The Simpsons Journey

BP 1: Leaves Ordinary World/ Call to Adventure William Golding’s favored, charismatic protagonist Ralph, finds himself stranded on a deserted island with the company of his fellow classmates, after their plane crashes and kills all adults boarded. Ralph had to leave his “ordinary world,” Britain, as it was in the midst of an atomic war and to be safe, he had to be evacuated. In the beginning of the novel, Ralph meets his mentor Piggy, who informs Ralph the pilot told them the atomic bomb reached Britain, killing all those who were left behind (Golding 14). Although Ralph and the other characters were fortunate enough to have escaped the wrath of the atomic bomb, it was ironic they crash landed onto an uninhabited island. Piggy’s words also
He reassured Piggy that his father is “a commander in the Navy. When he gets leave he’ll come and rescue us” (Golding 13). Despite being stranded on an island, Ralph remained hopeful and was certain they were going to be rescued. This positive trait of his is detrimental to what makes him a hero. Interestingly enough, Ralph’s journey can be compared to that of Bart Simpson's, in The Simpsons episode, “Das Bus,” in which Bart finds himself stranded on an island with other children as a result of a field trip gone wrong. Bart is the only one who took initiative as a leader when he asserts, “Good, let's get to work! Me and Nelson will build the treehouse. Martin, draw up plans for a coconut radio...” (‘Das Bus’ Script). Bart’s predicament and personality parallels with Ralph’s, portraying a more satirized version whilst being optimistic and expressing leadership qualities. Golding’s protagonist demonstrates his potential as leader when readers are first introduced to him, resulting in a positive outlook towards Ralph, decimating
Afterwards, all the survivors appeared and concluded they must have a chief. Ralph had a natural privilege more than anyone else; “there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out...most powerfully, there was the conch...The being that had blown that...was set apart” (Golding 22). The conch shell is one of Golding’s most powerful symbols and associates with Ralph as it symbolizes civilization and social order; it’s a vessel for power and democracy since it governs when the boy’s meetings are and who gets to speak. Moreover, Golding’s protagonist follows Machiavelli’s rules to governing others. First off, one must establish which type of state they are ruling; “All states, all powers, that have held and hold rule over men have been and are either republics or principalities” (Machiavelli 1). In Ralph’s case, the group of boys he is leading are a republic, a state that is entirely new and not inherited. Ralph also crosses a threshold when he realizes the only way to be rescued is to build a signal fire for passing ships to notice. Ralph comprehends it will take a significant amount of patience to get rescued; “We can help them find us.. We must make a fire” (Golding 38). It is extremely important for a leader to take initiative and be assiduous in times like these-- Ralph discerned what was needed to survive. Ralph’s