Chief Ralph Monologue

Ralph was a decent leader for the job even though they chose him because of the conch and appearance. Ralph and Jack were very different and have very different perspectives as chief. Jack was all about himself. Ralph just wanted to do what he could and get rescued. So the first quality there is his thinking and how he wants to get rescued. Even though throughout the book Ralph had some hard times being chief, he still took responsibility at the end of the book. Ralph measured well for the job. Not just because of his appearance and the conch, is how much he cares about the others of how he wanted to be rescued. Jacks reason to be chief is because he and his hunters got everyone food. Ralph did make commands but for good reasons. Ralph made

“ “Shut up,” said Ralph absently. He lifted the couch. “Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things around here.” (Chapter 1, Page 22) Ralph immediately notices the boys need some leadership his natural choice is to help guide these boys. He, however, lacks this responsibility. He doesn't continue to command respect from the boys. Ralph grows up faster in the book due to Jack. Later Jack breaks the tribe apart with his appealingly savage ways. Jack ended up establishing a hunting tribe. Once the tribe breaks Ralph tries to bring it back together, but since he didn’t have solid leadership skills even though he might have developed some compassion. He tries to convince Jack that he is still in charge and has power over the boys. The changes Ralph undergoes, from self-centered to group centered, doesn't reflect the island as a whole. They are all too elated to abandon the trappings of society.

While at Jack’s dining party, Ralph and Piggy decide to show up. Jack tries to convince Ralph to join their tribe but Ralph refuses: “‘I’m chief’, said Ralph, “because you chose me. And we were going to keep the fire going. Now you run after food-” (Golding 211). In this passage, Ralph and Jack get into an argument deciding who the leader should be. This quote clearly contrasts the two leadership qualities. While Ralph wants to keep the fire going, Jack just wants to hunt for food and have fun. This shows that Ralph is showing better leadership qualities because he wants to do what is right for their survival, rather than Jack who wants to do what is most fun for the team. At the end of the book, a Naval Officer finds the island submerged in fire. When he asks the boys the question “who’s boss here?’ Ralph immediately says he is despite what the other boys say. “‘Who’s in boss here?’ ‘I am,’ said Ralph loudly” (Golding 284). In this passage, Ralph is admitting that he is leader despite what the others think of him. He says this because he knows he has the most leadership qualities. This action shows that he is a leader because of his

“We want to have fun, and we want to be rescued” (page 37) A good chief or leader is someone that cares about all the individuals in the group, does not break people down, and blunt and honest with a group. In this case, Ralph would be the best choice for chief for many reasons. As shown by that quote he really cares about what was best for the group, but yet was also about having fun on the island while they were deserted. Ralph throughout the novel shows civilization through his action and so many more characteristics that make up a good leader. Ralph is the best leader in the novel. This is evident because he makes good decisions to benefit the group, his priority is to be rescued over everything else, and he is the most civilized of all

In Chapter 7, hunting is a very common theme and it is proved that within everyone, there is a desire to hunt and feel empowered. When Jack, his hunters, and Ralph went hunting, a big boar came out of nowhere, which could have killed them all, until Ralph stepped in, striking the boar with his spear before it did any harm. “‘I hit him’ said Ralph again, ‘and the spear stuck in a bit.’ He felt the need of witness. [...] ‘I hit him all right. The spear stuck in. I wounded him!’ He stunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all” (Golding 113). This quote shows that after Ralph felt the adrenaline and success of hurting the boar, his whole view of hunting changed and he started to feel good about himself and about hunting. He felt confident and powerful as he repeated what he had done multiple times to the group, trying to get recognition. I think one reason that Ralph feels good about hunting now is because before he went on this trip, nothing was going his way as chief. He would always fight for attention from the group and never get his way. However, when he was successful in hunting,

Through Ralph being the leader on the island, it shows him as a morally ambiguous character struggling with man’s innate evil. Ralph is clearly struggling to maintain calm when he says, “‘I was chief, and you were going to do what I said. You talk. But you can’t even build huts--then you go off hunting and let out the fire--’” (Golding 70-71). Ralph talks about him being chief in the past tense as if he no longer is because from the ways the boys are acting, he does not feel that he is being respected. Ralph is annoyed that instead of building shelter the boys play in the water and that instead of manning the fire, the only chance for the boys to be noticed, they decide hunting is more important than being rescued. Ralph means well by these orders, he wants to see that every boy on the island survives. At the same time he is struggling to be calm and he is not doing a good job at it. Also as the leader Ralph is not the one

Loved ones, I welcome you all to this sorrowful place, to say goodbye to my beloved daughter, Juliet. If Juliet was here with us today, she would be more than overwhelmed with the audience attending her funeral. Standing here before you today is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Words cannot describe the sorrow and loss I am feeling. Juliet was my wife and I’s dearest, only child. She meant the world to us. A very obedient child, yet extremely strong in her dedication to love, rarely disobeying our wishes, only once... For her darling husband Romeo.

