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Ralph Ego Analysis

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Ralph’s Diminishing Ego Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, depicts the behavior of a group of boys when stranded on an island without adult supervision. The boys’ conduct can be associated with Freud’s personality model, involving the id, ego, and superego. As their stay on the island progresses, a majority of the boys display savage-like behavior, revealing the id as their foremost trait, for they acquire a desire for destruction. Furthermore, few boys remain true to character as their ego or superego continues to be most evident within their behavior. Ralph, for example, displays his ego predominantly, focusing on rational solutions to the issues the boys generate while on the island. However, as Ralph’s power obtained through the role as chief steadily diminishes, his ego tends to be less exhibited in his behavior. When Ralph is first elected chief, his ego is patently shown throughout his personality, exhibiting logical thinking in order to promote discipline. He suggests rules, including how one must “hold [the conch] when he’s speaking” (33). The conch, a symbol for order, represents Ralph’s authority while on the island. The shell displays a “deep cream” color, portraying that discipline, generated by the chief’s power, is present among the boys (16). Ralph also proposes that the boys “make a fire” in order to alert passing ships near the island, a rational proposition that illuminates Ralph’s strong ego (38). The fire symbolizes rescue, a matter

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