lord of the flies essay ralph

• Lord of the Flies

William Golding

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• About Lord of the Flies
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• Summary and Analysis
• Character Analysis
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• Concept, Identity, and Manifestations of the Beast
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Character Analysis Ralph

Ralph represents leadership, the properly socialized and civilized young man. He is attractive, charismatic, and decently intelligent. He demonstrates obvious common sense. Ralph is the one who conceives the meeting place, the fire, and the huts. He synthesizes and applies Piggy 's intellectualism, and he recognizes the false fears and superstitions as barriers to their survival. He is a diplomat and a natural leader.

Ralph's capacity for leadership is evident from the very beginning (he is the only elected leader of the boys). During the crisis caused by the sight of the dead paratrooper on the mountain, Ralph is able to proceed with both sense and caution. He works vigilantly to keep the group's focus on the hope for rescue. When the time comes to investigate the castle rock, Ralph takes the lead alone, despite his fear of the so-called beast. Even in this tense moment, politeness is his default. When Simon mumbles that he doesn't believe in the beast, Ralph "answered him politely, as if agreeing about the weather." British culture is famed for civilized reserve in emotional times. By the standards of the society he's left behind, Ralph is a gentleman.

Having started with a schoolboy's romantic attitude toward anticipated "adventures" on the island, Ralph eventually loses his excitement about their independence and longs for the comfort of the familiar. He indulges in images of home, recollections of the peaceful life of cereal and cream and children's books he had once known. He fantasizes about bathing and grooming. Ralph's earlier life had been civilized, and he brought to the island innocent expectations and confidence until certain experiences informed his naiveté and destroyed his innocence. As he gains experience with the assemblies, the forum for civilized discourse, he loses faith in them. "Don't we love meetings?" Ralph says bitterly, frustrated that only a few of the boys actually follow through on their plans.

Over time, Ralph starts to lose his power of organized thought, such as when he struggles to develop an agenda for the meeting but finds himself lost in an inarticulate maze of vague thoughts. Ralph's loss of verbal ability bodes ill for the group because his authority lies in the platform, the symbol of collective governance and problem solving where verbal communication is the primary tool. Ralph's mental workings are subject to the same decay as his clothing; both are frayed by the rigors of the primitive life. Yet in response to the crisis of the lost rescue opportunity, Ralph demonstrates his capacities as a conceptual thinker.

When "[w]ith a convulsion of the mind, Ralph discovered dirt and decay," he is symbolically discovering humankind's dark side. At the same time, he has learned that intellect, reason, sensitivity, and empathy are the tools for holding the evil at bay. Ralph's awareness is evident when, realizing the difficulty of this lifestyle in contrast to his initial impression of its glamour, he "smiled jeeringly," as an adult might look back with cynicism on the ideals held as a youth.

Although he becomes worn down by the hardships and fears of primitive life and is gradually infected by the savagery of the other boys, Ralph is the only character who identifies Simon's death as murder and has a realistic, unvarnished view of his participation. He feels both loathing and excitement over the kill he witnessed. Once Ralph becomes prey, he realizes that he is an outcast "Cos I had some sense" — not just common sense but a sense of his identity as a civilized person, a sense of the particular morality that had governed the boys' culture back home.

When Ralph encounters the officer on the beach at the end of the book, he is not relieved at being rescued from a certain grisly death but discomforted over "his filthy appearance," an indication that his civility had endured his ordeal. In exchange for his innocence, he has gained an understanding of humankind's natural character, an understanding not heretofore available to him: that evil is universally present in all people and requires a constant resistance by the intellect that was Piggy, by the mysticism and spiritualism that was Simon, and by the hopes and dreams that are his.

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Lord of the Flies

William golding.

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Ralph Quotes in Lord of the Flies

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Ralph is the protagonist (hero) in Lord of the Flies . He is the first character we meet in the novel and we initially see the island through his eyes.

• At the start of the story, Ralph is elected leader and chief of the island.
• He represents democracy, order, civilisation, and fair leadership in the novel.
• It is Ralph who finds the conch shell ( “A shell.” ), their symbol of democracy, order and authority.

• He focuses on building shelters and maintaining a signal fire so they can be rescued.

• At the start, everyone accepts Ralph as the leader, as they believe that he has their best interests in mind.
• However, as the boys become more savage (obsessed with killing and power), the group begin to turn against Ralph.
• They metaphorically turn against civilisation as they become more savage.
• The boys turn away from Ralph and begin to follow Jack (wildness and violence).

