What are the key differences between Ralph and Piggy in Chapter 1 of Lord of the Flies?

Initially, Ralph is described as "the fair boy" and Piggy is described as the "fat boy." "Fair" does refer to the lightness of his hair, but the word also means just, beautiful, and honest. These descriptions work out to be true. Piggy is fat, wears glasses, can't swim, and has asthma: all three are mild but real physical handicaps. These descriptions are accurate and the other boys will focus on these traits much more than they will on Piggy's mental abilities. Ralph is described as having the potential to be a boxer, so his athleticism is noted. In terms of physicality, Ralph and Piggy are opposites. 

In terms of mental ability, Ralph is a confident, natural leader and Piggy is awkward but intelligent and a decent organizer. Piggy is the first to insist on having a meeting and decides to call the others with the conch. 

As "fair" (just) as Ralph is, even he does not ask for Piggy's real name. However, they are the two most sensible, older boys on the island. 

Explain the love-hate relationship between Jack and Ralph in chapter 4 of Lord of the Flies.

I not sure I would go so far as to describe the relationship between Jack and Ralph as a love-hate relationship because the idea of love and brotherhood never really has a chance to start. Both boys are leaders, but they have very different leadership styles. At first, Ralph allows Jack to stay in control of his choir or "hunter" as a consolation for not being chosen chief. However, Ralph does not understand Jack's true nature and his obsession for being in total control. At first, Jack seems to go along with Ralph, but after he lets the fire go out while he was hunting, Ralph and Jack begin to part ways. Ralph is more concerned with being rescued while Jack is more concerned with the immediate gratification that comes from hunting and doing what he wants. In spite of his apology for letting the fire go out, Jack is never truly sorry and will spend the rest of the novel trying to undermine Ralph's authority.

In chapter 7 of Lord of the Flies, how do Ralph and Jack feel about each other?

Things are rather tense between Ralph and Jack since the beginning of Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. When Ralph is elected chief (though he does not particularly seek the role), Jack is both embarrassed and angry that he was not elected chief. Though they have managed to remain generally amicable despite their differences, their relationship undergoes a dramatic change in chapter seven.

The chapter begins on top of the mountain, and Ralph has joined Jack for a pig hunt, something he does not typically do. It is a positive experience for Ralph, who manages to stick a boar with his spear; Jack, however, is upset that Ralph is getting more attention than he and shows everyone where the boar's tusk nicked him. 

As night approaches, the two boys each want something different: Jack wants to keep hunting (of course) and Ralph wants to relight the signal fire (of course). Jack wins and they continue the hunt; however, Jack loses his way and they are in a place unfamiliar to both of them. Jack falters, so Ralph steps in and makes a decision. This embarrasses and infuriates Jack, and he begins to taunt Ralph just as he has always taunted Piggy. 

Piggy has always told Ralph that Jack wanted to get rid of both of them, but Ralph has never believed it--until now.

Now it was Ralph’s turn to flush but he spoke despairingly, out of the new understanding that Piggy had given him.

“Why do you hate me?”

The boys stirred uneasily, as though something indecent had been said.The silence lengthened.
Ralph, still hot and hurt, turned away first.

“Come on.”

He led the way and set himself as by right to hack at the tangles. Jack brought up the rear, displaced and brooding.

This epiphany by Ralph changes everything between the two boys. Jack is even more anxious to eliminate his competition (Ralph) so he can run the island according to his own rules, and Ralph is finally aware of the extent of Jack's hatred of him. 

Their hunting continues, as does Jack's animosity.

“I’m going up the mountain.” The words came from Jack viciously, as though they were a curse. He looked at Ralph, his thin body tensed, his spear held as if he threatened him.
“I’m going up the mountain to look for the beast—now.”
Then the supreme sting, the casual, bitter word.
”Coming?”

At that word the other boys forgot their urge to be gone and turned back to sample this fresh rub of two spirits in the dark. The word was too good, too bitter, too successfully daunting to be repeated.

This "fresh rub of two spirits" and will not improve but continue to grow as the novel progresses. 

How does Ralph's behavior towards Jack change in chapter 7 of Lord of the Flies?

In this chapter, Ralph and Jack are working together, for the most part.  They are both in the hunting party that is looking for a pig.  This is one of the few times since the earliest chapters, the two boys have been working cooperatively.  It is also the last time they work together.  After this, the divide between these two leaders becomes progressively wider until they split apart completely.  It is important to the story, though, that these two are together when they encounter the dead parachutist and think they are seeing the beast.  Their ideas on what should be done about it, in the next chapter, differ and this shows the difference between the two boys.

Ralph reminisces about the story books as the boys are hunting for the pig.  The hunt is a savage endeavor and the story books remind Ralph of a time in his past that was very civilized.  The memory is sharply contrasted with reality which makes the memory stand out.

How does Piggy change in chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies?

I've seen questions about Piggy changing answered in two ways.  First, I have seen it defended that Piggy doesn't change over the course of the novel.  Piggy begins the book as the voice of knowledge and reason, and he is still this character when he is killed by Ralph.  He's obsessed with rules and order, which can be seen in his repeated defense of the conch.  He's serious throughout the book, and he adamantly feels that the world should work on a fair justice system.  

“Well, that isn’t fair. Don’t you see? They ought to do two turns.”

Other characters in the book change, while Piggy maintains his evenness.  Ralph loses confidence and power throughout the story, and Jack becomes more powerful and sadistic as the novel progresses.  Piggy simply can't understand why the other boys can't act like adults.  He knows their actions are wrong, and he doesn't understand how their sense of "right" has been so quickly abandoned.  

“Which is better—to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is? . . . Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"

However, I do believe that chapter 8 does show some small changes in Piggy's character.  Before chapter 8, Piggy knew that the other boys were not likely to listen to him or his ideas.  He knows that he is smart, and he knows that his ideas are good; however, he knows that the other boys simply won't agree with him.  They only see him as the fat kid with asthma.  That is why Piggy quickly latches on to Ralph.  In a sense, Ralph can be Piggy's voice.  It's Piggy who explains to Ralph why the conch is useful and how to use it.  

“We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—”

He beamed at Ralph.

“That was what you meant, didn’t you? That’s why you got the conch out of the water?”

Before chapter 8, Piggy is more or less happy to be in the background.  His ideas and his voice are heard through Ralph; however, that changes in chapter 8.  Jack has finally had enough of Ralph’s inaction, and he leads a group of boys to another section of the island and declares himself chief.  Ralph is shocked into complete inaction.  He is stunned that everything has fallen apart so completely.  It’s Piggy that now speaks up and starts giving orders.  He even rebukes Ralph.  

Piggy was indignant. “I been talking, Ralph, and you just stood there like—”

Piggy then announces a solution to not being able to have a fire on the mountain.

Piggy was speaking now with more assurance and with what, if the circumstances had not been so serious, the others would have recognized as pleasure.

“I said we could all do without a certain person. Now I say we got to decide on what can be done. And I think I could tell you what Ralph’s going to say next. The most important thing on the island is the smoke and you can’t have no smoke without a fire.”

