Personality versus Character in "Lord of the Flies"

W. Somerset Maugham advises, “When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.” Personality, the distinctive qualities that shape a person’s social attractiveness, can deceivably conceal a person’s character, the moral or ethical qualities that form a person’s individual nature. Maugham regards a conscientious but uncharismatic person with more merit than a charming but depraved person – the reason being that true friendship should provide integrity, not entertainment. When in a difficult situation, a friend with a virtuous character will be of helpful assistance, while a friend with an appealing personality will observe and laugh. Ralph, of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, initially chooses Jack as a companion for all the wrong reasons, while belittling and undermining Piggy, an easy target. However, his loss of respect for Jack – as he becomes a bloodthirsty barbarian – and loss of motivation to gain authority as a chief gradually transforms Ralph and Piggy’s relationship from Ralph humiliating Piggy for authoritative gain to depending on each other by default and finally, to an acknowledged, appreciated intimacy.

Upon their first encounter, Piggy confides in Ralph about the nickname his classmates used to mock him, Piggy, before Ralph sounds the conch to gather any other boys on the island. Upon the arrival of Jack and his uniformed choir, Piggy asks the assembly of boys to introduce themselves with their given names, to Jack’s displeasure. He entitles their given names as “kids’ names” and queries why his identification cannot be “Merridew,” his surname. Ralph concurs to Jack’s outlook, accrediting Jack’s voice as “the voice of one who [knows] his own mind” (21). As Piggy...

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...ue, loyal friendship. After Piggy’s death, Ralph did not have time to react, as barbarians were attempting to murder him, but with a naval officer standing in the way of his incoming murder, Ralph can finally display the anguish he feels for Piggy. The final testament to their friendship regards what Ralph cries for; to Ralph, Piggy presented as much significance as innocence and morality.

Lord of the Flies accurately illustrates the truthfulness behind Maugham’s advice as Ralph quickly realizes his foolish mistake of accrediting Jack and demeaning Piggy when he witnesses Jack’s wild, malevolent actions and notices Piggy’s pragmatic, yet overlooked resolutions. Their entire outcome could have ended differently had Ralph not imprudently befriended the beast of nature, the lord of lycanthropy, and cruelly made a mockery of the wise Piggy, the sensible friend.