• As their savage sides begin to take over, all of the boys (except for Piggy) leave Ralph’s group and join Jack’s tribe.
• Although Ralph loses control of the boys, he never fully gives in to the evil within him, but continues to follow his own beliefs.
• At the feast, where Simon is killed, he does take part in the crazed dancing and killing of the “pig” .

Evil within

• Ralph is one of the boys who was actively fighting to get close to Robert.
• Golding did this to show that everyone, even the best of us, has evil within and that no one is perfect.

Self awareness

• “Don’t you understand, Piggy? The things we did-"

Ralph cont.

Although Ralph loses control of the boys, he never fully gives in to the evil within him, but continues to follow his own beliefs. He is one of the only boys who fights back against the Lord of the Flies.

Inner strength

• Ralph is one of the only boys who fights back against the Lord of the Flies – the others get swept up in the crazed dancing, feasting and hunting.
• Whilst Ralph does succumb to this at times, he is also the one who throws the pig’s head to the ground and takes the stake it was impaled upon as his own means of defence.

The loss of hope

• By the end of the novel, Ralph is the only one left on the side of morality and civility – and he is being hunted by Jack’s tribe, showing that savagery is winning.
• It is not until the end, when he is about to be murdered himself, that he finally loses all hope ( “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy” ) and grieves.

Summary of Ralph

• He uses the conch to create order and control (blows it to call meetings).
• His main goal is for the boys to be rescued (obsessed with signal fire).
• He is courageous and sticks up for his beliefs.
• He is the only boy who survives the island, who has not changed.
• Finally, he is hunted by Jack’s tribe of savages, showing that their civilisation has broken down.

1.1 Context

1.1.1 The Title

1.1.2 Historical Context

1.1.3 End of Topic Test - Context

2 Story Analysis

2.1 Chapter 1

2.1.1 The Sound of the Shell

2.1.2 The Sound of the Shell 2

2.2 Chapter 2

2.2.1 Fire on the Mountain

2.3 Chapter 3

2.3.1 Huts on the Beach

2.4 Chapter 4

2.4.1 Painted Faces & Long Hair

2.5 Chapter 5

2.5.1 Beast from the Water

2.5.2 Beast from the Water 2

2.6 Chapter 6

2.6.1 Beast From the Air

2.7 Chapter 7

2.7.1 Shadows & Tall Trees

2.8 Chapter 8

2.8.1 Gift for the Darkness

2.8.2 Gift for the Darkness 2

2.8.3 Gift for the Darkness 3

2.9 Chapter 9

2.9.1 A View to a Death

2.10 Chapter 10

2.10.1 The Shell & the Glasses

2.11 Chapter 11

2.11.1 Castle Rock

2.12 Chapter 12

2.12.1 Cry of the Hunters

3 Key Characters

3.1 Profiles

3.1.1 Ralph

3.1.2 Piggy

3.1.4 Exam-Style Questions - Jack

3.1.5 Simon

3.1.6 Roger

3.1.7 End of Topic Test - Ralph, Piggy & Jack

3.1.8 End of Topic Test - Simon & Roger

3.1.9 Grade 9 - Key Characters

4 Key Concepts

4.1.1 Human Nature

4.1.2 Location & Setting

4.1.3 Democracy & Dictatorship

4.1.4 End of Topic Test - Themes

5 Writing Techniques

5.1 Writing Techniques

5.1.1 Allegory

5.1.2 Foreshadowing

5.1.3 Pathetic Fallacy

5.1.4 Naming

5.1.5 End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

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Cry of the Hunters

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Lord of The Flies — The Ralph’s Leadership in the Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The Ralph's Leadership in The Lord of The Flies by William Golding

• Categories: Lord of The Flies

About this sample

Words: 968 |

Published: Jun 29, 2018

Words: 968 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

A Good Hook Examples for "The Lord of the Flies" Essay

• A Descent into Chaos: Step onto the deserted island where order disintegrates, and savagery emerges. Join me as we explore Ralph's role as a leader in William Golding's "The Lord of the Flies" and how it mirrors the fragility of civilization.
• An Inspirational Quote: William Golding wrote, "The greatest ideas are the simplest." Let's delve into how Ralph's leadership style, rooted in simplicity and reason, becomes both a source of hope and vulnerability on the island.
• A Character Study: Ralph's journey from a hopeful leader to a symbol of lost innocence is central to the novel. Together, we'll dissect his character, decisions, and the moral dilemmas he faces in a world devoid of authority.
• An Exploration of Democracy: The concept of democracy is tested on the island, where the conch shell represents order and control. Join me in analyzing how Ralph's leadership embodies democratic ideals and their limitations in the face of human nature.
• A Timeless Tale: Although set on a remote island, the themes of leadership and the loss of innocence in "The Lord of the Flies" remain relevant today. Explore with me why Ralph's struggles continue to resonate with readers of all generations.