Then a few lines later, the text says the following about Piggy:

Piggy lifted the conch as though to add power to his next words.

“We got no fire on the mountain. But what’s wrong with a fire down here? A fire could be built on them rocks. On the sand, even. We’d make smoke just the same.”

Notice how Piggy is speaking with confidence.  He’s attempting to finally take some control of the island situation.  Also, notice the mention of the conch.  When he first came across the conch, Piggy handed it to Ralph because Ralph was more likely a better power symbol.  Now, Piggy is trying to put on that mantle.  

How does Piggy change in chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies?

Some of the changes in chapter 8 are not Piggy changing, but the society on the island changing around him. However, Piggy himself does change some. He becomes crueler, speaking unkindly to Simon. In doing so he aligns himself more with the shift that's happening in the boys on the island, and less with the kind, civilized Piggy who existed before. Rather than just explaining what should be done, or sharing ideas, Piggy shows impatience by complaining that the other boys don't understand why the fire is importance. This shows he is stressed and tired.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

At the start of the story, Ralph is optimistic, calm, and confident.  He seems to know what needs to be done to get rescued and he knows that leadership is required.  Since he does immediately state the obvious need for leadership, he is a natural choice to the boys to be the leader.  He lacks the ability to lead however.  He does not continue to command respect from the boys, he does not see that things get done and get done correctly; instead, he complains to the boys that they aren't doing things right.  Unfortunately, he does little more than complain.  By chapter 9, Ralph is beginning to sink into savagery like the other boys.  He actively participates in the circle of chanting and dancing boys who kill Simon, even if he doesn't actually lift a spear and stab at Simon himself.  He realizes later, the horror of what happened.  That attests to the idea that he still has some civility left in him.  By the last chapter, however, he is slinking through the brush and trees on the island, trying to think like a wild pig as he attempts to elude the boys who are hunting him in order to kill him.  He has had to become savage in order to survive.  At the end, when the boys are discovered by the naval officer, Ralph has just enough civilization left in him to cry for all the civilization he has lost.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

In many ways, Piggy doesn't change at all. When he is first introduced to the group by the nickname he'd previously asked Ralph not to share, he becomes the laughingstock of the group. The boys continually insult him, making fun of his weight and his asthma, and Piggy remains an outsider for much of the novel. In fact, when Jack is making a reach for leadership, one of his main arguments against Ralph is that he says things that sound like Piggy. Piggy remains loyal to Ralph's leadership, recognizing him as the boy the group has chosen, and tries to provide adult-like advice when he can. He worries more than once throughout the novel about what adults would think of the behavior on the island. As Ralph is gradually alienated himself, Piggy is his faithful ally. When their group is whittled down to just the two of them and Samneric, Piggy clings to the rules of order which he thinks will save him. Of all the boys on the island, Piggy is one of the least changed.

Something does happen to him, though, in chapter 9. Jack asks them to take part in his tribe and his dancing. Perhaps Ralph's thoughts reflect the needs of Piggy as well:

Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society. They were glad to touch the brown backs of the fence that hemmed in the terror and made it governable.

Piggy (and Ralph) see this window to belong to the group, enjoying its protection, and for a moment, they are swept up in the chaotic frenzy of blood and killing. As Simon comes out of the forest, they charge him with the rest of the group.

Piggy's reaction afterward shows that he tries to distance himself from Simon's murder, claiming that he was on the outside of the circle. For such a character of reason, the excuse that it was an "accident" falls a bit flat, considering he did nothing to prevent the murder.

Piggy dies proclaiming the value of reason over passions, of rules over killing. His core set of beliefs remains fairly stagnant throughout the novel.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

The primary changes in Ralph are in maturity and learning to think on his feet. Ralph is basically an introspective, conservative person who believes strongly in the virtues of an orderly society. He thinks things over and considers all the angles before making a decision. Ralph understands that there are some limitations to his approach, but he mistakenly thinks that the defects are intellectual. Although he is sometimes unkind to Piggy, he admires him for his intelligence. Ralph is naturally a brave rather than a fearful person, so it does not occur to him that the other children—especially the younger ones—will be almost paralyzed by fear. As he is not a jealous person, neither can he anticipate that another boy will covet the leadership role that came to him so naturally.

When the children prove incapable of maintaining a cohesive society in the absence of adult supervision, Ralph not only loses his position of leadership but also is put on the defensive. Once he realizes the danger of physical violence, as evidenced by Piggy’s death, Ralph does a quick turnaround. He starts processing information very quickly, as he understands that his own life is at stake. He becomes an astute, cunning survivor.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

At first Ralph celebrates when he realizes the absence of adults on the island. He exults in the sense of freedom he feels. As events transpire, he reaches the point when he desperately desires an adult presence to establish order and assume responsibility. Ironically, Ralph's disintegration mirrors that of adults who feel in control and then find themselves overwhelmed. Ralph's world on the island spins out of control, just as the world outside--run by supposedly powerful and capable adults--has also spun out of control, bringing the same results: savagery, destruction, and death.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

As he goes throughout the novel, Ralph begins to be more and more concerned with personal hygiene, for starters. He notices himself and the other boys getting filthier by the day, and this stresses him out to the point where he can't concentrate. When his tribe decides to go meet Jack's tribe, he wants them to clean up as well as they can first, to put that noticeable difference between the clean boys and the savages.

Ralph relies more and more heavily on Piggy as the novel progresses, too. Ralph finds that he can't stay focused on his plan of keeping the fire lit unless Piggy is there to remind him of it. When Piggy dies, he is forced to think on his own, and he has a hard time doing it.

Ralph's leadership as Chief changes as well. He loses confidence when Jack's group breaks off of the main group, and he begins to fear making demands because he worries it will drive off the rest of the boys, or it won't work and his ineptitude as a leader will be obvious. He even begins to fear blowing the conch, in case no one comes.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

Ralph is fair-haired, an Everyman. He can talk to all of the other boys and they all naturally like him. He's an easy choice, and he also comes with the advantage of being associated with the conch and democracy. That's why he gets elected in the first place:

There was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart.

Yet, as the novel goes on, Ralph feels the pressure of leadership. He can't focus his thoughts the same way as he could:

“Stop it! Stop it!”
His voice struck a silence among them.
“Smoke.”
A strange thing happened in his head. Something flittered there in front of his mind like a bat’s wing, obscuring his idea.

As the novel continues, Golding shows Ralph mentally struggling to cope - there are little clues everywhere:

Then there were his nails— Ralph turned his hand over and examined them. They were bitten down to the quick though he could not remember when he had restarted this habit nor any time when he indulged it.
“Be sucking my thumb next—”
He looked round, furtively. Apparently no one had heard.

