Ralph Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

They chose a leader who calamitously failed. A leader who was favored by society. A leader who the stranded boys put their trust in. If only the boys ignored social standards, their situation could have been exceptionally different. William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies, reveals that leadership is not limited to those who are popular; other factors, aside from social status, should be considered, as demonstrated through the archetype of the characters, the author’s point of view, and the resolution of the story.
Any hero or leader is automatically favored in society no matter what their flaws are. In
Lord of the Flies, the protagonist, Ralph, is presented with a hero/leader archetype. The group of boys stranded on the island are given a chance

The only person who had some insight into Ralph’s disposition was Piggy because he had spent time with him prior to the meeting. This shows leadership is not limited to those who fit the role.
Leadership is solely decided on a person’s persona. Furthermore, the stranded boys chose Ralph because according to the author, “there was a stillness” about him “that marked him out,” they noticed and took a liking to his “size and attractive appearance” (Golding 22). No one questioned
Sorine 2 the decision to choose Ralph as chief, they relied on the way he seemed. He had the generic qualities of a leader. This is how leadership is not limited to those who are admired in society.
The author tells the story of the boys as if he himself is watching the events unfold. This point of view allows the readers to experience the character’s actions and feelings. By the author telling the story this way, it was known why certain events happened and why some of the boys made the choices they made. Ralph along with two other boys, one of them being Jack, explored the island shortly after the meeting. During their expedition Jack spotted a pig and tried to kill

Jack, despite his savagery, had a terrific quality but because of his looks he was robbed of the position. In the way
Golding told the story the main characters were described. For example, Jack is described by the author as "ugly without silliness” (Golding 20). In society leaders are generally attractive, which is why the boys did not pick Jack even though he could have made an amazing leader. Which proves that when it comes to leadership social status is the only aspect that matters.
Lord of the Flies ends with absolute chaos following Piggy and Simon’s deaths, Jack and every boy on the island go on a hunt to capture and kill Ralph. Piggy and Simon were both boys on the island who were outcasts. Ralph failed as a leader and Jack decided to form his own group. Each boy slowly filtered into his tribe. Jack and Ralph were the original two options for chief. Even though the boys chose Ralph, Golding makes it clear that Jack was “the most obvious leader” (Golding 22). This shows that social status plays a huge role in leadership, but there are other qualities to consider when selecting a leader. Although Ralph and Jack were