Lord Of The Flies: Main Character Analysis

downloadDownload
  • Words 619
  • Page 1
Download PDF

In Lord of the flies by William Golding, there are three main characters. Each main character represents something. There’s Ralph, Simon, and Jack. There’s Ralph, Simon, and Jack. Ralph represents civilization and democracy, Simon represents an incarnation of goodness and Jack represents savagery and dictatorship. There is a difference between the two characters, Jack and Ralph. Ralph wants to be a true leader and do what is best for all the boys, and Jack wants to be chief to gain and Jack wants to be chief to gain adulation and does whatever he wants. Also, there is a complete difference between Simon and Jack. Simon behaves kindly and Jack is evil.

Ralph is a special character in the book as he represents civilization and democracy as the only boy on the island that has grown into a strong moral center. ‘Ralph using the conch, calls together a meeting and is quickly elected the chief of the group’, in this quote he is showing the boy’s desire to do things democratically. They attempt to build huts, organize places to go to the bathroom, and get coconut shells to hold water,’ the purpose of this quote is to imitate a civilized society. In conclusion, by showing him to grow as a leader, Golding makes Ralph an interesting character and then remains the only boy not to succeed in savagery by joining Jack’s group.

Click to get a unique essay

Our writers can write you a new plagiarism-free essay on any topic

Simon symbolizes goodness, he’s a kind-hearted person. In his goodness, he symbolizes the figure of Christ. Simon reflects the holiness and a kind of natural, religious human goodness which in its own way is deeply connected with nature and as primitive as Jack’s evil instinct. Simon is very different from all the other boys. The human impulse toward civilization, according to Golding, is not as deeply rooted as the human in the post to savagery. ‘Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.’ Simon believed in the beast, he knew that the beast was actually the inherent evil inside each one of them. Simon visited the jungle and the little saw someone in the jungle.’ I wanted – – to go to a place just a place I know. A place in the jungle’. The boy believes that Simon is the beast, foreshadowing the later scene when the entire team mistakes Simon for the beast and kills him in terrified terror.

Lastly, there is Jack. Jack represents savagery and dictatorship, he isn’t a good leader because he gets hunting obsessed, he cares only for others if they can help him out. Jack is very selfish and self-absorbed, Jack is cruel and is very mean to others. ‘ I thought I might kill’. Jack is disappointed at his failure to kill the pig is mirrored in Ralph’s frustration at Jack’s lack of others to help the community. ‘now you eat all of you’. Finally, Jack killed a pig he angrily told the party to feed in celebration of his success as a hunter and supplier. Show

In conclusion, Golding’s views on the boys are opposite from each other on how they behave and treat each other. Simon is much like Jesus, he becomes a sacrificial victim as a Christ-like figure who dies after trying to bring his message to others. Jack is evil and violent along the lines of the dark side of human nature, Jack rules the boys and is not interested in what they have to say. Ralph, he is similar to Simon, he chooses civilization over savagery and treats people how he wants to be treated, he wants laws to be followed and everyone to have an equal say. William Golding teaches us through how the boys behave that we need laws to make sure that society works properly.

image

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.