First Impressions In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

297 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: How first impressions are formed

First impressions leave a lasting impact on one’s view of a person which alters the way they act around/treat specific people. First impressions are extremely powerful since they can be the deciding factor in what type of relationship you have with a certain person. The statement that first impressions greatly impact people’s views of one another is evident in the first chapter of Lord of the Flies when each main character is introduced to each other for the first time. For example, the first encounter between Ralph and Piggy demonstrates the admiration that Piggy developed for Ralph due to Ralph coming off as a sincere person who has leadership qualities. Piggy quickly takes a liking to Ralph due to his kindness which is demonstrated in the quote “The fat boy hung steadily at his shoulder”(Pg. 9). Piggy’s first impression of Ralph will stick with him throughout the course of the book and alter the way that they act around others. Another example of how first impressions impact the way that people view one another is presented when the character of Merridew is introduced to the boys. Merridew comes off as a snotty and stuck up boy who has dominance over the boys of the choir. The quotes “The boy came close and peered down at Ralph, screwing up his face as he did so” and “He turned quickly, his black cloak circling” (Pg. 20) demonstrate Merridew’s arrogant nature. This first impression will later go on to affect a major decision between the boys regarding leadership as well as the outcome of other situations. …show more content…

Therefore, Lord of the Flies supports the concept that first impressions alter the way that people treat/act around one another since the main characters are often influenced by their first impressions of each

Show More
Related

  • Budge Wilson's The Metaphor

    1008 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone has a different view on life. One's perception can significantly impact the way that he/she views the rest of the world. This perception can be both positive and negative. Perception often plays a big role in determining how one is viewed by both themselves and others. People are often judged by their appearance and their actions. However, it is things such as their personality and their character that truly define them as individuals. In Budge Wilson's "The Metaphor," Miss Hancock is faced with the fact that other individuals often overlook her. Though others may not be aware of what they are doing, their actions can greatly impact another individual throughout their lifetime. The way that one is perceived can both positively and negatively affect the way that others view them as an individual, which can greatly affect their entire life.

    Read More

  • Ralph´s Metamorphosis in the Lord of the Flies

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel, Lord of the Flies, is a compelling story displaying the metamorphosis of an individual when faced with external and internal conflicts. Ralph is the first character to be introduced in the book. He is the most likeable as he is charming, athletic, and displays strong leadership qualities. However, as the novel progresses, Ralph loses his sense of civilization and undergoes a change in character discovering the evil man is capable of. Ralph’s metamorphosis is captivating and displays the inevitable loss of innocence.

    Read More

  • Civility And Savagery In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

    1286 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the novel several different characters are introduced to the reader, such as Ralph, Jack, Simon and Piggy. With all these characters presented to the reader, one can get to see into their minds-eye, which allows the reader to analyze their character. In this case one could examine their basic morals and distinguish between the person’s natural instinct to rely on civilization or savagery to solve their problems. The author of the novel, William Golding, had a “first-hand experience of battle line action during World War II” which caused him to realize, “[that] The war alone was not what appalled him, but what he had learnt of the natural - and original- sinfulness of mankind did. It was the evil seen daily as commonplace and repeated by events it was possible to read in any newspaper which, he asserted, were the matter of Lord of the Flies” (Foster, 7-10). This being said by Golding leads one to the central problem in the novel the Lord of the Flies, which can be regarded as the distinction between civility and savagery. This can be seen through the characters that are presented in the novel, and how these boys go from a disciplined lifestyle, to now having to adapt to an unstructured and barbaric one in the jungle.

    Read More

  • Simon's Life on the Island

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel, Lord of the Flies, all the characters have a significant role and each individual shows a different impact than others in the society. Simon’s innocence through the novel impacts his behavior and the way he treats the little ones with care. He is a flat, static character who has an active role and gives his full support in everything he does. Simon does not give up hope on being rescued and becomes the light of the island as he does everything he can throughout each situation. As the characters and plot develop, the boys begin to change as each character loses their innocence because of their freedom.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of The Destructors and Lord of the Flies

    2323 Words  | 5 Pages

    The parallelism between these two works demonstrates the constancy of human nature. Despite changing times, people remain basically the same. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber & Faber, 1954.

    Read More

  • 'Lord Of The Flies' By William Golding: Character Analysis

    518 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over millions of years, man has transformed from a savage, simple creature to a highly developed, complex, and civil being. In Lord of the Flies, the author William Golding shows how under certain circumstances, man can become savage. During nuclear war, a group of British schoolboys crash land on an uninhabited island to escape. Ralph the elected leader, along with Piggy and Simon, tries to maintain civilization, while Jack and his group of choir boys turned hunters slowly become savages obsessed with killing. Through characters’ action and dialogue, Golding illustrates the transformation of civil schoolboys into bloodthirsty savages.

