In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, character conflicts convey the message that political differences often lead to the downfall of both parties. When opposing viewpoints are placed together, it is nearly impossible to find agreement between them. Examples of conflict between democracy and dictatorship include World War II, the setting of this novel. Ralph and Jack in the novel Lord of the Flies both have competing political ideologies causing a perpetual feud between the two characters throughout the novel. They compete for authority through Ralph being a symbol of democracy and Jack being a representation of totalitarianism.
Democracy is a “system that allows the presence of equal opportunities and rights” (Darity). Essentially, the
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goal of democracy is for all to treated equally and have the right to participate in the government . Ralph represents this form of government because he tries to be as fair of a leader as possible. When the boys are first stranded, Ralph and Piggy decide they need to hold elections and choose a leader.
They voted and “Ralph counted. ‘I’m chief then.’ The circle of boys broke into applause” (Golding 23). Ralph won in a democratic election to become chief. This vote emphasizes how the boys are able to implement elements of a democratic government and be civilized, in doing so. . Ralph was elected “as the leader not because he is the smartest boy, or the one with the most experience, but primarily because of his association to the conch” (Koopmans 75). The conch shell serves as a sort of ¨talking stick¨ or a symbol for order and civilization. When the boys first reach the island, Ralph utilizes the conch to call all of the them together and creates a civilization. This sense of organization is appealing to the boys, therefore they elect Ralph as their leader. He reminds Jack he “voted me for chief didn’t you hear the conch?” (Golding 176). Throughout the novel, the conch is used as a reminder for civilization. It brings the boys together in an organized fashion He takes this responsibility and applies his skills to ensure the best in the children on the island. He “sought always to maintain parliamentary procedures, to respect …show more content…
freedom of speech, to rule through persuasion, with the consent of the governed” (Spitz 26). Ralph’s reign gives the boys liberty to establish equitable laws that everyone can follow and gives them the ‘freedom of speech’, which enables them to share their thoughts and ideas. As a leader, Ralph tries to keep his power in check by being a fair democratic leader, without being too lenient. In essence, the way in which he rules can be compared to the Constitution of the United States. The laws in America “ensure that no one branch of the government is able to gain a disproportionate amount of power” (U.S. Institutions - Balance of Power). Within a democracy, an individual does not hold all power. This is seen in Ralph’s leadership as he seeks help from Piggy and allows Jack to lead the hunters. During World War II, the United States were fighting for justice under a democratic government. Ralph’s form of leadership is closely compared to that of a democratic countries’ such as America, during the second World War. The goal of a total government is to “establish and maintain a highly integrated social system that controls nearly every aspect of public and private life” (Darity). There is a sole absolute leader, controlling all under their reign. Jack is a symbol for a totalitarian government as he desires absolute power, which he attempts to gain by using violence. As Ralph wins the election for the position of a leader, Jack is given control over a group of hunters known as the “choir.” Jack decides to take matters into his own hands; “Defeated in an election, he took command of the hunters, the forces of naked power” (Koopmans 27). Jack recruits boys who will worship his ideals and accept him as high authority. He attempts to defy Ralph by taking some of the boys under his control and builds his own form of government. His leadership “represents despotic totalitarianism- in tyrannical form of government such as Hitler’s fascist Nazi government or Stalin’s brutal Communist government” (Koopmans 65). Jack portrays the primary instincts within human nature and exposes his savagery. He becomes increasingly violent in situations that threaten his ability to survive. Jack’s barbaric personality and desire to survive fuels his aggressive behavior and allows him to incite atrocities. He has his choir chanting, “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” (Golding 165). The boys are chanting about maliciously murdering an imaginary creature as they gain the confidence to kill. Jack creates an hostile environment on the island, similar to that of a totalitarian leader. The boys are petrified under his control and thus feel obligated to follow his command. The violence Jack’s choir brings upon the island is life-threatening and envelopes into an unstable situation . In an attempt to calm the storm, Ralph tries to warn Jack of the consequences of his actions, yet he responds with, “We’re not savages, we’re English; and the English are best at everything” (Golding 42). Jack is blinded by the aspect of his power, to the point where he hardly sees the extent of the horrible things he is doing on the island. He ends up killing Simon, who was one of the most intelligent minds within the civilization. Jack believes he is the strongest, giving him the capability to commit actions, disregarding the potential consequences. leading him to think he can do what he desires without consequences. Jack’s way of ruling can be compared to that of a totalitarian leader. During the second World War, Hitler’s Nazi Germans were a prime example of authoritarian leadership. His rule is similar to Jack’s as there are absolutely no limits to authority and yet leaders are able to instill fear and control one’s decisions and actions.. Ralph and Jack’s feud throughout the novel is similar to the way these competing forms of government clash.
