Ralph In Lord Of The Flies

In literature, as in life, people struggle with the principles and beliefs they hold. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, Ralph represents order, civilization, and leadership. On the island, Ralph is conflicted with his principles and beliefs that he has acquired over the years of living in a civilized and humane world and is caught between holding on to them or submitting to the barbarism that seems to have taken over the other boys.

Ralph is the protagonist of The Lord of The Flies. He was elected leader at the beginning of the novel and is the main representation of order and civilization on the island. At the very beginning, when Ralph finds the conch shell he lifts it up and says “'Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things' (pg.228). To Ralph, a chief is someone who is elected leader and makes important decisions for a group, as he thinks, "if you [are] a chief, you [have] to think, you [have] to be wise... you [have] to grab at a decision" (pg. 10). Being a chief to Ralph means leading people. It does not mean triumph, power, and arrogance; it's about making sure that all the needs of the group as

I'll go. Don't argue’”(pg.115). At this point, Ralph is agreeing to go look for the beast. The chief in him feels the need to take action and responsibility and find the beast that is scaring the littluns. Instead of getting caught up hunting and going crazy with bloodlust, he puts forth the idea of starting a fire and then someone watch it to make sure it doesn't go out. When someone has to go look for the "beast," Ralph appoints himself. When he's scared, he "[binds] himself together with his will" (pg.246), meaning that he's able to force himself to do something he would rather not for the good of the group. Although Ralph seems like the level headed and practical leader, as the story progresses, he starts to lose the civil behavior and discipline he once