    Read More

  • Why Is Piggy A Good Leader

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many aspects that determine how humans behave around one another. This is shown throughout William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies. This book is about a group of British boys that are stranded on an island without any adults due to a plane crash. At first, all goes well; the boys cooperate in attempting to maintain the fire signal, gather food and making shelters. However, human nature takes over and their democracy that they have created fails. This leads to the majority of the boys becoming complete savages when the evil within them takes over. Different qualities help determine whether a person is a good or a bad leader. Although, Piggy and Jack have some leadership qualities, Ralph is the best leader.

    Read More

  • William Golding's Lord of the Flies

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is in these games were the boys get carried away and Ralph feels a

    Read More

  • Fear and Human Nature in Lord of the Flies

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    Katherine Paterson once said, “To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another.” William Golding, who is a Nobel Prize winner for literature, writes Lord of the Flies, originally published in 1954. Golding’s novel is about a group of boys who crash land on an island. All of the adults are dead and they are abandoned on an island. The boys try to set rules and create a fire in efforts of being rescued. The group of boys chooses Ralph to be their leader. This choosing makes a literary character named Jack, who doesn’t show his anger until half way through the plot. The novel shows the nature of humans and how fear can control them. The novel also shows the difference between good and evil. Golding experienced this when he was in World War II. There were many times fear controlled the boys in the island in Lord of the Flies.

    Read More

  • William Golding's Lord Of The Flies Character Analysis

    673 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book Lord of the Flies Jack the leader of the savages wasn't always bad. William Goldberg the author says that everyone is capable of becoming evil, where philosophers like Jean- Jacques Rousseau who implied that it was our environment that shapes us. While Golding has some good points on his theory I have to agree With Rousseau because of many of his beliefs.

    Read More

  • William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author, William Golding uses the main characters of Ralph, Jack, and Simon in The Lord of the Flies to portray how their desire for leadership, combined with lack of compromise leads to the fall of their society. This desire for leadership and compromise led to the fall of their society just like multiple countries during times of wars.

    Read More

  • Lord of the Flies

    680 Words  | 2 Pages

    One’s personality changes over time when it is necessary to adapt to one’s environment or when one suffers or even thrives from another’s actions. In the Lord of the Flies, both Jack and Ralph underwent changes in their personalities, which also affected their relationship. It was obvious in the beginning that Jack would not get along easily with Ralph and Piggy because he ridiculed Piggy for his weight and awkwardness. However, Jack felt threatened because Ralph was voted chief. By saying “I ought to be chief… because I’m chapter chorister and head boy,” Jack’s overconfidence was shown (Golding 22). On the other hand, there was Ralph, who was taller and more attractive than Jack was, and after being elected leader, he gave part of his power to Jack, displaying his generosity. This was when “Jack and Ralph smiled at each other with shy liking,” showing the beginning of their friendship (Golding 23). Ralph, starting off as a strong, demanding leader, was most adult-like out of everyone else; he was very concerned about the younger children, shown when he says “‘We need shelters as a sort of—’ ‘Home’” (Golding 52). Also in the beginning, while they were exploring the island, their “eyes shining, mouths open, triumphant, they savored the right of domination. They were lifted up; were friends” (Golding 29). Their friendship was already growing at this point. A little later, Jack had made a pathetic attempt to stick a pig, but he let the pig go free. He made an excuse that he “was choosing a place… just waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him;” however, “they knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood” (Golding 31). Then he “snatched his knife out of the sheath and slammed it into a tree trunk... [and] looked around fiercely, daring them to contradict,” expressing not only his violent nature, but also his inability to kill (Golding 31). This also foreshadowed his savage hunting. In chapter two, Ralph calls a second meeting, when he makes up the rule that whoever is holding the conch gets to speak. This demonstrated that he was trying to establish order in some way; however, he was also shown to be a bit irresponsible, when he said that they “want to have fun” (Golding 37). When they were all making a fire by bringing up wood, “Ralph found himself alone on a limb with Jack and they grinned at each other, sharing this burden” (Golding 39).

    Read More

  • Loss Of Innocence In Lord Of The Flies Analysis

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    As much as everyone would like to believe that all people are inherently good, the illusion of innocence that is often presumed throughout childhood makes the revelation of human nature especially hard to bear. Arthur Koestler said, “Nothing is more sad than the death of an illusion”, and this one is certainly a very hard reality to cope with. In the novel Lord of the Flies, the author William Golding tells the story of a group of British schoolboys who crash land on an uninhabited island in the midst of a world war, and how they regress from civilization to savagery. By conveying Ralph’s reactions to the deaths of Simon and Piggy, providing detailed, symbolic imagery of the cliffs and the lagoon, and showing Ralph’s despair at his new understanding

    Read More

  • Summary Of William Golding's 'Lord Of The Flies'

    1100 Words  | 3 Pages

    Give your opinion on why Lord of the Flies is considered an important novel in the canon of world literature, and why it was seminal in the nomination of Golding as a Nobel Prize winner.

    Read More

  • Critical Evaluation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies

    840 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel that I am going to talk about is Lord of the Flies by

    Read More

More about First Impressions In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

Open Document