Discussion Topic
The differing responses of Ralph, Piggy, and the group to the absence of adults in Lord of the Flies
Summary:
In Lord of the Flies, Ralph initially takes a leadership role, attempting to establish order and rules. Piggy supports Ralph but is more focused on maintaining civilization and rationality. The group, however, gradually descends into savagery, embracing chaos and violence in the absence of adult authority.
In Lord of the Flies, chapter 1, how do Ralph and Piggy respond differently to no grown-ups?
Ralph and Piggy both respond differently to the news that there are no grown-ups on the island with them, and their differed reactions both reveal important facets of their unique personalities.
- Piggy-- Piggy's immediate reaction is one of dismay. He begins to be visibly upset with his lips quivering and his spectacles fogging up with unshed tears. Piggy is much more insecure than Ralph and is used to relying on the adult world for protection and approval.
- Ralph-- Ralph, on the other hand, is completely ecstatic about this development in their situation as "the delight of a realized ambition overcame him" (8). He is so overcome with joy that he has to stand on his head to convey his immense satisfaction to Piggy.
Their differed reactions reveal much about the boys' character. Piggy's concern for the pilot and lack of grown-ups reveals that he is much more practical than Ralph,...
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tending to view the situation from a very pragmatic standpoint--how will this affect the possibiltiy of rescue? Ralph shows his delight at his new-found freedom; this sort of reaction marks Ralph as beign much more comfortable with the idea of independence. Ralph is also more impetuous than Piggy, not really realizing all the implications of their isolation.
How does the group in Lord of the Flies respond to no adults?
In Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies, a group of adolescent boys crash-lands on an uninhabited tropical island, where they descend into savagery and fail to establish a civil society. Initially, the boys are excited about the possibility of creating a civil society without the assistance and direction of adults. However, things quickly turn sour after Ralph is elected chief and Jack purposely undermines his leadership.
As the novel progresses, Jack becomes more hostile toward Ralph and the boys begin neglecting their agreed-upon duties. The boys allow the signal fire to go out, miss a rare opportunity for rescue, and experience hysteria regarding the presence of an imaginary beast spreading throughout the group. Towards the end of chapter 5, Ralph has lost control of Jack and his hunters, and Piggy laments by saying,
I wish my auntie was here .... Grown-ups know things .... They ain't afraid of the dark. They'd meet and have tea and discuss. Then things 'ud be all right."
The situation on the island continues to grow worse when the boys mistake a dead paratrooper for the beast and Jack completely rejects Ralph's leadership. The boys end up brutally murdering Simon, and Jack establishes his own group of savages at the opposite end of the island. By the end of the story, Jack has transformed into a brutal dictator focused on murdering Ralph, and Ralph narrowly escapes certain death when he runs onto the beach, where he is astonished to find a British naval officer. The boys tell the officer that two people have died on the island, and the officer responds by saying,
I should have thought that a pack of British boys—you're all British, aren't you?—would have been able to put up a better show than that.
Overall, the boys' plans of establishing a civil society on their own quickly collapse as they embrace their primitive instincts and savage nature.