What Is The Importance Of Characterization In Lord Of The Flies

If one was stranded on an island for months on end, how much would his/her personality or appearance change? Would they become more independent or just how dependent were they on civilization? Many factors contribute to the shaping of these young boys’ personalities. This includes the island itself, the environment they are in, the thirst for power, and the conflicts between the inhabitants themselves. Whether for better or worse, everyone changes at one point or another. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Golding’s development of characterization reveals that each boys leaves the island as a completely different person, inside and out, from when they first arrived. The island, Jack himself and even character conflicts changes each boy
From the start, the boys looked up to Ralph as an authority figure and respected him. As it was stated that “The children gave (Ralph) the same simple obedience that they had given the men with the megaphones”(18). However, as the boys inch their way towards savagery in order to adapt to the island, they are slowly crawling away from Ralph’s guidance. When Jack and the choir all came out of the forest in 2 parallel lines(19), Jack is clearly not yet intact with his savage side, but as soon as he sees the first pig, the drift from his civility is apparent. We also see this drift as the boys are trying to cope with the situation at hand and morph themselves-- whether consciously or subconsciously-- to better suit the
For example, Piggy is the fat, apprehensive boy who gets walked over by the others, even the younger kids who should be respecting him. However, he morphs into a more confident, wise character who handles the situations better than almost anyone on the island. When he decides to stand up to Jack, he says “I’m going to… I’m going to say-- you got to!”(171) and we see him become more self-assured and less introverted. Conflicts between the two eldest characters, Ralph and Jack, cause problems for everyone. Under pressure, it is found that Ralph handles himself in a collected, almost civilized, manner. Jack ,on the other hand, acts in a savage manner, disregarding the fact that someone could get hurt in the process such as when Jack threw a spear at Ralph(177). Ralph and Jack do not understand that the other boys look up to them and see them as adults and parental figures. As they fight, they break away pieces of civility in everyone, not just