Jack shows the dark side of humanity while Ralph tries to portray chivalry toward the group of boys. Jack and his choir rule with a sense of “authoritarianism… which set them apart, and enabled them to act differently from other men” (Spitz 30). Jack leads his choir differently than Ralph governs the rest of the boys. This causes disputes between the children as their opposing viewpoints contradict one another. Due to the vast differences between them, they perpetually feud about certain circumstances of the island. The initial argument between the boys happens when Jack tells Ralph, “‘We want meat-’ ‘And we don’t get it.’” (Golding 51). Jack perceives hunting to be the most important task whereas Ralph believes getting rescued from the island is. Ralph is doing everything he can to get rescued from the island whereas Jack is trying his hardest to survive and adapt on the island. These different viewpoints on how to handle the situation forms tension throughout the entire civilization. Ralph reinforces how, “The best thing we can do is get ourselves rescued… so long as your hunters remember the fire” (Golding 53). Ralph decides to leave Jack and the choir in charge of the fire; it is a physical job however it does not require much intellect. Ralph finds this duty as a perfect fit for this group of boys and does not anticipate how they would possibly use it against
each other. Unbeknownst to Ralph, there would be “... a savage striped red and white, and carrying a spear, he was coughing and smearing the paint with the back of his hand as he tried to see through the increasing smoke” (Golding 195). Jack creates the fire to be so large in order to murder all of the boys on the island. He feels if he cannot get what he wants, nobody could. Ironically, this fire leads to the boys’ rescue and becomes a signal for the sailors out at sea. It gets them noticed and brings an end to their war. The characters Ralph and Jack compete for authority in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies since. Ralph represents democracy and Jack symbolizes dictatorship, conveying the antagonism between these two ideologies. Conflicts between these two forms of government have been an ongoing struggle as seen through both world wars, the cold war, and more world conflicts. The novel is also set to be during the era of World War II. Golding uses Ralph and Jack as an allegory for the political climate in the world during this time. Works Cited "Democracy." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, edited by William A. Darity, Jr., 2nd ed., vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, 2008, pp. 272-276. World History In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3045300545/WHIC?u=beth99549&sid=WHIC&x id=81dfa23a. Golding, W., & Epstein, E. L. (1954). Lord of the flies: A novel. New York: Perigee. Golding, William, and Edmund L. Epstein. Koopmans, Andy. Understanding Lord of the Flies. Lucent Books, 2003. Spitz, David. The Antioch Review Vol. 30, No. 1. Power and Authority: An Interpretation of Golding's "Lord of the Flies". Antioch review Inc, 1970, http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4637248.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Ad707c04e9f32b8ce3b3de30481b85859. "Totalitarianism." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, edited by William A. Darity, Jr., 2nd ed., vol. 8, Macmillan Reference USA, 2008, pp. 394-397. World History In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3045302773/WHIC?u=beth99549&sid=WHIC&x id=20d56301. VOA. "U.S. Institutions - Balance of Power." VOA. VOA, 14 Feb. 2017. Web. https://editorials.voa.gov/a/us-institutions-balance-of-power/3723523.html.
A group of kids got stuck on an island after their plane got shot down and they all have many different personalities. Being stuck on an island usually brings out the worst of people.But, there were two characters in novel, “The Lord of The Flies” that had good morals. These two characters were Ralph and Simon. Ralph and Simon weren’t intimidated by not having any adults around, instead, they tried to bring out the best of themselves and not take part in any horseplay the rest of the boys did.
“The duty of the youth is to challenge corruption,” Kurt Cobain once said. The Lord of the Flies tells a fictional story of a group of kids whose plane crashes on an island. Among these boys is Jack, a choirboy who is eager to hunt and create laws. However, in Lord of the Flies, the character Jack shows himself to be an arrogant tyrant because throughout the novel he acts in a way that is cruel, evil, and violent.
In the Lord of the Flies there are many themes that stand out. After reading Fredrick Douglass’ speech, “If I had a Country, I Should be a Patriot,” the theme that Goldings’ book that is most relatable to me is the lack of democracy and equal rights. Jack reminded me of a southern slave master and his primary focus that had no regard for others’ rights. In conclusion, in The Lord of the Flies, the rivalry between democracy and dictatorship is evident in Jack and Ralph’s relationship and relates back to the North versus the South rivalry for democracy for the
Writer Steven James said, “The true nature of man left to himself without restraint is not nobility but savagery.” This quote can be used to accurately describe Jack Merridew, one of the young boys who becomes stranded on an unknown island in the Pacific. Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding; the novel explores the dark side of humanity and the underlying savagery in even the most civilized person. The novel opens on a group of British boys between ages six and twelve stranded on a tropical island without adult supervision. The boys elect a leader in an attempt to form a civilized society; however, their peaceful island descends into chaos as Ralph and Jack continuously argue over who should be the leader of the island. From the beginning of the novel, Jack is seen as power hungry, envious, and manipulative to further his own agenda, the anti-thesis to Ralph’s concern with social order and their future.
However, as the plot progresses, Ralph faces both internal and external conflicts; from those conflicts he greatly matures. Ralph always has the strong belief that all the children will be saved from the island sooner or later; he is so sure that he even insists that they should have fire at all times to signal. However, when the boys abandon the fire which is symbolic of Ralph’s hope of getting saved, Ralph faces an internal conflict that makes him fear about their future; perhaps they will not be rescued at all. By insisting that the children should keep the fire going, he creates an external conflict with Jack whose values are different. Jack is enjoying life as a leader of the savages, and he fears that fire will possibly end his authoritarian rule over the savages. Both conflicts are resolved when Ralph finally meets the naval officer.