Particularly after Piggy dies, Ralph entirely loses his control over the island. What Ralph really loses, I'd argue, as the novel continunes is clarity of thought.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

Chapter 10 is where Ralph begins to change his opinion about the beast. This occurs after Simon is killed in the previous chapter during the boys' frenzy. Ralph tells Piggy that they committed murder because he realizes that it was a savage frenzy that caused them to fall upon Simon and kill him.  He knows that they had all let the evil inside of each of them take control of themselves for that moment.  He tells Piggy that he is afraid "Of us," he says.  He is starting to understand that the real beast on the island is that evil in each of them and that the only way to defeat the beast is to keep that evil inside.  He also realizes that doing that is becoming progressively more difficult and that some of the boys are more savage than some of the others.  By the end of the story, Ralph has come to fully realize that there is no physical beast and he knows what Simon realized earlier that the real source of evil was that inner savagery..

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

In the beginning of Lord of the Flies, Jack is introduced in chapter one as being a very powerful leader of the choir. His authority over the boys is evident by the way the boys are still wearing their wool uniforms, even though the tropical beach setting would be more conducive to less restrictive clothing. They do not remove their togs until he tells them they are allowed to do so. Even when Simon faints, the boys do not break form and sit down until Jack gives them permission to do so. Jack uses his power to maintain the order and expectations of the proper, civilized school to which they were accustomed. 

By the last chapter of the book, Jack is no longer using his authority to maintain the expectations of civilization. Instead, he is ruling by force and using his power to encourage savagery in its most evident form: the pre-meditated, ruthless murder of Ralph. The authoritarian nature of Jack's personality is consistent throughout the novel. However, it is the motivation of his character that changes drastically. Jack changes from being a leader that upholds the conventions of society to being a leader that actively destroys the conventions of civilized society.

How does Ralph evolve in Lord of the Flies?

At the start of the novel, Ralph has two outstanding traits that change during his experiences on the island.  The first thing we notice is that he is a little conceited toward Piggy.  Ralph seems to instantly determine that Piggy is socially inferior to him, and he acts superior to the asthmatic, overweight boy. We see this as Piggy talks quite a bit when they first meet, but Ralph tries "to be offhand and not too obviously uninterested" as he walks away (8). He won't bother to ask Piggy's name, and laughs at him when the socially awkward boy admits his unflattering nickname. Ralph even tells the other boys the nickname, betraying Piggy's secret.  

Ralph also has a great deal of confidence at first, not only in himself, but in the societal rules that adults have taught him and the other boys.  Ralph has no doubt that if they make rules and he leads they boys, they will form a civilized society that can work towards getting rescued. He believes in the adult ways and strives to emulate them.

However, as Jack and his tribe work to undermine the rules and Ralph himself, the young leader finds his self confidence slipping.  In chapter five, after Jack has completely disrupted and dissolved the meeting, Ralph tells Piggy and Simon, "'I ought to give up being chief...We're all drifting and things are going rotten.  At home there was always a grownup'" (93-94). 

At this same time, Ralph is learning to appreciate Piggy's helpful intelligence and honest friendship.  While preparing mentally for the meeting to set everyone straight and enforce the rules, Ralph admits to himself that he doesn't have the brains that Piggy does.  He realizes that his friend, "for all his ludicrous body," has the ability to logic things out like an adult (78). His hard life on the island has caused his childish conceit to melt away into a more adult set of social values.

The trouble is, no matter how they try to reason with Jack's tribe in an adult manner, the hunters continue in their downward spiral into savagery.  When Roger murders Piggy, shattering the conch, the last vestiges of Ralph's confidence in the adult system shatter with him. As the savages stage a full-on hunt to kill him, Ralph hides "among the shadows and [feels] his isolation bitterly" (185). He wrestles with his confusion about why things fell apart and how they can hate him so much. He determines that it's "'cos' I had some sense'" (186). The jaded young would-be leader faces the fact that the adult world is flawed too; creating a logical set of rules is not enough to control the evil that lurks in some people's hearts, nor the beast, or fear, that causes others to lose their moral values. 

In the end, as the Naval officer stands over him unfeelingly, Ralph weeps "for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy" (202).  Ralph will be forever changed, and in his heart he realizes that his return to the adult world is truly not a rescue at all.

What is Ralph's attitude towards Piggy in the first chapter of Lord of the Flies?

In the first chapter of the novel, Ralph tries his best to ignore Piggy and is rather rude to him. When Piggy asks Ralph his name, Ralph does not even bother to return the question. When Ralph begins to walk away, Piggy attempts to keep pace with him and continually tries to start a conversation. However, Ralph speeds up and becomes annoyed at Piggy's incessant attempts to talk. Whenever Piggy tells him what the boys at school used to call him, Ralph bursts out laughing. Ralph dances around and yells, "Piggy! Piggy!" (Golding 12). Piggy then asks Ralph not to the tell anyone as Ralph continues to laugh. When Piggy mentions that he can't swim because of his asthma, Ralph says, "Sucks to your ass-mar!" (Golding 15). After the boys begin to show up, Piggy attempts to tell Ralph each person's name and Ralph pays him no mind. When Jack Merridew says, "Shut up, Fatty," Ralph says, "his real name's Piggy!" (Golding 27). Ralph also ignores Piggy and does not let him explore the island with them. Ralph thinks that Piggy is annoying and useless. He does not want to be his friend in Chapter 1, and makes fun of him in front of the boys.

What is Ralph's attitude towards Piggy in the first chapter of Lord of the Flies?

Ralph's attitude is one of shaky friendship mixed with condescension. He seems callous and unaware of Piggy at first: when Piggy asks his name, he does not ask Piggy in return. He replies "Sucks to your auntie" and "Sucks to your ass-mar" to Piggy's attempts at casual conversation. Yet he allows Piggy to advise him on what to do in the role of leader, & after finding the conch. Piggy sticks close to Ralph, perhaps as a result of a natural aversion to the aggressive nature of Jack, and Ralph allows this, perhaps understanding the need for Piggy's intelligence.

However, Piggy feels betrayed when Ralph reveals his nickname to the group, after he specifically asked him not to. Yet Ralph makes a marginal apology ("Better Piggy than Fatty") and assigns Piggy some minor responsibility to make it up to him. One senses that at this point, Ralph identifies more with Jack than Piggy, but Piggy will prove to be a true friend, while Jack harbors ability for evil within.

How does the relationship between Piggy and Ralph change in Lord of the Flies?

In the beginning of the novel, Ralph primarily relies on Piggy to further his own leadership. Ralph recognizes that he is not the wisest boy on the island, and he values the contributions that Piggy brings to the table in terms of wise counsel. It is Piggy himself who propels Ralph to his leadership position; he tells Ralph when they first land on the island to blow the conch to summon all the boys. And when the boys gather, they quickly decide that someone needs to be in charge:

What intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy, while the most obvious leader was Jack. But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart.

This establishes a relationship early on between Piggy and Ralph: Piggy has the brains but Ralph has the authority. Ralph takes advantage of this, often making Piggy the object of ridicule, no different from the other boys. When Jack snatches Piggy's glasses to try to make fire, Ralph "elbow[s] him to one side" and tells him to get out of the light. Early on, Ralph holds no emotional connection to Piggy, yet needs him in order to retain his own leadership position.

