William Golding Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis Essay
Evan Howard Howard 1
Mrs. Shields
Academic English 5-6 Orange
14 November 2010
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a compelling novel about young boys trapped on a tropical island. Eventually throughout the story, the boys have many problems and end up splitting into two separate groups. Jack’s government is very different from that of Ralph’s. On the island, Ralph is the leader of a democratic form of government. In Ralph’s democratic government, he displays to his people the need to be rescued. That is his foremost goal. Ralph says on page 53, “The best thing we can do is get ourselves rescued.” This
quote shows Ralph’s priorities and what he values most. Jack, on the other hand, values things such as hunting. Golding writes, “If Jack was chief he’d have all hunting and no fire. We’d be here till we died” (Golding 93). This quote spoken by Piggy helps show the reader what Jack values most and how much Ralph values fire as a means for survival. Ralph represents democracy because he was elected chief by all of the boys. Ralph makes the rule that if you wish to speak during a meeting you have to be holding the conch shell. Ralph says, “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking” (Golding 33). This shows the idea that every person has a voice in Ralph’s community. This is how Ralph chose to lead his people. Jack is the leader of the fascist government on the island. If the conch is a symbol of Ralph’s government, the pig head is a figure of Jack’s fascist regime which symbolizes violence and no freedom of speech. Jack says on page 101-102, “We don’t need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things…. It’s time some people know Howard 2 they’ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us.” This shows Jack’s readiness to take over and be an absolute ruler. Just like in North Korea, Jack brainwashes his people to think horrid thoughts that they believe are just. One of his followers says, “He’s a proper chief isn’t he?... He’s going to take us hunting... He’s going to beat Wilfred… He got angry and made us tie him up” (Golding 159). Jack’s people believe him to be the greatest person alive even though they were taught that violence is awful. Jack’s government differs from Ralph’s government on so many levels. This story contrasts the leadership and governmental styles of two very different people. These young boys show the reader the two prominent governmental approaches that the World is currently using. Both have their good aspects, but unfortunately the government that is most successful is Jack’s fascism. Although this government was most successful, the reader is shown that Ralph is a better leader because of his honesty at the end of the book.
Howard 3
Work Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. United Kingdom: Faber and Faber, 1954. Print.
Mrs. Shields
Academic English 5-6 Orange
14 November 2010
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a compelling novel about young boys trapped on a tropical island. Eventually throughout the story, the boys have many problems and end up splitting into two separate groups. Jack’s government is very different from that of Ralph’s. On the island, Ralph is the leader of a democratic form of government. In Ralph’s democratic government, he displays to his people the need to be rescued. That is his foremost goal. Ralph says on page 53, “The best thing we can do is get ourselves rescued.” This
quote shows Ralph’s priorities and what he values most. Jack, on the other hand, values things such as hunting. Golding writes, “If Jack was chief he’d have all hunting and no fire. We’d be here till we died” (Golding 93). This quote spoken by Piggy helps show the reader what Jack values most and how much Ralph values fire as a means for survival. Ralph represents democracy because he was elected chief by all of the boys. Ralph makes the rule that if you wish to speak during a meeting you have to be holding the conch shell. Ralph says, “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking” (Golding 33). This shows the idea that every person has a voice in Ralph’s community. This is how Ralph chose to lead his people. Jack is the leader of the fascist government on the island. If the conch is a symbol of Ralph’s government, the pig head is a figure of Jack’s fascist regime which symbolizes violence and no freedom of speech. Jack says on page 101-102, “We don’t need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things…. It’s time some people know Howard 2 they’ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us.” This shows Jack’s readiness to take over and be an absolute ruler. Just like in North Korea, Jack brainwashes his people to think horrid thoughts that they believe are just. One of his followers says, “He’s a proper chief isn’t he?... He’s going to take us hunting... He’s going to beat Wilfred… He got angry and made us tie him up” (Golding 159). Jack’s people believe him to be the greatest person alive even though they were taught that violence is awful. Jack’s government differs from Ralph’s government on so many levels. This story contrasts the leadership and governmental styles of two very different people. These young boys show the reader the two prominent governmental approaches that the World is currently using. Both have their good aspects, but unfortunately the government that is most successful is Jack’s fascism. Although this government was most successful, the reader is shown that Ralph is a better leader because of his honesty at the end of the book.
Howard 3
Work Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. United Kingdom: Faber and Faber, 1954. Print.