When the boys first arrived on the island, their behaviour was civilized and they attempted to convince themselves that they would soon be rescued by their parents. As the days passed, the boys began to open their eyes and realized that sitting around was not going to benefit them in any way, and most importantly it would not help them survive. Because of their new unrestricted life on the island, the boys become ruthless and replaced their previous identity.
Jack and Ralph’s motivation is used in the novel to show their interest and needs expecting from the island through the narrative; for Jack, it is mostly to impress the boys with his singing and hunting skills. The two foil characters Jack and Ralph have different desires. Jack who thinks one of the ways to survive on this island is by hunting pigs and he gives no importance to the rescue fire. Ralph who is eager to get back to his parents is always keeping an eye on the fire hoping to be rescued. After Ralph was disappointed because they missed the ship that could have rescued them, Ralph called an assembly to do a small speech. “‘The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don’t keep
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel that represents a microcosm of society in a tale about children stranded on an island. Of the group of young boys there are two who want to lead for the duration of their stay, Jack and Ralph. Through the opposing characters of Jack and Ralph, Golding reveals the gradual process from democracy to dictatorship from Ralph's democratic election to his lack of law enforcement to Jack's strict rule and his violent law enforcement.
The conch shell represents democracy, power and stability. When Ralph first discovers the conch shell, Piggy proposes to Ralph that they, “…can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come, when they hear us” (16) and that was the birth of the conch shell. Throughout meetings that are held at the beach, the conch is used as a “speaking stick”. After Jack separates himself from the rest of the tribe, Ralph barges into the camp and attempts to use the conch shell to gather up his former tribe mates. The boys say that th...
Democratic power can be used to control a society, as well as to establish a closeness among civilians. To lose sight of this can mean the corruption of a civilization caused by the lack of order. One’s choice of independence over the reliance on others in order to better the chances of their survival requires complete dedication and willingness to take risks. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Ralph loses his democratic power due to his failure to ensure survival and protect the boys as a leader. Ralph’s failure to lead the group is due to his inability to compete with Jack and gain followers, mostly because of Jack’s reign of fear. Ralph’s integrity enables a growing confidence in his ability to avoid reliance on leadership power in
Without government, society degenerates and people lose their capacity for moral behaviour. Survivors in Haiti say that if other countries had not provided aid and restored order, there would be much more violence and everyone would only serve themselves. In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the author uses the events on the island to demonstrate that people require government to restrain their impulses. The creation of a democratic government with Ralph as chief allows the inhabitants of the island to make decisions together and take everyone’s viewpoint into consideration. Soon, however, the democracy begins to be disregarded. When Jack creates a dictatorship, he fails to restrain the impulsive behaviour of the boys, which demonstrates the superiority of Ralph’s government.
Throughout William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies there is an ever-present conflict between two characters. Ralph's character combines common sense with a strong desire for civilized life. Jack, however, is an antagonist with savage instincts, which he cannot control. Ralph's goals to achieve a team unit with organization are destroyed by Jack's actions and words that are openly displayed to the boys. The two leaders try to convince the boys that their way of survival is correct.
For example, Ralph uses the conch shell to bring the boys together on the island for the first time and attempts to establish a set of rules, as well as list the group’s necessities. Ralph portrays himself as the leader immediately when he says, “We ought to have more rules. Where the conch is, that’s a meeting. The same up here as down there. (Golding 42). He demonstrates that he instantly wants to compose rules for the entire island. Ralph claims that he knows what the most important needs on the island are, like fire as a signal and shelters to sleep in. One of Ralph’s most significant tactics to maintaining order is the use of the conch shell to call meetings in which he could give orders and discuss issues. Ralph tries his best to establish a democracy. “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking” (Golding 30). This illustrates the idea that Ralph wanted to give everyone a say in the decisions that were made on the island, although one person would have the authority if they had possession of the shell. He made the conch shell a significant part of the society, since he gave everyone a chance for their input and created order. The conch shell could represent freedom of speech and all the boys on the island could represent the House of
The Lord of the Flies is a political allegory about the effectiveness of power and what type of government is favorable. In context, The Lord of the Flies was written during the Cold War, and the two leaders of the boys on the island, Ralph and Jack Merridew represent the conflict between totalitarianism, specifically communism and liberalism. In modern times, liberalism is considered very much alike liberal democracy because both are founded on the idea of free elections, freedom, and equality; many say that both ideologies are deeply intertwined. Between and liberalism (or liberal democracy) and totalitarianism, the author, William Golding seems to favor the latter as seen in the fall of Ralph’s regime and Jack’s success as chief; however,
When Ralph finds a conch shell and uses it to call the boys from all over the island, they come running. The conch is a very powerful tool. When the boys have settled the conch is used to control the boys and to create an order on the island. A rule is set out by Ralph using the conch, "Whoever has the conch has got the right to talk". This shows the conch's power and Ralph's leaderhsip.