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Assess The Significance Of Ralph's Leadership In Lord Of The Flies

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Ralph is a source of leadership and authority to the castaway boys on the island. Ralph processes the Conch, the only physical manifestation of authority and society on the island, this symbol is identified and given it significance by Ralph. Ralph is a lasting source of authority, and therefore the former society in which the boys lived in. Ralph’s rationality and natural leadership skills allow him to recognize the need to create a stable and peaceful society on the island that is the exact opposite of the war surrounding the eden that they inhabit. Ralph’s leadership is one based on a positive view of humans as civilized, and founded in morality, which ultimately fail:
Socio-political and religious readings of Lord of the Flies converge, not only in the figure of the beast, but also in the question of law: the children 's rules. The conch and the rules, closely aligned, are associated from the beginning with Ralph 's leadership. When Jack undermines the authority which the boys agree to ascribe to the conch, Ralph 's leadership crumbles, and the conch becomes a worthless symbol. External law …show more content…

Much like the rest of the human race Ralph can be a savage, controlled by his id. All the remaining boys, except for Simon are gathered around a fire chanting about the beast and acting like savages. Simon, meanwhile is investigating the parachutist that has fallen from the skies and is perceived by the boys as “the beast,” a monster that they believe inhabits the island. While a physical beast my not occupy the island, a more potent and omnipresent threat is lurking the island. This threat is the beast inside the kids that all of them possess, some are just more expressive than than the others. Before Simon even appears the boys are pretending to hunt and kill a hog while dancing and chanting, similar to the common perception of early humans. When Simon emerged into the group from the forest he is brutally slaughtered and killed in a extremely person and inhumane

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