By the end of the novel, there is a shift. Ralph comes to rely on Piggy to fulfill a basic human connection that is otherwise absent for him on the island. His leadership efforts largely fail, yet Piggy remains loyal. At the beginning of chapter 10, the boys share a transformative point in their relationship as they both confront their participation in Simon's murder, trying to make sense of their own actions. Piggy gives Ralph a means of avoiding personal responsibility:

"I was on the outside too."

Piggy nodded eagerly.

"That's right. We was on the outside. We never done nothing, we never seen nothing."

In chapter 11, Ralph allows Piggy to carry the ultimate symbol of leadership, effectively sharing this position with him:

Piggy sought in his mind for words to convey his passionate willingness to carry the conch against all odds.

Thus, a friendship is slowly formed where Ralph realizes the contributions Piggy can make and the role Piggy fills in an otherwise emotionally desolate landscape on the island.

Why do some boys in "Lord of the Flies" follow Ralph, while others follow Jack?

As the time on the island increases, the boys take sides.  In the process, divisions of power emerge.  One one side of the spectrum are the boys who follow Ralph.  Ralph, Piggy, Simon, Sam and Eric all stress the need for a sense of "order."  They represent the traditional notions of liberal government. This group stresses the need to keep a signal fire going, and to work towards being rescued off of the island.  This group of boys opts to follow Ralph as their leader, and to respect the power of the conch shell. Whoever holds the conch has the power to speak.  In this group, there is a sense of order and structure, a sense of progressive power focused on leaving the island.  In choosing Ralph as their leader, this group embraces the tenets that he has advocated. From a political perspective, they represent the belief that government works towards a direct end, and that its purpose is shared by those who respect it.  The sensibilities of shared decision making and progressive notions of the good that comes with power represents the reason why some of the boys follow Ralph.

On the other side of the political spectrum is the group of boys who follow the equally charismatic Jack.  Jack emerges as the hunter.  Jack and the boys that follow him are representative of a sense of power where exerting it becomes extremely important.  This group is more concerned with hunting and establishing itself as a force of power on the island.  Jack embraces the hunt and those that follow him learn to do the same.  This group is driven by the need to find  food sources of meat through hunting and protecting the group from "the beast" that they believe exists on the island.  Jack teaches his group that power comes from being able to demonstrate it in the form of killing.  For this reason, he stresses military tactics such as camouflaging, building forts, and establishing a military- type of presence on the island.  In choosing the follow Jack, the boys embrace the spoils of power in the form of meat, the desire to kill "the beast," and the advantage that comes with having control over others.  The cruel advantages that are associated with power become the lure for the boys that follow Jack.  

In establishing the purpose of the novel, Golding once suggested that "the moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system."  It is in this light where the construction of who the boys choose to follow is of vital importance.  Choice represents the shape society takes.  In choosing the follow Ralph, one hopeful shape of society emerges and in the embrace of Jack, quite another reveals itself.

How does Ralph's relationship with the other characters in Lord of the Flies change after he becomes the leader?

In the first two chapters of the novel, the boys admire Ralph and elect him to be their leader. They view him as a charismatic, intelligent boy who is attractive and commands their respect. Despite being jealous, Jack agrees to follow Ralph, and the other boys enthusiastically follow their newly elected leader's directives. Ralph boldly leads an expedition throughout the island and addresses the group during an assembly with plans to establish a civil society. However, Golding illustrates how Ralph's authority and influence are short-lived as the boys refuse to help build multiple shelters on the beach in chapter three. By chapter three, the majority of the boys have left Ralph and Simon to their own devices in favor of relaxing by the pool. Jack is also depicted as the antagonist, with a completely different agenda than Ralph. Instead of helping Ralph build the shelters and establish an organized society, Jack is obsessed with killing his first pig. As the novel progresses, Ralph gradually loses his influence over the boys, and Jack successfully usurps power after he establishes his tribe of savages on the opposite end of the island.

How does Ralph's relationship with the other characters in Lord of the Flies change after he becomes the leader?

At the beginning of Lord of the Flies, the other characters view Ralph as a strong leader.  Ralph is presented as a level-headed, charismatic leader, and the boys are not hesitant to elect him as leader and follow his orders.  Ralph, however, has inner conflicts that challenge his role as a leader, and often Piggy has to offer him ideas and suggestions.  Ralph's lack of confidence in himself eventually becomes evident to the other boys, and this is one of the reasons why the boys begin to drift into Jack's group.  The boys seek a sense of stability in the chaotic situation of having been shipwrecked on the island, and as soon as Ralph can no longer provide it, the boys stray to Jack. 

What event brings Ralph closer to Piggy in Lord of the Flies?

Ralph becomes more sympathetic with Piggy when the group breaks up and Jack takes over the tribe, leaving Ralph with Piggy.

After the trouble with Jack and the conch, Ralph confides in Piggy.  This is a big step, because he usually barely listens to him and mistreats and abuses him.  At this moment, Ralph acknowledges the importance Piggy has made to his leadership from the beginning.  He does this by pouring his heart out to him, telling his fears, and asking for advice.

“We can’t keep one fire going. And they don’t care. And what’s more—”

He looked intensely into Piggy’s streaming face.

“What’s more, I don’t sometimes. Supposing I got like the others—not caring. What ’ud become of us?” (ch 8)

Ralph and Piggy have become the outsiders, targets of Jack’s rage.  Jack and his heathens have gone their way, and Ralph and Piggy are the only ones left, with Simon and the littleuns’ torn in allegiance.  From this point on, Ralph and Piggy have somewhat more equality.

What event brings Ralph closer to Piggy in Lord of the Flies?

Piggy and Ralph's relationship has never been easy or simple.  From the very first day, Ralph betrayed Piggy's trust when he revealed to the other boys Piggy's nickname after Piggy implicitly asked him to keep it a secret.  Later, Piggy confronts Ralph about his misdeed:

"Ralph, looking with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed" (25).

Although Ralph does not respond to Piggy's honest confrontation with a heartfelt apology, even logical Piggy can appreciate the reason behind Ralph's "better Piggy than Fatty" comment.  This is the first moment of many scenes between Ralpha and Piggy, in which the larger boy commands Ralph's attention and eventually his sympathy.  Piggy intuitively understands Ralph's basic goodness and challenges him to be an even more fair and supportive friend. 

How and why does Ralph treat Piggy in a certain way in Lord of the Flies?

In order to answer this question, it helps to know when in the story the question is referring to. Ralph's attitude toward and treatment of Piggy changes over the course of the story. When Ralph and Piggy first interact with each other, Ralph is not especially kind. He's outright antagonistic in fact, and he acts aloof and maintains an "I'm better than you" type of attitude. This treatment starts right away. Piggy asks Ralph his name, but Ralph does not reciprocate the question. It's as if Piggy and his name aren't worth Ralph's time because he has already judged Piggy not his equal.

"What's your name?"

"Ralph."

The fat boy waited to be asked his name in turn but this proffer of acquaintance was not made; the fair boy called Ralph smiled vaguely, stood up, and began to make his way once more toward the lagoon.

Ralph is even insulting toward Piggy's family:

"Sucks to your auntie!"

