Lord of the Flies

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).