Lord Of The Flies Ralph Leadership Analysis

German journalist John Zenger once stated, “Great leaders are not defined by the absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths”. When one is forced into a situation where a leader is necessary, a person that displays the fundamental attributes will successfully guide the society. Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, the boys on the island represent various aspects of leadership, characterized by differing strengths. However, the protagonist’s, Ralph, leadership undoubtedly triumph over the other boys because his attributes allow him to be a powerful leader on the island. Throughout William Golding’s novel, he clearly depicts Ralph as an effective leader through his desire for the survival of all of the boys, his adamant

Ralph is an insufficient leader, which causes his society to greatly decline. Ralph creates the policy of only speaking when one holds the conch in their hands; only Ralph is allowed to interrupt since he is the leader. The boys are at the top of a mountain, defeated, because their fire didn’t stay lit. When Piggy tries to explain why it didn’t work, Jack interrupts him.

Ralph possesses the leadership skill of responsibility. Responsibility is being accountable for something or someone. In the first chapter of Lord of the Flies Ralph takes on the responsibility of being the leader on the island and the responsibility of setting rules. “We’ve got to have special people for looking after the fire. Any day there may be a ship out there…and if we have a signal going they’ll come and take us off. And another thing. We ought to have more rules. Where the conch is, that’s a meeting. The same up here as down there.” (Golding, pg.42) This quote shows how Ralph was taking on the responsibility of being the leader and of setting more rules. He establishes the rules and arranges meetings with his group to make sure everything is running smooth. Ralph also tries to make the “littluns” feel safe from the beast. Ralph tries to make sure that everyone on the island feels like they are safe

“...the most obvious leader was Jack. But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out. There was his size, and his attractive appearance. And most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch.” This quote from page 22 in Lord of the Flies begins to illustrate the early struggle for power between Ralph and Jack on the island. From the start, it was a battle between the two boys regarding who was most qualified to take charge and step up as chief. William Golding argues that power is something that comes with responsibility, and struggle. The responsibility that falls on Ralph’s shoulders is tremendous, and there is a very clear struggle for power throughout the novel, which we will later explore.

A true leader is a person who takes initiative and does what is needed to lead a group of people. If they need to, they will make any sacrifices, take the ability to take control and charge of a group. Ralph displays initiative and leadership in the book, “Lord of the Flies”, by William Golding, by leading the innocent group of kids to survival.

Ralph's character comes back stronger than ever before in the final chapters of the novel. At this point, like Simon had before him, Ralph becomes aware of the savagery existing within all the boys—including himself. "That was Simon," he admits to Piggy, recalling the barbaric act he took part in. Even upon Piggy's death, Ralph still manages not to let the savagery overwhelm him, only momentarily considering joining Jacks tribe for safety. His firsthand knowledge of his aptitude for sin builds his motivation to throw down the Lord of the Flies near the end of the novel. By the time he finally realizes the evil on the island is within the boys themselves, it is too late for Ralph to fight for anyone but himself.

When Jack slaps Piggy and purposely breaks his glasses, Ralph calls it "A dirty trick." (p. 76) This shows Jack's selfishness and his failure to respect other people, while at the same time Ralph's concern is understand others. Ralph manages to treat each boy equally with his own form of control while Jack treats the boys, especially Piggy lower. After hunting, the group sits down to eat and Jack gives everyone a share except for Piggy. When Piggy asks for some, Jack says, "You didn't hunt." (p. 78) Neither Ralph or many of the littluns hunted but they still got their portion of meat. This was only being directed to Piggy. Jack's behavior towards Piggy shows that he is unable to understand other people. A good leader would have taken care of all his/her group. Ralph understands that he must treat everyone equal or he will not be respected and is a better leader than Jack because of this knowledge.

Secondly, Ralph is not only a rational leader but also a moral person, who cleverly keeps the fairness in his group. “Ralph, looking more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult ‘Better Piggy than Fatty” (25). Ralph is sincere and considerate for other people. He apparently understand their feeling and particularly shows his sympathy for Piggy. Ralph is sensible enough to realize that everyone deserves to be respected. He believes no one should have to put up with being tormented. Ralph gently gains others’ support by treating them equally, showing his compassion and ability to empathize with them. Opposite to Ralph, Jack is immoral, violent and condescending. “He’s going to beat Wilfred” (159). He does not care or understand the natural equality of

