Lotf Essay

Power of a leader Throughout the book, Lord of the flies, by William Golding, the reader learns what characteristics are needed to become powerful. Physical strength is a major quality needed to do so. The author demonstrates this using the character, Jack who is strong and taller than all the other children on the island. Jack displays his power over the children, “A fire! Make a fire! At once half the boys were on their feet. Jack clamored among them, the conch forgotten. Come on! Follow me!” (Golding 38). Jack demanded the children to listen and work on getting a fire started on the island. They’re forced to listen because of Jack’s physical strength and larger, superior, threatening size. They are simply afraid of him and instantly label him as their leader. Piggy lacks this physical strength, which limits his power over the group. Jack insults piggy, “You're no good on a job like this. All the same – We don’t want you, said Jack, flatly. Three’s enough” (24). Jack rejected Piggy’s offer to help the group find the others. He uses Piggy’s poor physical performance, like being overweight and having asthma as an excuse to degrade him. Jack and the others on the island see Piggy as a fat, weak leader with no power over them, not realizing his true knowledge that could save them all. Piggy lacks power because of his weakness in physical strength, while Jack becomes powerful by his intimidating strength and size. Also, an individual has to have strong ambition to become powerful. Early in the book, Jack shows his desire to become a powerful leader. Ralph brings up the idea about a leader for the group, “He lifted the conch. Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things. A chief! A chief! I ought to be chief,” said Jack with simple arrogance, because I’m chapter chorister and head boy” (22). This shows that Jack’s main objective was to take charge of the group of children and be in control. Even before the plane crash on the island Jack was the leader of the school choir. His ambition towards being leader made him successful in becoming powerful. Sadly, he uses his power for fun and to show his dominance over everyone. Ralph is the opposite and has the desire to survive and escape the island with the others. Ralph speaks to the children, “We want to be rescued; and of course we shall be rescued” (37). After being given the conch, Ralph tells all the children that they have to work together to survive. Unlike Jack, Ralph treats everyone fairly and focuses on survival. He is determined to do so and is the reason he becomes liked by the group in the beginning. After reading, Lord of the flies, the reader will learn what aspects make a person powerful. An individual has to be physically strong and have an ambition to be a leader. Ralph and Jack represent how power is gained in an individual, but also show how to use it in a logical or evil way.