Lord of the Flies - Assignment Example

InstitutionSubject16th May 2012Ralph is agile and captivating who plays the lead role in the novel.  He is the chief delegate of order, civilization, and creative leadership as he is elected as the leader of the boys as the story begins. He is focused on getting everyone rescued. In the early phase of the novel, Ralph’s leadership qualities represent his authoritative behavior towards other boys (Golding, 1962, p.15). Ralph’s aim is carefully determined; to be rescued so that he can return to the society of adults.

He is dedicated to civilization and is a character who exhibits an ethical behavior. Ralph is persistent on not letting any element of persecution or violence over power him. Ralph’s malevolence, which plays an important part in his success towards the end, had also been a source of humiliation and regret for him.On the contrary, the antithesis of Ralph, Jack is described as a strong-minded, iron willed being who considers that he is someone very important, who can do anything he wishes to.

He symbolizes hostility and brutality and the urge to control and dominate. Jack gets enraged when Ralph defeats him in the elections. Jack manifests full control over the entire group as he becomes more barbarous and crude. Towards the end, there is an indication of how religion and superstition denotes power since Jack continues to take advantage as the boys dread him. Conch represents civilization, regulation, discipline, political authority and power. It is used to beckon the boys after they are separated.

It also manages the boys’ meetings. They react bitterly when Ralph attempts to destroy it. The glasses represent the superiority and significance of science and logic. The boys use them to start a fire, which helps them to defeat Ralph’s group. The fire attracts rescuers, associating the boys with civilization. It measures the strength of what is left of the civilization in the island because as it goes out, the reader realizes the boys do not wish to be rescued anymore. The beast is an indication of the monster that resides in every human soul.

The imaginary beast is feared by all, Simon understands that the rising terror of the beast is symbolic of the fact that there is one that lives within each of them. The more violent the boys become, the existence of the beast becomes increasingly authenticated. Underneath the appearance of civilization, violence and disorder are ever-present possibilities in human life. Throughout the novel, Golding links civilization with optimism, violence is considered iniquity. The initially well-mannered, civilized boys change themselves as they are escorted to live a wild, ruthless, jungle life.

The intuition of tyranny and oppression holds greater importance than morality as far as human behavior is concerned. Ethics are not innate, they are obligated on humans, the ‘beast’ and the ‘sow’s head on the stake’ depict this notion. The theme revolves around ‘reason vs. impulse’ or ‘law vs. anarchy’ as the author describes the differences among Ralph and Jack respectively. Piggy has no destructive instincts unlike Roger who can not even understand civilization.Works CitedGolding, William.

Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.