Ralph then rolls around on the ground laughing hysterically when he finds out that people called Piggy "Piggy" back in school.

He dived in the sand at Piggy's feet and lay there laughing.

"Piggy!"

Ralph probably treats Piggy that way because that is how he probably always treats people that he doesn't consider his equal. Ralph is described as a fairly good-looking and capable kid. He's used to getting his way and having people look up to him. His initial treatment of Piggy is his teenage way of letting Piggy know that there is a dominance hierarchy on this island that is based on looks and fitness. Fortunately for Ralph, Piggy is a fairly forgiving and loving individual. As Ralph's ruling power begins to dwindle in the face of Jack's power grab, it is Piggy that stands by Ralph, and Ralph is grateful for that. Consequently, Ralph treats Piggy much more cordially as the book continues.

What are five differences between Piggy and Ralph in Lord of the Flies?

1. Ralph is fairly well-liked, especially at first, and Piggy always struggles to find acceptance. Piggy finds himself at the receiving end of the group's jokes almost from the first moment they gather:

“He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Oh, Piggy!”
A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in.

Meanwhile, Ralph is quickly established as their leader even though "what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy while the most obvious leader was Jack." Ralph has charisma and holds the symbol of power in his hands:

“Him with the shell.”
“Ralph! Ralph!”
“Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing.”

2. While Piggy struggles athletically and with his health, Ralph is agile and skilled at navigating the island. Piggy wears glasses, is overweight, and struggles with asthma, and the group taunts him with chants of "Sucks to your ass-mar!" Meanwhile, Ralph has a more athletic build:

You could see now that he might make a boxer...

When exploration groups are chosen, Ralph is quickly selected at least in part because he is capable of the athleticism required.

3. Piggy has insights and wisdom that Ralph lacks. Piggy claims that "Life...is scientific" and calculates their next best steps with a detached sense of reason. Ralph, on the other hand, is the voice piece of this reason since no one will listen to Piggy himself. But it is not Ralph who holds the highest cards in the deck of intelligent thought.

4. Piggy really doesn't change from the beginning of the book until his death. He realizes that he is an outsider, but this doesn't shape his vision for how the group should behave or silence him from speaking the truth. In his final words, Piggy is urging the group to see the reality of their situation:

“Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?”

Ralph, on the other hand, grows into a more developed sense of wisdom through experience—and mistakes. It is Ralph who betrays Piggy right from the beginning, jokingly sharing that his name isn't "Fatty" but "Piggy," sacrificing the confidence Piggy has requested to earn himself favor from the group. Later in the plot, Ralph comes to value Piggy's wisdom.

5. Piggy never really determines the nuances of group behavior, and it costs him his life. It wasn't wise to openly challenge Jack's group so boldly. Jack, surrounded by his loyal followers, could not let Piggy's proclamations go unpunished. Roger, faithful to his alliance to Jack, kills Piggy with "delirious abandonment." Ralph, on the other hand, realizes his precarious situation near the end and goes into hiding:

There were many things he could do. He could climb a tree; but that was putting all his eggs in one basket. If he were detected, they had nothing more difficult to do than wait.

He narrowly escapes murder when an officer shows up on the beach to rescue him and the other survivors.

What are five differences between Piggy and Ralph in Lord of the Flies?

1. In terms of their physical appearances, Piggy is, broadly speaking, unattractive, whereas Ralph is considered attractive. Piggy, for example, is repeatedly referred to as the "fat boy," and his name itself also alludes to his size. Ralph, on the other hand, is said to have the physique of "a boxer" and "a mildness about his mouth that proclaimed no devil."

2. Ralph is athletic, whereas Piggy is not. Piggy struggles to run because of his asthma and because of his poor eyesight. Indeed, as he tells Ralph, his "auntie (has) told (him) not to run." Ralph, on the other hand, is very athletic. Piggy, watching Ralph swim, compliments Ralph, telling him, "You can't half swim."

3. Ralph is also, for the most part, very self-assured, whereas Piggy is awkward and self-conscious. For example, in Chapter 1, Ralph confidently strips naked to enjoy the sunshine, while Piggy is much more hesitant about taking off his windbreaker. Piggy is also self-conscious about his nickname and "clasp(s) his hands in apprehension" when he reveals it to Ralph and Ralph laughs.

4.Ralph is a natural leader, whereas Piggy seems more comfortable being a follower. The other boys (all except those in Jack's choir) quickly elect Ralph as their leader, and Piggy attributes this in part to "a stillness about Ralph that marked him out." Piggy, however, is content to help. In Chapter 8, for example, having fetched some wood for the group, Piggy is described as "so full of pride in his contribution to the good of society."

5. Piggy is more intelligent than Ralph. In Chapter 5, Ralph is described as "lost . . . in a maze of thoughts that were rendered vague by his lack of words to express them." In other words, Ralph lacks the capacity with language to articulate his own thoughts. However, Piggy is probably the most articulate of the boys. He is also perceptive. In chapter 5, Piggy asks, "What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?" Here, Piggy shows how perceptive he is by identifying the savagery that is taking over the boys.

How does Piggy change in two ways throughout Lord of the Flies?

With thinning hair, impaired vision, compromised athletic ability, and heavy with physical ailments, Piggy initially represents the voice of maturity and reason in Lord of the Flies as he judiciously suggests that Ralph use the pink conch which they discover as a summons to organized meetings. As the second man to Ralph, he is reminiscient of those political figures who whispered in the ears of kings. 

However, his power of reason is only as strong as Ralph's leadership while at the same time it reinforces it; therefore, Piggy often finds himself ignored as the boys rush up the mountain to make a fire,

...with the martyred expression of a parent who has to keep up with the senseless ebullience of the children, he picked up the conch, turned toward the forest, and began to pick his way over the tumbled scar.

This rationality of Piggy is symbolized by his glasses, glasses are are used productively by Ralph to ignite a signal fire, but are later stolen by Jack and the savage hunters, only after one of the lenses has been broken.

• After one of the lenses is broken, Piggy seems to lose some of his reasonableness and becomes susceptible to the rebellious and savage excitement of Jack and the others who perform their ritual of killing the pig. Then, in Chapter Nine, Piggy succumbs to the craving for meat; he suggests to Ralph, "P'raps we ought to go too." When Ralph looks at him in shock, Piggy excuses his urges, "I mean--to make sure nothing happens."

Later in this chapter, Piggy urges Ralph to back away since they have had their meat and there will be "trouble." But,

under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society.

• It is at this point that Piggy begins to change further. For, Piggy is doomed in a society where irrational fears and physical strength are more important than reason and dialogue. Piggy himself falls victim of the terror created by the sadism of Roger and savagery of Jack. In Chapter Ten, Piggy becomes so fearful that he rationalizes the death of Simon, sacrificing his integrity.  "It was an accident...that's what it was," he tells Ralph, excusing himself with "I only got one eye now." Further, he advises Ralph to not let Samneric know that they participated in the ritualistic dance under which Simon was killed. Thus, it is that the "irresponsible authority" of the hunters begins its total control, symbolized by Jack's stealing of Piggy's glasses.