"The Lord of the Flies" Essay Example

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Lord of the flies – sample essay..

Choose a novel in which an important theme is explored. Explain how the author develops this theme throughout the novel.

            The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel in which the theme of savagery versus civilisation is explored. Some British boys are stranded on an isolated island at the time of an imaginary nuclear war. On the island we see conflict between two main characters, Jack and Ralph, who respectively represent civilisation and savagery. This has an effect on the rest of the boys throughout the novel as they delve further and further into savagery.

             The theme of savagery versus civilisation is first introduced to us through the symbol of the conch shell which we associate with Ralph as he is the person who first uses it and becomes the elected leader of the boys. This symbolises authority amongst the boys. At the first assembly Ralph says “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak…he won’t be interrupted”. This suggests civilisation as Ralph is allowing each boy to have an equal say and opinion. If they have the conch, no matter who they are or what age they are they will be given the chance to speak and will be listened to by the rest of the boys. The boys have created the island to be a democratic place which shows a civilised side to them as they try to mimic the homes they have just left.

             Contrasting with the symbol of the conch is the symbol of the beast which comes to be associated with Jack as by the end of the novel he is almost devil worshipping it. The beast begins as a  “snake thing” but by the end of the novel it has become “the Lord of the Flies”. The first quote shows us that the beast is clearly evil. Western society considers snakes to be bad omens because it was a snake that led Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge. However at this stage of the novel the beast is quite insubstantial as it is only a “thing”. As the boys fear of the beast grows so to does the beast itself until it has manifested into the devil – the ultimate and most powerful evil. He has a strong status as a Lord although it is over something pretty disgusting – the flies. The boys belief in the beast leads them to behave more like savages as they act out from their fear and they begin to loose hold of the rules, led by Jack, thus demonstrating the theme of savagery.

             One of ways Golding shows conflict between savagery and civilisation is when Jack and some of the other boys are killing the first pig. Jack chants “kill the pig, cut her throat, spill the blood”. This suggests savagery as the boys are being violent and aggressive when killing the pig and they don’t care about it. This is particularly clear through Golding’s word choice. Jack talks about cutting the pig’s throat which makes it sound like a savage action and spilling her blood which reinforces the lack of care and feeling shown towards the pug’s carcass. This shows that the boys are no longer feeling guilty about what they have done thus showing them becoming savages. 

             We can see the conflict between savagery and civilisation developing further when Piggy’s glasses are broken. We are told “Piggy cried out in terror ‘my specs!” This shows us that the boys savage natures are beginning to overule their more civilised sides. At the start of the book Jack would never have dared touch Piggy, but here he actually snaps and goes for Piggy who he despises. We can tell that Piggy is really scared as Golding chooses the words “cried” and “terror” to describe the scene. Piggy sounds like he is hurting and is genuinely terrified about what Jack might do to him and the loss of his sight. Piggy’s glasses have also come to represent intelligence on the island, with them breaking we see that the pathway to savagery is now completely open for the boys. This is the first true piece of violence between the two factions on the island and it will result in nearly all the boys becoming savages.

             A final way in which we see the theme of savagery versus civilisation being demonstrated is when Ralph sticks up for Piggy after he is attacked by Jack. Ralph says “that was a dirty trick”. This shows that Ralph is really angry at Jack for what he said and did to Piggy. He is still attempting to impose himself as leader here as he says this in an aggressive and assertive tone. This suggests there is still some glimmers of civilisation on the island at this point as there is still someone with a sense of moral goodness ready to fight for justice.

             In conclusion The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel in which the theme of savagery versus civilisation is shown. Ralph represents civilisation as he wants to enforce rules and let everyone have an equal say. Whereas Jack who represents savagery as he rules over the boys and he is not interested in what they have to say. Through the boys actions Golding shows us that we need rules and to consciously impose them to make sure society functions properly.

27 thoughts on “Lord of the Flies – sample essay.”

AWESOME thanks guys!!

This essay was really helpful and thought provoking. I noticed a comment about how this essay could improve and I understand that this essay follows Scottish Qualifications, but I just have two suggestions to improve it.

