Who Is Ralph In Lord Of The Flies

Lord of the Flies Character Analysis

William Golding's book, Lord of the flies, begins with the central character stuck in a jungle of which he knows little about. Ralph as we later find out his name, is the athletic, level-headed, leader of the boys on the island. He is the emotional leader of the group, and he has a major influence on all of the other characters. Ralph is used as a sort of reminder of the old world. He reminds the boys that there are laws and rules and everyone must abide for survival. When the boys realize that they are not at home anymore and they being to rely on their natural instincts they lose the society that man-kind has created. Ralph is trying hard to keep the boys together because he knows if they are not the chances of being rescued become lesser.
Everything that the boys do on the island is somehow directed at finally going home. They set up a system so that the fire is always burning in case a ship goes by. When the boys let the fire go out and a ship actually does go by Ralph is deeply affected. He vows to keep the fire going through the night from this point on to make sure that next time they will be rescued. When this happens a certain decline happens as well in the book. Jacks rise begins at this point. Jack is beginning to think that they will not be rescued. When Jack begins to break away from the group that Ralph leads. Ralph always optimistic that they will be rescued and Jack sees this as a sign of weakness hence Jack leaves the group. Ralph has many key attributes but optimism and courage are the things that stand out