How does Ralph's character evolve throughout Lord of the Flies?

I think that most readers would agree that Ralph begins the novel as a boy that is mentally stable, logical in his thinking, and is genuinely hopeful that he and the other boys can make things work just fine on the island while working toward rescue. He is hopeful that their civilized natures will win out and everybody will happily work together for the good of the group. Unfortunately, Jack and Roger are on the island. They embrace the savagery that they can get away with. No adults around to enforce proper behavior suits them just fine, and they seek to govern through a policy of might makes right and fear. That eventually wins out over Ralph's leadership, and Ralph changes as his control slips away. Some readers claim that Ralph turns into a hopeless and fearful character that no longer believes in goodness without adult intervention; however, I might argue that he becomes just as savage as Jack. He was a part of Simon's death, and the following description of Ralph's movements and stabbing of another boy sounds quite savage.

Ralph launched himself like a cat; stabbed, snarling, with the spear, and the savage doubled up.

How has Ralph's perspective on life and human nature changed from the start to the end of Lord of the Flies?

Ralph's perspective does change. At first, he is hopeful but in the end, that hope is lost. 

In the beginning, Ralph realizes that the conch can be used to establish order. He accepts the role of chief because he knows he has the determination and discipline to be a good leader. He makes every attempt to protect the boys. He and Simon are the two boys who put forth the most effort in building the shelters. Ralph also stresses the importance of keeping the fire going because he knows the smoke is their best hope of being rescued. He challenges Jack when necessary and he scolds the boys when he thinks they are being lazy and/or neglecting the fire. Given all of this effort, Ralph clearly acts as though they can be rescued. His effort shows that he has hope for them. If he didn't think the boys could be good, in the ethical and moral senses, he would not go to such lengths to help create a good, moral, symbiotic community. 

Over the course of the novel, things deteriorate. Simon and Piggy are killed. Simon is the moral presence and Piggy represents logic and reason. When they are killed, Ralph feels that these values (morality and reason) are killed as well. By the end of the novel, Ralph is being hunted by Jack and the others. His hope for them, as moral and reasonable human beings, is gone or close to extinction. This is why, despite being rescued, he cries in anguish when the officer asks what happened to them. 

This passage at the end of the book is lengthy but it describes Ralph's final grim outlook: 

Ralph looked at him dumbly. For a moment he had a fleeting picture of the strange glamour that had once invested the beaches. But the island was scorched up like dead wood—Simon was dead—and Jack had. . . . The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, 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. 

How is Piggy's depiction in the opening chapter of Lord of the Flies different from Ralph's?

The biggest immediate contrast drawn between the two boys is how Golding portrays Piggy's visible struggle with the elements. As the novel opens, Piggy fights his way through the thick jungle foliage:

"I can't hardly move with all these creeper things" (7).

Piggy is out of breath, scratched up, and has an upset stomach from eating the native fruit from the trees.  From Golding's characterization, it almost seems as if the island violently opposes Piggy and rejects his very presence.  Piggy does not belong amidst the wilderness of the island setting.

Ralph, however, seems to fit right in:

"The fair boy stopped and jerked his stocking with an automatic gesture that made the jungle seem for a moment like the Home Counties" (7).

At the same time that Piggy has so much difficulty, Ralph already seems as though he is back home in England.  He and the island immediately take to each other.  Ralph's healthy athleticism allows him to adapt and explore the island with ease, whereas Piggy's over-weight physique and asthma makes traversing the jungle extremely difficult for him. 

How do Ralph's words or actions reflect his decreasing confidence in Lord of the Flies?

In Chapter Seven of Lord of the Flies, Ralph begins to have misgivings about his ability to lead the boys on the island.  As the boys continue their pursuit of the beast, and they stop to eat, Ralph becomes aware of his dirtiness and long hair--symbolic of their degeneration:

He discovered with a little fall of the heart that these were the conditions he took as normal now....faced by the brute obtuseness of the ocean...one was clamped down, one was helpless, one was condemned, one was--

Realizing that Jack is in charge of the hunt gives Ralph further cause for reflection.  He recalls events and circumstances of his life before the plane crash, and how "Everything was all right; everything was good-humored and friendly," not hostile as he and Jack have sometimes been.  Then, as Ralph ponders his existing state, a pig runs by and he coolly throws his spear at it.  Caught in the excitement of this primal activity, Ralph vies for attention against Jack by declaring that he has struck the pig; "[H]e sunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all." Nevertheless, Jack quickly diverts everyone attention with the ritual hunt with Robert as the pig.

As the day wans, Ralph suggests that they relight the fire while Jack wants to continue.  Ralph asks to be allowed to think. 

...Ralph had no self-consciousness in public thinking, but...he would never be a very good chess player.  he thought of the littluns and Piggy.

Sensing the growing antagonism of Jack, he asks him, "Why do you hate me?"  And, the sinister figure of Roger emerges, posing another threat to Ralph.  So, as the boys continue up the mountain, "Ralph's eyes were blinded with tears" as the "impervious" force of Roger sits on the log beside him, banging his wooden stick threateningly.  His inner voice tells him Not to be a fool," but he feels "green lights of nausea" as later Roger lies behind him, guarding him.

While Ralph's intentions are good--he wants to relight the fire and return to the others who wait nervously for them, but his plans are foiled by Jack's ridiculing and Roger's sinister presence.  Even when Ralph commits a good deed, his actions go unnoticed, causing him to believe that he is losing his hold as a leader.

Trace the development of the relationship between Ralph and Piggy in Lord of the Flies.

The "golden boy," Ralph has the natural look of a born leader; as the son of a naval officer, Ralph understands the necessity of order, building shelters, and maintaining a fire--all the essentials of a basic society. However, he lacks the charisma and the reasoning abilities to be truly effective. Piggy, a fat, near-sighted, asthmatic, pale boy with thinning hair, who is intelligent and very rational and scientific, attaches himself to Ralph as soon as they encounter each other on the island, acting as Ralph's adviser. Thus, in many ways, the two boys complement each other, yet they both lack the maturity to command the others as is often needed.

At first, Piggy hopes to be the leader himself, but when the boys vote between Ralph and Jack, Piggy "grudgingly" raises his hand for Ralph. But, in Chapter Two, Ralph rides high on his new authority as he tells the boys that all islands have been charted by the British,

"And sooner or later a ship will put in here. It might even be Daddy's ship. So you see, sooner or later, we shall be rescued."

After these words, the boys "liked him now; respected him."  And, as a consolation, Ralph lets Jack be in charge of the hunters. Piggy points to the problem of such a fire: it will burn out too swiftly. Later, Piggy complains to Ralph that if he says anything, "you say shut up; but if Jack or Maurice, or Simon--" Then, Piggy points to the raging fire, "You got your small fire all right." Ralph yells at him to "shut up." Nevertheless Piggy's is the voice of maturity as he scolds the boys for not having built shelters, "How can you expect to be rescued if you don't put first things first and act proper?"

