In William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies," Ralph and Jack are two boys stranded on a deserted island who struggle for power and leadership. Ralph is elected as the leader in the beginning, but as the story progresses, Jack challenges his authority and creates his own tribe. In this essay, we will compare and contrast Ralph and Jack's leadership styles and decide who is a better leader.
Ralph is initially elected as the leader because he is the one who first calls for a meeting and organizes the boys to build shelters, make a signal fire, and establish rules. He is a charismatic and democratic leader who values the opinions of others and tries to maintain order and civilization on the island. Ralph encourages the boys to work together and stay focused on their common goal of getting rescued. He also shows empathy and concern for the well-being of his followers, especially Piggy, who is often bullied by the other boys.
On the other hand, Jack is a natural leader who has a strong personality and commands respect and fear from the other boys. He is a hunter and sees the island as an opportunity to indulge in his primal instincts and desires. Jack is aggressive, impulsive, and authoritarian, and his leadership style is based on intimidation and violence. He creates his own tribe and imposes his will on his followers, using fear and
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For instance, when the boys are first stranded on the island, Ralph takes charge and tries to organize the group. He calls for a meeting and establishes the conch shell as a symbol of authority and order. He also listens to the boys' opinions and tries to incorporate their ideas into the group's plans. Ralph says, "We can't have everybody talking at once. We'll have to have 'hands up' like at school" (Chapter 1). This shows that Ralph is willing to use a democratic process to maintain order and give everyone a