Ralph in Lord of the flies

• Ralph


  • One of the oldest boys
  • Quickly elected as Chief
  • Generally fair-minded and decisive
  • Listens to others but takes control when necessary
• Charismatic


  Ralph is presented as an attractive character from his first appearance when he is contrasted with Piggy
• Ralph thinks it is important to have rules and be organised
• Ralph has a great sense of 'fair play' and defends others who are weaker than himself
• As the novel progresses, Ralph begins to think increasingly about the civilised world that has been left behind
• Ralph daydreams about a time when adults made the decisions and he lived comfortably in a nice house with a nice garden and its own boundaries
• Ralph also remembers being formally educated
• Ralph


  The main character in Lord of the Flies whose journey we follow throughout the story
• Ralph


  • Has fair hair
  • Is described as 'attractive'
  • Has a degree of natural charisma
• Ralph


  Although typical of a 12-year-old boy, also displays flashes of maturity and common sense which make him seem older
• Ralph


  • Has qualities of natural leadership such as bravery, fairness and a sense of justice
• Ralph is elected to lead the other boys
• Ralph tries to keep to a civilised code of conduct


  But circumstances are against him
• By the end of the novel, Ralph is being hunted down by the other boys
• Ralph is only rescued from certain death by a stroke of good fortune
• “Jack and Ralph smiled at each other with shy liking”


  Ralph attempts to appease Jack by giving him some power
• ”All ours”

  Possessive nature- Possessive Pronoun “ours” links to their possession of the Island
• “ His voice was loud and savage..”


  Ralph too, descending into savagery
• “He accepted a piece of half-raw meat and gnawed it down like a wolf”


  Simile “gnawed it down like a wolf” reiterates his fallibility.
• “You’re breaking the rules!” 


  Exclamative Outburst demonstrates Ralph’s desperation to uphold rule and order emphasises through the exclamation mark
• “We‘ll be like animals“ 


  Symbolic realisation of the decent into primitive and troglodytic behaviour
• “I hit him” “I hit him”


  Repetition signifies Ralph succumbing to the lust for violence/savagery (Id)
• “He sunned himself in their new respect…”


  Verb ”sunned” represents Ralph as having “God-like” power or confidence and excitement built on savagery
• ”Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh.”


  Overwhelmed with the desire to kill and inflict pain
• “I’m scared“


  Ralph submitting to the notion of savagery.
• “Ralph, cradling the conch, rocked himself to and fro.”


  Dynamic verb “cradling“ illustrates how Ralph is desperately trying to hold on to a sense of humanity and civilisation. the verb ”rocked“ gives a sense of infantilisation as if he’s a child.
• “Ralph wept for the end of innocence… and the fall through the air of the true wise friend called Piggy”


  Symbolically represents the removal of child like innocence.”True wise friend called piggy” illustrates a shift in social attitude
• “Ralph launched himself like a cat; stabbed, snarling with the spear…”


  Zoomorphic simile emphasises Ralph’s animalistic response.
• “We will have to have hands up like at school”


  Shows Ralphs leadership, bravery, fairness, and sense of justice and how he is direct and clear (democratic system)
• “Ralph had to wave the conch once more” 


  Conch huge part of leadership what Ralph uses to assert authority, adverb “once more“ insinuates Ralph’s quiet authority and how he takes his role seriously (shows his selflessness)
• ”eyes that proclaimed no evil”


  Ralph is presented as the ”model boy”. He is seen as the ideal boy in society both physically and morally.
• “I’m chief. I’ll go. Don’t argue.”


  Short declarative words elucidate how Ralph takes control when necessary but is naturally fair minded and decisive