By Chapter Four, there is yet some tension in the relationship between Ralph and Piggy, who is an outsider because his appearance is repulsive to the boys and because he scolds them like an adult. Nevertheless, Ralph enjoys teasing Piggy,

Ralph turned and smiled involuntarily. Piggy was a bore..., but there was always a little pleasure to be got out of pulling his leg, even if one did it by accident.

Piggy saw the smile...[and] he rejoiced and pressed his advantage.

Later in this chapter when Jack and the hunters let the fire go out, Ralph chastises Jack; Piggy forgets his "timidity in the agony of his loss," as well. When Jack hits Piggy, breaking his glasses, Ralph becomes angry with himself for "giving way." He tells Jack, "That was a dirty trick." But, he is neglectful of Piggy after Jack finds a pig and roasts it. For, it is Simon who gives Piggy some meat and who retrieves Piggy's glasses for him.

But, in Chapter Five, Ralph begins to realize that he lacks all the talents necessary to be a leader,

The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think, you had to be wise.  And...you had to grab at a decision. This made you think; because thought was a valuable thing, that got results....Only...I can't think. Not like Piggy.

Now, Ralph begins to adjust his values, and begins to fully appreciate Piggy, who understands the fears of the boys, assisting Ralph with his meeting as he speaks in a rational, fatherly manner,

"We know what goes on, and if something goes wrong, there's someone to put it right."

While Piggy remains scientific and rational, Ralph is tempted by barbarism and is cruel to Piggy, taking his glasses or splashing water on him. But, Ralph confides his inner thoughts to Piggy, who "flushed pinkly with pride" at how Ralph has accepted him. In the end, Ralph cries for his "true, wise friend."

Explain the development of Piggy's and Ralph's friendship in Lord of the Flies.

Ralph and Piggy have no real relationship at the beginning of Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. In fact, within a few minutes of meeting Piggy, Ralph tries to ditch him (a foolish idea since they are all trapped on an island) because he finds Piggy quite annoying and unpleasant. Piggy is undeterred, however, and he follows Ralph.

Together they discover the conch. Ralph sees it and gets it, and Piggy teaches Ralph its significance and how to use it. Ralph is still impatient with Piggy, and Piggy still talks too much, but together they greet the rest of the boys after Ralph blows the conch. Piggy wants to get organized and takes everyone's names, something which Ralph has no interest in doing. It is clear they are not friends when Ralph reveals Piggy's name to the others (something Piggy specifically asked him not to do) and when Piggy reluctantly votes for Ralph (only because he knows Jack is a worse choice). Ralph is elected leader.

None of the boys could have found good reason for this; what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy while the most obvious leader was Jack.

Over the course of the novel, however, Ralph begins to rely on Piggy for help as he tries to lead the boys. Together they stand against Jack. Piggy is terrified that if something happens to Ralph, Jack would immediately kill Piggy, and he is right. Piggy is also sure that Jack wants to get rid of Ralph, something Ralph finds hard to believe; however, Piggy is correct.

When Ralph and Jack are hunting on the mountain together in chapter seven, Ralph is mindful of where they are and where they are going; Jack is the one, despite his hunting experiences, who falters. When Ralph is concerned about Piggy being left alone with the littluns down on the beach in the dark, Jack begins to taunt Ralph just as has always done to Piggy, and Ralph has an epiphany.

Now it was Ralph’s turn to flush but he spoke despairingly, out of the new understanding that Piggy had given him.

“Why do you hate me?”

The boys stirred uneasily, as though something indecent had been said. The silence lengthened. Ralph, still hot and hurt, turned away first.

Soon all that Ralph and Piggy have is each other, and they are no match for Jack and his tribe of savages. Jack allows Piggy to be smashed, along with the conch, by a boulder and eventually orders his tribe to kill Ralph. The only reason Ralph is not killed is the appearance of a naval officer here to rescue the boys.

At the end of the novel, 

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.

How does Ralph's personality change during the island stay in Lord of the Flies?

During the stay on the island, Ralph goes through changes in character.  At the beginning of the novel, Ralph appears to the other boys, and to himself, as the natural leader.  He is decent, fair, and charismatic so the boys choose him to lead the group.  However, as time presses on, Ralph becomes more doubtful about his abilities to lead the boys.  He has assumed that they would blindly follow his leadership and guidance; when the other boys begin to seek alternatives, Ralph does not know how to persuade them to follow the rules that they have created for their lives on the island.  Ralph is often confused and is not able to quickly devise solutions to problems.  He still believes that the other boys will come to understand that his way will lead them to survival and rescue.  When most of the boys leave to follow Jack, Ralph admits to himself that he is not a natural leader and that there are forces on the island and in the boys' hearts that are stronger than he once thought.

How does Ralph's view of the world change in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding?

Having come from a home with a father who is a military officer, Ralph has grown up with order and rules; however, once he finds himself stranded on an island with other boys from his school, Ralph is confronted with the atavistic fears and instincts of human nature removed from civilization which act to change his view of the world.

With a sentence which points to Ralph's separation from society and its conditioning along with his confrontation with what are man's essential fears and drives as a thesis statement, the student can mention the factors which serve to change Ralph's views:

THESIS: After the introduction, make a general statement of about Ralph's state upon arrival at the island and what he is confronted with in general (an uncivilized island [no rules], inherent fears and instincts of man, and man's inherent evil which is uncontrolled) Have 3 "opinions" such as given in the parentheses. These will form the topic sentences of each body paragraph. The conclusion, then, summarizes the thesis and the points you have made in the body, ending with a sentence that extends to a relative thought-provoking remark (this is called "the clincher").

Here are some points to consider about the changes in Ralph's perception of the world (life):

• When Ralph first arrives, he feels as though he has is at a real Coral Island, the setting of a book about English schoolboys who prevail over savage natives and preserve British civilized behavior. Shedding his clothes, he delights in the beauty of the water and island.
• After he meets Piggy and other boys, "the golden boy," [perceived at that time as the paragon] whose father is a military officer, Ralph becomes what is perceived as "the natural born leader."
• Piggy has given him a conch and Ralph uses it to call the boys to order. Then, he instructs his followers that they must build shelters and set up a rescue fire so that planes will see it. 
• All goes well until Jack, who was voted down as leader, decides to be the lead hunter, and along with others kills a feral pig. Because the excitement of finding and killing a pig is much greater than the work of constructing shelters and stoking the rescue fire, the important tasks of civilization are neglected. At first, Ralph is unable to comprehend the rapidity with which most of the boys give in to such primordial instincts of barbarism and blood lust. For, when Jack paints his face, hiding it, he is "liberated from shame and [the] self-consciousness" of civilization, which is disturbing to Ralph (Ch. 4). He also is amazed that the boys have ignored his orders and have let the fire go out when they miss being sited by a passing ship as they have been more occupied with catching a pig. "You and your hunting! We might have gone home--" Ralph chastises Jack for his desire for instant gratification over the civilized factions of his humanity.
• While Jack unites the boys with fear and intimidation, Ralph, confronted by the flaws of humans, dreams of his childhood in which life made sense. (Ch. 6) He wishes to escape from the truth of the flaws in humans.
• Then, even Ralph succumbs to the inherent savagery in man. Attracted by the barbarism of the hunt, Ralph participates in the slaughter of a pig and is exhilarated by it: 

"I hit him! The spear stuck in....He, then, "sunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all."

