May the Best Man Take It All

Carolyn K. Huh

English 9, period 6

Mrs. Savage

2 August 2012

May the Best Man Take it All

In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, a plane crashes a group of English schoolboys into an unknown island. Ralph, a twelve-year-old who is elected as their leader, accompanies Piggy, a whiny boy known for his intelligence and ability to rationalize with others, to find the other stranded boys. They search the deserted island and find a large pink and cream-colored conch shell. This shell is used as a trumpet and the remaining boys respond by straggling on to the beach. Ralph and Simon, a boy who represents natural kindness, instantly go to work by building huts while the other boys celebrate their freedom from parent supervision. They spend most of their time playing games and splashing in the water. Jack, one of the older boys stranded on the island, promptly becomes the novel's antagonist. Ralph designates Jack as the leader for the hunters. These two leaders compete for power and Jack eventually runs away with the rest of the choir members to become an official head chief. All in all, Ralph is the rightful leader on the island.

Ralph is distinctly the most preeminent leader for the English schoolboys on the island. He represents order, leadership, and civilization. He embodies goodness and attempts to keep the island in order and in harmony. The boys choose him as their leader because "… 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" (22). The conch is an influential symbol of civilization and order. It is also an actual display of political legitimacy and democratic power. Ralph is also very formidable at being in charge and he believes that "…if a ship comes near the island they might not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of that mountain. We must make a fire" (38). Ralph is determined in getting rescued and is confident that the only way is to create a fire. Ralph is also warmhearted. He and Simon are the only two who treat the littluns with respect. His ethics are strong and he is always willing to help the stranded boys. Ralph's main goal is to become rescued and eventually return to a society led by a group of adults. The thoughts of his past give him strength and he receives a moral victory at