Ralph Lord Of The Flies Character Analysis Essay

Matt Bellerby

Mrs. McDonnell

English 10 H

12 February 2023

Ralph Character Analysis Lord of the Flies details the struggles of a group of boys, mainly the struggles of the two main characters Ralph and Jack, on a deserted island with an absence of society. Different characters deal with this descent from society in different ways: Jack develops into an unrestrainable hunter, Roger displays the innate evil of man by developing into a sadist, Simon exemplifies the inherent good of man by developing into a benevolent savior for the younger boys, and Piggy’s character remains static throughout. Ralph, however, has a more complex character development. In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, Ralph goes from a strong-willed, assertive leader

Instead of respectful agreement, he received unmannered interruption. This exemplifies the boys starting to lose the respect for Ralph that they had a great deal of at the beginning of the novel, as well as the boys beginning to lose touch with society and order. This can also be seen when Ralph and Jack lead a hunting party for the beast. While Ralph is technically still at the head of the group, the reader observes that Ralph is more of an outsider now than he was previously in comparison to Jack, who moves to the center of the boys’

In chapter nine, Jack’s hunters have become the dominant force on the island, overthrowing Ralph’s civil society. The hunters, now called savages, go back to the beach to offer meat and advertise their new tribe, much to Ralph’s dislike. Ralph tries to refute them, “‘I’ll blow the conch,’ said Ralph breathlessly, ‘and call a meeting.’ ‘We shan’t hear it,’ [said Jack],” (151), but to no avail; the hunters no longer have respect for him. Jack saying that they ‘shan’t’ hear Ralph’s pleas signifies an undisputable end of Ralph’s authority and a power transfer from Ralph to Jack. At this point in the novel, there are only three older boys that have remaining loyalty to Ralph’s leadership: Samneric and Piggy. Soon after, Piggy is killed and Samneric is taken prisoner by the tribe of savages. It is at that point where Ralph becomes an outcast; Jack has taken complete control and all Ralph can do is hide from their wrath. At the end of the novel, Ralph has no remaining confidence, and he has become an outcast on the