        Here Ralph must come to grips with his own inherent savagery, and his           deteriorating humanity as his primitive nature has been awakened.

• Then, when he attends Jack's feast, he fails in his efforts as he becomes swept away the frenzy. Later, when he realizes what has happened to Simon and he and Piggy have done nothing to prevent his death, Ralph feels terribly guilty; worse, when he discusses what has happened with Piggy, Piggy refuses to admit their guilt.
• After Ralph becomes the victim himself of the savagery of the boys, he must become savage himself as a defense. He steals the spear on which the Lord of the Flies has been impaled, a symbolic gesture, and tries to defend himself. When he is finally rescued, Ralph reflects upon what has happened on the island, and he cries about his loss of innocence and knowledge of evil that have altered his view of the world unalterably:

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.

How is Piggy superior to Ralph in Lord of the Flies?

More adult in appearance, Piggy represents the more rational aspect of humans in William Golding's allegory, Lord of the Flies. In fact, at one point, Ralph even reflects that "Piggy could think" and rues that he is not as capable as his friend at doing so.  One example of Piggy's clear thinking is after Jack and the hunters steal the fire.  Most disconcerted at the loss of the one thing which can reconnect them to civilization, Ralph becomes anxious that they are not able to climb the mountain to reclaim the signal fire.  But, in Chapter 8 Piggy suggests that Ralph and he and the others with them rebuild the fire on the beach:

The boys began to babble. Only Piggy could have the intellectual daring to suggest moving the fire from the mountain.

Allegorically, however, Piggy's glasses respresent his ability to reason.  So, after these glasses are stolen by Jack, Piggy loses some of his clear-sightedness and becomes emotionally myopic as well as physically.  For instance, he denies the facts about Simon's death.

What are the differences if you compare Ralph in the beginning of the story, with Ralph at the end of the story?

To answer this question you need to consider the allegorical aspects of this novel, and what each of the main characters represent. It is clear that at the beginning of the novel Jack represents the forces of civilisation, order and control. He is elected leader of the boys and is dedicated to maintaining control and being involved in meaningful action to achieve this goal. His example, in building huts for example whilst the other boys play and avoid work, means that he is respected and thought of highly by the boys. However, as the novel progresses, the forces of savagery, represented by Jack, become greater, and finally all the boys except Ralph and Piggy join Jack and his hunters.

Through the course of the novel, Ralph, like Simon, comes to understand that savagery is something that dwells within all of the boys. Although at the beginning of the novel Ralph is bewildered at Jack's bloodlust, we can see that Ralph comes to understand this personally when he hunts a boar and joins in the dancing afterwards, and even participates in the murder of Simon. Despite his best intentions, he is forced to realise that his savage instinct is part of him, as it is an essential characteristic of mankind. This epiphany or realisation plunges him into despair for a while, but it also enables him to cast down the Lord of the Flies at the end of the novel. At the end of the story, ironically, although Jack is rescued by the naval officer, his tears indicate that it is his innocence that has been lost irrevocably through the knowledge he has gained about the essential human condition.  

What is the relationship between Piggy and Ralph in Lord of the Flies?

Both Piggy and Ralph share the bond of trying to use reason and logic.  Both boys see the importance of what they have learned from adults, such as parents and teachers, and try to apply it to the island situation.  

In chapter 1, a governing body is more or less set up.  It is agreed that a leader needs to be elected in order to make decisions for the group.  Ralph is elected and begins dividing up the workload among all of the boys.  It's exactly what he would have seen at home with any business, school, or household.  

Piggy as well is a source of great knowledge from "before the island."  It's why he is so valuable at first.  The boys cannot light a fire until Piggy imparts his knowledge of science to the boys.  He creates fire by focusing solar light with his glasses.  

Both boys, in their own way, represent an attachment to the old, pre-island way of life.  That's their bond, and that is why Jack isn't fond of either of them.  

How did Ralph evolve throughout "Lord of the Flies" and what caused this change?

One of the major changes that Ralph undergoes over the course of the novel is his loss of innocence. This process begins as soon as he meets Piggy since Piggy is able to think more clearly and explain the reality of the situation. Ralph is confident that his father will come rescue him as soon as he gets leave. When Piggy asks him how he will know they are there, Ralph answers (in his mind), "Because, thought Ralph, because, because." He has a simplistic view of the world and of how things happen. His father will rescue him simply "because" that is how things work out.

Over the course of the story, however, Ralph sees the evil inside the boys and the terrible things they are capable of; he finishes the story weeping because of that loss of innocence.

Ralph also loses a great deal of confidence. At the beginning, when he is elected chief, there is a quiet and calm confidence about him that the boys recognize and are attracted to. But as the organization he attempts to set up falls apart and he calls more meetings and tries too hard to enforce rules, that confidence disappears; the boys notice it and are even more drawn to Jack. 

At the end of the story, Ralph falls at the feet of the officer: "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." This describes all the ways that Ralph has changed. His mature perspective on life is so much more complicated and more sad than the boyish innocence he had at the beginning.

How has Piggy's role changed since Jack's departure in Lord of the Flies?

When Jack was a part of their big group, Piggy was usually mocked by Jack, and the others followed him.  Piggy never really had any say in the group's decisions.  When Jack left, Piggy became second in command and became the symbol of intelligence and was the adult-figure on the island.  He was the one to see what was becoming of Jack and the boys.  He knew what was important when Ralph was slowly losing his mind and forgetting why they needed the smoke.  Piggy changed from being the nerdy boy who talked about his "Auntie" all the time to the smart boy who knew what had to be done.

How does Ralph's character change from the beginning to the end of Lord of the Flies?

It is clear that at the beginning of the novel Jack represents the forces of civilisation, order and control. He is elected leader of the boys and is dedicated to maintaining control and being involved in meaningful action to achieve this goal. His example, in building huts for example whilst the other boys play and avoid work, means that he is respected and thought of highly by the boys. However, as the novel progresses, the forces of savagery, represented by Jack, become greater, and finally all the boys except Ralph and Piggy join Jack and his hunters.

Through the course of the novel, Ralph, like Simon, comes to understand that savagery is something that dwells within all of the boys. Although at the beginning of the novel Ralph is bewildered at Jack's bloodlust, we can see that Ralph comes to understand this personally when he hunts a boar and joins in the dancing afterwards, and even participates in the murder of Simon. Despite his best intentions, he is forced to realise that his savage instinct is part of him, as it is an essential characteristic of mankind. This epiphany or realisation plunges him into despair for a while, but it also enables him to cast down the Lord of the Flies at the end of the novel. At the end of the story, ironically, although Jack is rescued by the naval officer, his tears indicate that it is his innocence that has been lost irrevocably through the knowledge he has gained about the essential human condition.