In my opinion, not a single boy on the island would have done a better job as chief as Ralph. This does not mean his performance as a chief was successful, though. Ralph was born a natural leader, his determination to lead others is what made the boys who voted for him believe that he was best suited for the job. When placed under stress, Ralph was not able to commit to his role of leadership. He, essentially, broke as a leader and was unable to successfully do the job. Although a leader is somebody with the willpower to bring others down the right path, Ralph showed that he was unable to withstand the pressure of being a

do that if we want to, anyone can be a hunter. It’s so pointless, he

Throughout chapter 6, Ralph becomes a more forceful leader as a result of his people become less civilized. Ralph seems desperate for his people to listen to him and as if he can’t get everyone together. For example, when everyone is saying they want to stay near the rock fort, Golding writes, “I say we’ll go on!’ shouted Ralph furiously,” (108). By Ralph “shouting furiously”, we see the weight of authority taking a toll on Ralph through the desperation in his tone. In this chapter, it becomes clear Ralph is getting tired of his responsibility as chief. When walking in a line, he let’s Jack lead the way. Golding says, “Ralph walked in the rear, thankful to have escaped responsibility for a time,” (103). Allegorically, if Ralph symbolizes civility and Jack symbolizes savagery, Ralph surrendering temporary leadership

When Ralph does take charge he does it silently and does not flaunt his intangibles, like Jack Merridew did, saying he is the lead choir boy amongst other things. Ralph took control of the castaways and won the boys over without being aggressive, without disrespecting Jack, and without arrogance and self made pride. He wins the boys over with his calming presence and his ability to get everyone on the same page. It is for all those reasons, that Ralph was able to win over the boys and ultimately take over the island, but doing so in a well balanced, fair democracy. While Ralph does lead the boys, however, there is still no love loss between Jack and Ralph. Later on in the novel, some of the boys have begun to lose interest and faith in Ralph's leadership. But instead many boys are becoming intrigued with by what Jack and his hunters are doing. It is for that reason that Ralph must give into the ways of these barbaric actions by the hunters. While out hunting one day, Jack and his fellow hunters are accompanied by Ralph who wants to contribute, learn, and feel the rush of hunting. The hunters and Ralph see a scurrying animal trot across the jungle, “ ‘Through here’ ‘But he’d do us!’ ‘Through here!’ Jack said… ‘I hit him!, said Ralph again’, and the spear stuck in a bit … ‘I saw you. Right on his snout, Whee!’ “ (113)

Jack shows pride by electing himself to be chief so he can be in charge. “‘I ought to be chief,’ said Jack with simple arrogance, ‘because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.’” This quote exemplifies how Jack volunteered himself to be in charge. Jack wanted to be above everybody, so he tried to convince everyone to let him be chief. He wanted to have power and authority. “We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief.” This is yet another quote that shows how Jack was stubborn about how he believed he deserved to be chief. He did not bother to ask the others about their opinion on who should be in charge. Instead he just appointed himself. “His tone conveyed a warning, given out of the pride of ownership, and the boys ate fast while there was still time.” This quote shows how Jack was obsessed with the power of being chief. Jack scared the other boys into respecting him as a leader. Jack shows pride in these quotes, because he shows that he believes he should be chief, because he is superior to everybody. All of the other boys chose Ralph as their leader, so Jack creates conflict by challenging Ralph as chief. Jack trying to usurp Ralph as chief shows how he was putting his needs before those of the entire group. Jack was too prideful to allow Ralph to be in charge, and constantly challenged him as a leader. This conflict gets in the way of the boys being able to work together to try to survive and get rescued.

            Ralph first takes on the position as leader at the beginning of the story, when the rest of the boys vote him in as chief.  He carries this position until Jack and his fellow hunters break away

Jack insists that since Ralph had never hunted and provided meat for the boy’s he shouldn’t be chief; the other boy’s disagree, and, upset that he has not proven himself to the boys, says, "I'm not going to play any longer. Not with you… I'm going off by myself. He can catch his own pigs. Anyone who wants to hunt when I do can come too" (144). Jack then walks off, and many of the boys follow him and leave Ralph behind; in doing this, Jack takes a good portion of Ralph’s tribe, as well as much of Ralph’s dignity as a chief. Later, Jack names himself chief of the other group of boys. He uses his power to make rules, all of which establish that Jack’s side of the island is different from Ralph’s; "We'll hunt. I'm going to be chief… I say this. We aren't going to bother about the beast… And another thing. We shan't dream so much down here. This is near the end of the island" (146). In his anger, Jack created a society based on what children want instead of what adults need, which Ralph had. Jack has made himself the opposite of Ralph out of

Severe storms nor death can against me! I’m the one and only Tybalt Capulet, also the invincible and sacred, well-known as Juliet’s cousin. I persistently protect the name of the Capulets, but simultaneously have an eternal hate to the Montagues. I’m my own ruler and I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do and this goes directly to my uncle, Lord Capulet.