3.1.1
Ralph
Ralph
Ralph
Ralph is the protagonist (hero) in Lord of the Flies. He is the first character we meet in the novel and we initially see the island through his eyes.
Leader
Leader
- At the start of the story, Ralph is elected leader and chief of the island.
- He represents democracy, order, civilisation, and fair leadership in the novel.
- It is Ralph who finds the conch shell (“A shell.”), their symbol of democracy, order and authority.
Rescue
Rescue
- While the other boys are obsessed with playing, play-fighting, and killing pigs, Ralph thinks about ways to help and protect them all.
- He focuses on building shelters and maintaining a signal fire so they can be rescued.
Savages
Savages
- At the start, everyone accepts Ralph as the leader, as they believe that he has their best interests in mind.
- However, as the boys become more savage (obsessed with killing and power), the group begin to turn against Ralph.
- They metaphorically turn against civilisation as they become more savage.
- The boys turn away from Ralph and begin to follow Jack (wildness and violence).
The feast
The feast
- As their savage sides begin to take over, all of the boys (except for Piggy) leave Ralph’s group and join Jack’s tribe.
- Although Ralph loses control of the boys, he never fully gives in to the evil within him, but continues to follow his own beliefs.
- At the feast, where Simon is killed, he does take part in the crazed dancing and killing of the “pig”.
Evil within
Evil within
- “Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh”.
- Ralph is one of the boys who was actively fighting to get close to Robert.
- Golding did this to show that everyone, even the best of us, has evil within and that no one is perfect.
Self awareness
Self awareness
- Despite his actions, Ralph is the only boy who can openly admit that he played a role in Simon’s death:
- “Don’t you understand, Piggy? The things we did-"
Ralph cont.
Ralph cont.
Although Ralph loses control of the boys, he never fully gives in to the evil within him, but continues to follow his own beliefs. He is one of the only boys who fights back against the Lord of the Flies.
Inner strength
Inner strength
- Ralph is one of the only boys who fights back against the Lord of the Flies – the others get swept up in the crazed dancing, feasting and hunting.
- Whilst Ralph does succumb to this at times, he is also the one who throws the pig’s head to the ground and takes the stake it was impaled upon as his own means of defence.
The loss of hope
The loss of hope
- By the end of the novel, Ralph is the only one left on the side of morality and civility – and he is being hunted by Jack’s tribe, showing that savagery is winning.
- It is not until the end, when he is about to be murdered himself, that he finally loses all hope (“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy”) and grieves.
Summary of Ralph
Summary of Ralph
- He uses the conch to create order and control (blows it to call meetings).
- His main goal is for the boys to be rescued (obsessed with signal fire).
- He is courageous and sticks up for his beliefs.
- He is the only boy who survives the island, who has not changed.
- Finally, he is hunted by Jack’s tribe of savages, showing that their civilisation has broken down.
1Context
2Story Analysis
2.2Chapter 2
2.3Chapter 3
2.4Chapter 4
2.6Chapter 6
2.7Chapter 7
2.9Chapter 9
2.10Chapter 10
2.11Chapter 11
2.12Chapter 12
3Key Characters
4Key Concepts
5Writing Techniques
Jump to other topics
1Context
2Story Analysis
2.2Chapter 2
2.3Chapter 3
2.4Chapter 4
2.6Chapter 6
2.7Chapter 7
2.9Chapter 9
2.10Chapter 10
2.11Chapter 11
2.12Chapter 12
3Key Characters
4Key Concepts
5Writing Techniques
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