To further illustrate, in “Lord of the Flies” the character, Ralph, is a round and dynamic character. Ralph can be classified as this type of character because of the changes he undergoes as the story unfolds. To explain, at the beginning of the story, Ralph is confident and optimistic when himself and multiple boys crash on an island. He takes control and earns the trust if the group. Ralph conducts assemblies and his words are determined and civilized, “All at once he found he could talk fluently and explain what he had to say… ‘we want to be rescued; and of course, we shall be rescued…we must make a fire”’ (Golding 32-38). Ralph’s words and actions show his boldness to take control and his strong belief in being rescued. However, as the story continues, the system and trust Ralph establish begins to diminish, resulting in two separate groups. The one group contains Ralph and very few civilized boys, and the second group is made up Jack and the savages. Although the groups are at peace at first, multiple fights and Piggy’s stolen glasses causes Ralph to partially change. This change is revealed to the readers when Ralph and Piggy go to the saves to retrieve the glasses, “Truculently they squared up to each other but kept just out of fighting distance… ‘Ralph-remember what we came for. The fire. My specs”’ (Golding 177). During this mission, the once civilized Ralph begins to fight with the savages and he acted barbaric himself. Ralph’s and actions and Piggy’s words show the reader how Ralph transformed the course of the book from being civilized and confident with his word; however, Ralph is now becoming a savage and loses his optimistic attitude. Piggy’s words to Ralph, shows how Ralph is forgetting the idea of being civilized because Piggy must constantly remind Ralph of their mission, but Ralph seems to just want to fight. Ralph’s shift in personality shows the reader that he is a dynamic and round character. Therefore, Ralph’s character undergoes development; however, Brutus in “Julius Ceaser” changes in an equivalent way.

Piggy urges Ralph to use what power he has left by calling a meeting: “’What’s grown-ups going to say?’ cried Piggy again…The sound of mock hunting, hysterical laughter, and real terror came from the beach. ‘Blow the conch, Ralph...You got to be tough now. Make ‘em do what you want.’ Ralph answered in the cautious voice of one who rehearses a theorem. ‘If I blow the conch and they don’t come back; then we’ve had it. We shan’t keep the fire going. We’ll be like animals. We’ll never be rescued.’” In this situation, Piggy is still worried about the punishment of his previous life. He is the closest thing to an adult on the island, and Ralph is the only one who advocates listening to him, illustrating Ralph’s connection to the rules of traditional civilization, which the other boys despise and want to escape through the island. After showing blatant disregard to their “chief’s” rules, they decide to escape the constraints of Ralph’s assemblies and embrace their inner savagery with Jack. Piggy urges Ralph to blow the conch, the symbol of his power throughout the book, but Ralph understands that his form of leadership is becoming the less desirable option to the boys: if he calls an assembly and the other boys do not respond, its power, and his civilization, will have completely disintegrated. Ralph constantly emphasizes their responsibilities on the island—specifically, tending to the signal fire.

Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, Ralph tries his best to create a society based on survival. As time progresses, it is clear that Jack's feelings are towards living life and having fun. Jack's society eventually leads to corruption, killing innocent people, while Ralph's prevails as the boys are rescued. Ralph uses a repetition of hope towards being saved while Jack's technique with no thought clearly flounders creating savages out of the once civilized boys.

In the book, Lord of the flies the boys try to establish order on the island by choosing someone to be in charge. Ralph was chosen as leader. He would use the conch shell to get everyone’s attention and to have everyone focus on the person with the conch shell. They established groups of boys for specific jobs for example “The Hunters.” “ We need an assembly. Not for fun. Not for laughing and falling off the log. For cleverness. Not for those things. But to put things straight.” (79) In the beginning having ralph as leader they listened to him and his rules he put in place, for example the conch shell. As time went on this no longer worked. There were more problems and conflicts between the boys.

Ralph is physically strong: "as far as width and heaviness of shoulders [go]...he might make a boxer" (10).  He is neither "awkward" nor clumsy, for he is at the age before puberty that, when presented in art and literature, hints of innocence and naivete.  Ralph's luck manifests itself in his finding the conch.  The one object that initiates his title as leader, Ralph wields the conch as a sign of power and authority, comparable to the status symbol of luxury cars owned by business executives.  Were Ralph not to have found the conch he would have no reason for becoming leader.  It is also due to fate that blowing the conch gathers the boys together.  Ralph and Piggy were having fun with the conch "which emitted a low, farting noise" (17).  By a stroke of luck Ralph learns to blow the conch and, in turn, starts his reign as leader.  For the time that he is leader, Ralph is excellent.  He uses his common sense to assess the situation of the boys realistically-quite mature for a twelve year old boy.  He sees what must be done for their survival: he sets up parliamentary meetings, builds huts and constructs a signal fire.  He appraises the advice of his right-hand-man, Piggy, according to its practicality-agreeing that, indeed, they need to survey the island, but that Piggy should not be a part of the surveying team.  Ralph, however, is by no means a perfect character.  He is often meaner to those weaker than

What is more important in a leader is doing what is right for the people, and not what the people want which is shown in the book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Ralph does what is right for the people shows it with his priorities. The power is starting to shift over to Jack. Jack shows his “leadership” with his only priority.

Tom Francis Neale was a New Zealander who spent sixteen years of his life living alone on a deserted island. Not alone, a young boy named Ralph, in the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, has to lead a young group of boys and take responsibility. Ralph uses a conch shell to gather the group of boys together and assemble rules and priorities due everyday on the island. A good leader may need to control others to maintain order in the society.. However, being told what to do by a boy that is around the same age as you can’t last long. Golding uses the main character Ralph to demonstrate that a good leader must be in control and know how to be in charge of others.