Golding's Lord Of The Flies: Character Analysis

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One could describe Lord of the Flies by William Golding as a horrifying tale of civilized order turned to complete chaos. Multiple characters and events in the story contribute to the pandemonium. Cruelty shown from one character to another is a key aspect in causing the chaos and will show the true colors of the characters. Jack, Ralph, and Piggy prove themselves as prime examples. The perpetrators, Jack and Ralph, both put the victim, Piggy, through several acts of cruelty throughout the book. Piggy could be described as an intelligent, soft-spoken person. His weight problem and asthma make him a vulnerable character. Ralph and Jack both have strong personalities, but in very different ways.
From the beginning of the novel the stronger characters immediately take advantage of Piggy’s vulnerability. Ralph shows one of the first …show more content…
Unlike Ralph, Jack is a selfish leader and becomes jealous when the boys vote Ralph as the chief. Jack comes of as a character who puts others down in order to make himself feel better. Jack and Piggy’s characters completely clash, which results in multiple conflicts. Throughout the book, Jack continuously shuts down Piggy’s ideas and suggestions. It seems as if all the boys on the island, including the “littleuns”, talk over Piggy. Jack constantly makes jokes about Piggy’s weight and makes him feel like he is worthless. For example, when an argument about the fire comes up Piggy gives his opinions and Jack immediately shuts him down. “…We couldn’t keep a fire like that going, not if we tried.” Jack responds, “A fat lot you tried… You just sat.”(42). As stated before, Jack’s cruel behavior rubs of on the others, which causes everyone to see Piggy as a vulnerable person. Everyone in the book seems to walk all over Piggy. Eventually, in a moment of chaos when Piggy is trying to make a statement, a boy pushes a rock, causing Piggy to fall of a cliff to his death. No one seems to care except
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