At the beginning of Paragraph 4 it states “One of ways”. I think that perhaps the author meant “One of the ways”.

Also, in Paragraph 5 the author uses “We”, it may be different in Scotland, but I learnt that in essays one does not use personal pronouns.

Other than that it was really well written <3 Thank you!

I’m sorry you didn’t find the essay any help. There are mistakes in this as it was written by a National 5 class and is an exact sample essay as written by the pupils (equivalent to GCSE) and as a result of that there are some errors. It does talk about the same thing over and over again – civilisation versus savagery – but it is supposed to as this was the focus of the essay question. When writing a critical essay you need to pick out things from the text that answer the question. You will notice that different things are picked out from the text that relate to the fight between civilisation and savagery – whether this is the symbols used in the book or the actions of some of the characters. Once this has been selected to speak about you need to lift evidence from the text to support what you are saying and then explain it to your readers. I hope this has helped you understand the point of the essay a bit better.

Ms Davidson

Is this essay meant to be for a GSCE course? I am doing an essay about it now and I’m in year 8.

This text is being used by students in a Scottish Secondary School for their National 5 English qualification. They sit their exam at the equivalent age to those studying GCSEs. It doesn’t really matter what age you are when you study the text, it’s more to do with the levels of analysis you go through whilst studying the text. This essay would be a minimum pass at National 5 in Scotland. It is written by students and is simply an example of what students could write in their exam.

Hope that’s helped, Ms Davidson

I was desperate to know what to write in the conclusion but then this conclusion gave me some help, Thank you

Thank you so much!! The points in this essay are extremely helpful and I was able to interlink them in my GCSE exam today. Very helpful source!!

You are very welcome!

I’m glad you found it useful!

Thanks so much I have this 5 paragraph essay that’s due and you helped me so much for idea wise

WOOOOW amazing thank you so much

😍😍😍😍❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

this is gold as I have to write an essay on lotf and was having troubles finding main quotes the had good techniques paired to them and this helped a lot

Is this a full mark piece ?

This would probably get 15-16 out of 20 at National 5 in the Scottish system. Hope that helps.

Glad it was useful!

Thank you so much this was so extremely helpful. You are a lifesaver!

I’m glad I found this essay because i got an A on my school essay. THANK YOU SO MUCH 🙂

I wanted conflict between ralph and jack ONLY

You can change the points and the link backs (the first and last sentence in each paragraph) to focus on the conflict between Jack and Ralph if you need to. Each symbol talked about here is either associated with Jack or Ralph. Also Jack and Ralph link to the wider theme of the book with each boy respectively representing civilisation or savagery. This essay can be used to help you structure the one you need to write.

I am writing a paragraph and i need to write about the theme, charecters/groups… i cant start the paragraph with the answers, i need an intro, what can i do for an intro, i am a bit stuck

I’m not sure I understand your question Sarah. Your paragraph seems to include an awful lot of things. What is the overall point you are trying to talk about? If you were looking at the theme of civilisation then you could start with a simple sentence saying “The Lord of the Flies explores the theme of savagery versus civilisation”. If you are focusing on a particular character then begin with “The Lord of the Flies uses one of it’s main characters Jack/Ralph to explore certain ideas within the text.” I hope this helps. Ms Davidson

This helped me soon much!I’m so happy that I got an A+!My teacher was so happy.

That’s excellent!

THANK YOU SO MUCH 🙂

I need help with that essay lotf essay why should a leader read lotf base on ralph.

Take a look at the essay based on the character Ralph. Adapt it the first sentence in each paragraph (your POINT) so that it focuses on Ralph being a good example of being a leader, or how they can learn a lesson from him doing something that shows him being a bad leader. Then adapt the final sentence (your LINK BACK) so it responds to him setting an example (or not!) for leaders.

I was reading through the comments and you mentioned that the essay would be about 15-16 marks out of 20, and was wonder what improvements could be made to get the last few marks?

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Lord of the Flies

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• Literary Devices - Lord of the Flies
• Internet Archive - "Lord of the Flies"

Lord of the Flies , novel by William Golding , published in 1954. The book explores the dark side of human nature and stresses the importance of reason and intelligence as tools for dealing with the chaos of existence.

In the novel, children are evacuated from Britain because of a nuclear war. One airplane, with adults and prep-school boys as passengers, crashes on an uninhabited island, and all the adults are killed. As the boys fashion their own society, their attempts at establishing a social order gradually devolve into savagery. Finally abandoning all moral constraints, the boys commit murder before they are rescued and returned to civilization.