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Character growth essay
Essays about character growth
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Likeability and rationality. In The Lord of the Flies, Piggy is the most rational and is picked on by those around him, while Jack is power-hungry and has all of the attention. From my perspective of having read the book, being rational is definitely the direction I would have gone. “An individual cannot maintain power if he is not well-liked.” This statement has truth. Yes? While being well-liked can help you jump over some small bumps in the road, intelligence and good survival skills used by a disliked leader, is better in the long run. Would you rather be saved and live to see another day with someone rational, or die because someone likeable is power-hungry and focused on themselves? “A leader must be willing to sacrifice likeability in order to make decisions that are for the good of the people.” This is entirely true. When someone is a leader, their job is to watch out for the people and make the right decisions. Not every decision will be favored, but it’s most likely the best. A leader will understand that. …show more content…
A leader who makes rational decisions and has followers that see the rationality, should have loyal followers. But, it is also true that a well-liked leader will have the loyalty of the people because they have the power to woo people’s decisions. Because they’re the leader they’re always right...right? In my opinion, I feel as if being rational is more beneficial than being likeable. I feel this way because if people can see the rationality, they should be smart enough to be on that side. But like war, there are always two sides and it cannot be stopped. Everyone has their own decisions and both can be proven with good evidence. Even though being rational could be better in the end, being likeable can also have it’s
As Warren Bennis, a scholar on the subject of leadership, once said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” This statement certainly holds true no matter what type of leader you look at. From cruel dictators such as Joseph Stalin, who fought and killed to stay in power, to peaceful leaders like Mohandas Gandhi, who used nonviolent tactics to emancipate India from the United Kingdom, to Jesus Christ, who started a religion and spread his message of love and forgiveness far across the globe, they all had a vision of how they wanted to change the world, for the better, or for the worse.
Characters are used in literature as symbols to represent mankind's different “faces”. Everyone in both fictional and real societies have civil orderly sides, as well as an instinctual hunger for power. Both of these traits together make us human, but imbalance of these traits in some people can alter our being. These traits are necessary for our survival, but too much can create toxic environments. In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses symbols to tell the reader more about human traits and provides a platform that shows the interactions between people with different balances of traits; Golding then shows the possible outcome of the conflict these traits create. Three main characters that stand out and represent the civility and hunger for power of humans are Piggy, Jack, and Ralph. Each can be seen as a symbol for different behaviors and traits that humans show, as well as the different mixes of civil and instinctual. The characters symbolize the different traits, instinctual power and calming civil nature, and how the different balances can affect a persons actions, behaviors, and interactions with others.
The most effective leaders know better than to try to be someone they are not. They should always be searching for opportunities to reinvest in their strengths. Leaders need to stay true to who they are and make sure they have the right people around them. The book says those who surround themselves with similar personalities are at a disadvantage to those who are secure enough to be surrounded by people who strengths will compliment theirs.
Machiavelli is accurate when he states that it is better to choose being feared over being loved. As a leader you must be willing to do what it takes to gain political success. Show authority and have your followers respect you, not only as a person, but also in
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.
Becoming a leader is never an easy task. It is complex with rational decision making and accepting responsibility for those decisions. Being the leader, does not mean that you always make the best choice, but it does mean you learn and grow from all you experiences. Sometimes becoming a leader is not a choice, but a responsibility that you inherit. Leaders are not born, but are created through trial and error. A true leader cares for his subordinate and will always respect, listen, and mentor them, but a true leader will also discipline correct subordinates when needed. Sometimes a leader needs to depend on his faith and look to a higher power, so that he can make choices with guidance.
One may wonder exactly what it is that qualities a strong leader possesses. A strong leader is determined, and strong willed. They must be of good judgment, and without bias. They cannot easily be persuaded, and they are firm, yet at the same time, a good lead must also empathize with his subordinates, and have the best interest at heart for said subordinates, at all times. However, with that being said, a good leader cannot be afraid to discipline his subordinates when necessary. Unmistakably, being a leader is a very difficult feat – one which not everyone can accomplish. A leader must be an authority, a friend and a counsellor, all at once. They must be responsible, and always take into account the disadvantages of a situation. Not everyone is suitable to be a leader, whereas, just about anybody can be a good role model.
Ralph, the first character introduced to the audience, is probably the most likable character in the entire story. Although he does not ponder such deeply like Piggy, is not as spiritual like Simon, or as energetic as Jack, there is something in him that attracts the audience. Ralph serves as the protagonist of the story. He is described as being a playful, innocent child in the beginning, but towards the end he matures significantly. In the first chapter where he takes his clothes off and goes swimming like any child would do, he seems to be Adam in the Garden of Eden, a child left to play with the nature.
The next character I will discuss is Piggy. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, Piggy is the type of character who is considered to be smart, loyal, and caring. He is clearly the brains behind the bronze. Piggy is the morals we have. The decision of right between wrong. Piggy’s symbolization is what makes us think twice about doing something wrong or doing something right. He makes us think before we do something. Piggy is the type of character in the modern world who would be a “model” citizen whom everyone can look up to and
In order for a leader to be a leader he/she must begin with the assumption that you are the one who matters most. As a leader you have to possess that level of confidence in yourself that you are capable of leading yourself “before you can lead others”. And when you develop this belief then you are better able of affirmative influence “on others”.
Piggy's intellectual balance to the emotional leaders proved to be his downfall, as the new social order formed by the boys valued physical qualities over intellectual attributes. If this large, asthmatic, and generally unattractive boy would have been more charismatic and emotional, would he would have undoubtedly been the island's sole leader? Would there have been less death and destruction due to Piggy's logicality, rationality, and intelligence? Golding's creative symbolism using Piggy to represent intellectuals who are usually ignored by political hopefuls, and the comparison with Prometheus, ensures Piggy will be well remembered character in the William Golding's masterpiece Lord of the Flies.
I referenced this quote because it defines my expectation of a leader. The type of leader I want to be. Definition of a leader is someone who has the heart to serve, to serve others. Regardless of circumstances, a good leader will be there for guidance. Has the courage for constructive criticism but not judge. Is able to direct but not bully. This person holds high level of integrity, honesty and loyalty.
In Lord of the Flies, Golding is able to exemplify intelligence, violence, and leadership, through the behaviors, responses, and actions of Piggy, Jack, and Ralph, respectively. Golding provides insight into the delicate touch-and-go basis of human nature, something that to this day has yet to be fully understood.
Throughout history, there have been leaders who are considered as admirable due to positive influences over other individuals. For example, in my opinion, Abraham Lincoln was able to influence the masses of people because he chose to think and behave differently from other leaders before him. When a person is considered as a leader, there are several responsibilities and qualities that will attract others to follow after the teachings that are demonstrated. Leadership can be described as the process for “guiding individuals, groups, and entire organizations in establishing goals and sustaining action to support goals (Shockley-Zalabak, 2015, p. 220). Additionally, each leader will usually have a distinctive
To be a good leader requires a lot of attention and focus as well as the ability to say what nobody wants to hear. Not only this, but the ability to speak well in front of large demanding crowds of people and to be able to hold their attention for prolonged amounts of time. "For certainly no one can deny