carrying a group of English schoolboys crashed.…

    • 735 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jack and Ralph are the biggest boys on the island. Ralph is elected leader, which angers Jack. After being elected leader Ralph suggests “‘Jack’s in charge of the choir. They can be- what do you want them to be?’ ‘Hunters’” Ralph sets up to be a good leader as he takes into account the needs and desire of his group. Because of Jack’s thirst for power, he starts persuading the others that Ralph is not a suitable leader so he can become Chief. He says, “‘Who are you, anyway? Sitting there telling people what to do. You can’t hunt, you can’t sing-’ ‘I’m chief. I was chosen.’ ‘Why should choosing make any difference? Just giving orders that don’t make sense-’” Golding creates an allegory symbolising Ralph as a democrat who is given power and Jack as an autocrat who takes power. Ralph became a true leader by taking responsibility for the survival and rescue of the boys. Jack, on the other hand, offers fun and meat to get his power but is willing to harm or kill to keep it. Jack’s desire for power develops into evil actions against the other boys. When Jack is in power, he leads the brutal slaughter of a pig and then Simon. He fosters rebellion. He throws a spear at Ralph “with full intention” and later holds a group hunt to kill him. Jack is plainly committing evil to show his authority. Since evil is an act that harms, Jack brings…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Civilization vs Savagery

    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Throughout the novel, the conflict is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization and savagery. The differing ideologies are expressed by each boy's distinct attitudes towards authority. While Ralph uses his authority to establish rules, protect the good of the group, and enforce the moral and ethical codes of the English society the boys were raised in, Jack is interested in gaining power over the other boys to gratify his most primal impulses. When Jack assumes leadership of his own tribe, he demands the complete subservience of the other boys, who not only serve him but worship him as an idol.…

    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    lord of the flies

    • 1127 Words
    • 1 Page

    Jack takes over the island leading everyone to do what he says because of the fear he instills in…

    • 1127 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies

    • 3372 Words
    • 14 Pages

    Piggy and Ralph meet up with each other after escaping from their shot-down plane. A large scar was made in the untouched jungle, symbolizing the first of man's destruction on the island. A war is going on in the outside world, and now for the rest of the book, everyone will be isolated from it and put into their own "world."…

    • 3372 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Deep inside each individual is a psychological choice to be made between good and evil. In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, this choice and its subsequent results are represented by Ralph and Jack. With no rules and no adults on the island to guide them, Jack gives into his evil desires. Whereas Ralph struggles to maintain a sense of humanity and constantly tries to strive to do good. Both started off as English schoolboys, but when left alone on the island human nature tends to make the choices.…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Throughout literature we can see how alliances and new friend ships are formed but as likely as that is we can also see a betrayal and hatred form.…

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Lord of the Flies

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lola Dement Myers Mr. Cooke April 26, 2013 English honors 9 Human Nature in Lord of the Flies…

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Like most power struggles of today, the story deals with two individuals trying to gain control over land through two different personalities. Both of these personalities are children, so that factor makes the conflict all the more interesting. On one side of the battlefield there is Ralph, and on the other side is Jack. Of the two of them, Jack is the one who seems most likely to abuse the power that he is given. Ralph simply…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ralph takes on the role as the adult on the island as there is none. He constantly thinks of survival, having fire, and building shelter because he is concerned about everyone's safety, “Been working for days now. And look!” (50). He’s been working on the shelters with the other boys, but then soon tire and leave him with Simon to finish the shelter. He tries to make sure a fire is always burning, constantly thinking ahead for warmth, cooking food and the possibility of rescue. Jack is a problem, he is becoming more and more barbaric, never thinking things through or supporting others, selfish and unworthy for chief, “He isn’t a proper chief” (126). Ralph would like for everyone on the island to be in one tribe so they can all help each other using all of their strengths, some are better at building shelter, others are better at hunting. Jack does not agree and resists that idea, stealing their food and making their lives even more difficult. Jack is making Ralph’s life unbearable, but Ralph perseveres to be a leader on the…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lord of the Flies” by William Golding is a dramatic novel filled with irony, fear and truth. It touches on many issues surrounding government, Christianity and democracy. The book focuses on society and through its effective use of conflict, gives us an idea what life would like without rules and civilization. The novel tells a story of a plane filled with British school boys that crashes on a deserted island during World War 2. The boys, struggling to survive, test their morals, values and beliefs. Conflict is developed throughout the novel in the form of man vs. nature, man vs. man, man vs. himself, and man vs. society.…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies

    • 8910 Words
    • 36 Pages

    3. How does the reaction of the fair-haired boy differ from the fat boy’s at the realization that there are no adults around?…

    • 8910 Words
    • 36 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Now that Jack has gained power Ralph is feeling helpless. Ralph has now realized how uncivilized him and the other boys are which causes him to feel powerless and unsure. Ralph is terrified of what the island is now becoming.…

    • 334 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays