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Essay on Ralph´s Metamorphosis in the Lord of the Flies

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The novel, Lord of the Flies, is a compelling story displaying the metamorphosis of an individual when faced with external and internal conflicts. Ralph is the first character to be introduced in the book. He is the most likeable as he is charming, athletic, and displays strong leadership qualities. However, as the novel progresses, Ralph loses his sense of civilization and undergoes a change in character discovering the evil man is capable of. Ralph’s metamorphosis is captivating and displays the inevitable loss of innocence.

To start off, Golding displays Ralph’s character development with a deeper meaning connecting Ralph with Adam in Garden of Eden. In the beginning of the book, Ralph takes his clothes off and goes swimming. The…show more content…
However, Ralph argues, “ You haven’t got the conch,” “Sit down” (102). Following his displeasure at Jack’s point he tells the boys, “Hasn’t anyone got any sense?... don’t any of you want to be rescued”(102)? The reader sees the start of abandoning civilization among the boys, although Ralph still believes in the conch. Therefore Ralph believing in the conch shows that he is still civilized. It is not until the very end of the novel where Ralph goes down hill with the rest of the boys when the conch is broken. Mass chaos erupts on the island as Jack and his crew chase Ralph with the island burning in flames. When the boys are rescued Ralph acknowledges the fall through of civilization. The officer mentions that they should have put up a better fight. In response, Ralph argues, “It was like that at first… before things-”(202). The conch breaking represented the end of civilization on the island.

In addition, to the conch revealing Ralph’s abandonment to civilization, Ralph’s transformation in hair coincides with the growth of savagery within him. In the beginning of the novel, Ralph is a well-kept boy. He is described as, “The boy with fair hair” (7). However, as the novel progresses and Ralph starts to face internal and external conflicts on the island the reader sees the meaning behind his hair. When the rules on the island are put aside, the other boys start to hunt and use their power for killing. In the midst of the
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