2 things I did well: My counterargument was done well and all my quotes were integrated and explained.

2 things I need to work on: My opening statement and making sure I choose the best quotes support the argument.

 

It is More Effective to be Feared than Loved

 

How can a leader that treats his followers poorly and does what is socially unacceptable be more effective than one that leads with respect and civil intentions? In the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies written by William Golding, there are two boys that vie for the power of chief and they both take very different approaches. Ralph, the protagonist, enforces a democracy and the idea of a civilization; whereas, Jack, the antagonist, leads with a dictatorship approach and encourages the boys to act upon their savage instincts. Jack may treat his followers with disrespect and encourage them to do what is socially unacceptable; however, he is still a more effective leader than Ralph because he knows how to appeal to his followers, use fear as a source of power and ultimately, show his self-confidence and bravery.

 

Jack knows what the boys want and he uses that to appeal to them and attract them into following him instead of Ralph. Jack knows that the boys will result back to their savage instincts and that all they want to do is hunt and play. Jack entices the boys by saying, “I’m going off by myself. He can catch his own pigs. Anyone that wants to hunt when I do can come too.” (Ch.8, Golding) He says this as an invitation because he knows they would rather hunt than be civil. This urges the boys to leave Ralph and join Jack’s tribe, which is what he wants all along; therefore, proving that Jack can appeal to his followers and make them follow him. In this novel, it is Jack’s ultimate goal to become chief. Jack tempts the boys into joining him by saying, “Who’ll join my tribe and have fun?” (Ch.9) Jack knows that the boys want to have fun and hunt for meat so he uses that as a way to make the boys follow him. This furthermore proves that Jack is a more effective leader because he appeals to his followers.

 

Contrary to Ralph, Jack is a more effective leader because he uses fear as a source of power. Jack threatens to hurt the boys for no valid reason, making them all become so afraid to betray him that they do everything he says. For example, during the vote for chief Ralph asked, “‘All right. Who wants Jack for chief?’ With dreary obedience the choir raised their hands.” (Ch.1) Since the beginning, the choirboys have followed Jack, even when no one else wanted him for chief because they were afraid of the consequences that might arise from betraying their leader. This proves that Jack uses the fear of betrayal that the boys have as a way of getting what he wants, a strategy of an effective leader. Additionally, after the boys join Jack’s tribe, Robert and Roger have a conversation regarding Jack’s actions as chief, “‘He’s going to beat Wilfred.’ ‘What for?’ ‘I don’t know. He didn’t say. He got angry and made us tie Wilfred up.’” (Ch.10) Jack instills fear on the boys and uses it to his advantage to be an effective leader. The boys know what Jack’s capable of and they don’t want to be the ones tortured so they do what he says.

 

Another reason that Jack is a more effective leader is because he is confident in himself and continually aims to prove that to the boys. However, it is not that Ralph is insecure about his abilities; it is that Jack strives to prove his confidence to the boys. Jack believes that he should be the one to lead the group and reinforces this idea on many occasions in effort to convince the boys that he’s the better leader. During one of the first meeting the boys have, the boys must elect a leader and Jack confidently says, “‘I ought to be chief,’ said Jack with simple arrogance, ‘because I’m chapter chorister and head boy.’” (Ch.1) This proves that Jack is able to courageously step up and show that he believes he would be the best choice for chief, an important quality in an effective leader. He compares himself to Ralph in front of the boys by saying, “‘Frightened?’ ‘Course I’m frightened. Who wouldn’t be?’” (Ch.6) Jack then offers to explore and hunt the beast on his own despite the danger that may come. He does this in effort to show the boys that he isn’t afraid of anything and therefore they will feel protected and more inclined to follow him over Ralph.

 

Nevertheless, what is stated does not prove that Jack is a good leader; it proves that he is a more effective one. Ralph leads with civil intentions and consideration of the most efficient way to get off the island. On the contrary, Jack leads by appealing to his followers and doing what he believes would make them follow him, not by doing what is right. Furthermore, Jack scares the boys into joining his tribe, giving the boys an unneeded fear of betraying him. Although what Jack is doing is wrong, it does not prove that he is ineffective. The fact that he was the one that got the boys on his side and followed through on what he set out to do proves that sometimes as a leader it is more effective to be feared than loved.

 

Ultimately, Jack is a more effective leader than Ralph because he appeals to his followers, uses fear as a source of power and he is confident in himself. Jack follows through on the needs and wants of the group, he threatens those that do not follow him so that others are afraid to betray and he always proves that he can lead without fear of what is to come. An effective leader knows how to get people on their side, whatever it takes. They show that they are confident in themselves and that everyone should be confident in them as well. Although Ralph is the more understanding and considerate leader, he cannot maintain order; whereas, Jack enforces his tactics of savagery and they work in his favor. This is what makes him a more powerful leader and therefore proving that it is more effective to be feared than loved.

 

Works Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.