Characterization: Lord of the Flies

“The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock.” Pg. 1

His hair is now super long and he feels really dirty. “He would like to have a pair of scissors and cut his hair- he flung the mass back- cut this filthy hair right back to half an inch. He would like to have a bath, a proper wallow with soap. He passed his tongue experimentally over his teeth and decided that a toothbrush would come in handy too.” Pg. 119

“By now, Ralph had no self-consciousness in public thinking but would treat the day’s decisions as tjoigh he were playing chess.” Pg. 128

“Piggy was not interested because he was still blowing (the conch.) His face was dark with the violent pleasure of making this stupendous noise, and his heart was making the stretched shirt shake” Pg. 13

Stressed because no ones is listening to him. “At once half the boys were on their feet. JACK clamoured among them, the conch forgotten.” Pg. 37

Ralph found that he had rock painfully gripped in both hands, found his body ached, the muscles of his neck stiff, his mouth strained open.” Pg. 121 he is STRESSED!

“Ralph found he was able to measure the distance coldly and take aim. With the boar only five yards away, he flung the foolish wooden stick that he carried.” Pg. 123. Ralph hunting the boar, he was calm and took the role of the leader. Civilization is fading on him as well.

Ralph was full of fright and apprehension and pride.” Pg.124. After Ralph hit the boar, he is prideful and happy.

“”All at once he found he could talk fluently and explain what he had to say. He passed a hand through his fair hair and spoke.” Pg.30

“You voted me for chief. Now you do what I say”(87)

“Got a ship in your pocket.” Pg. 121, Ralph and Simon being sarcastic together.

“By now, Ralph had no self-consciousness in public thinking but would treat the day’s decisions as tjoigh he were playing chess.” Pg. 128

Jack wants to overpower him. “Jack broke in. All the same you need an army – for hunting.’” Pg.31

Chapter five- “only, decided Ralph as he faced the chief’s seat, I can’t think. Not like piggy”. (83) He acknowledges Piggy’s intelligence and we learn some of his flaws.  

“He discovered with a little fall of the heart that these were the conditions he took as normal now and that he did not mind.” Pg. 120. Civilization is fading from him and the other boys now.

“Ralph was too fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering.” Pg. 125. SAvage and evilness is overtaking Ralph and the other boys.

“Not it was Ralph’s turn to flush but he spoke despairingly, out of new understanding that Piggy had given him.” pg. 129. UNderstanding Piggys intelligience and Ralph standing up for himsefl against JAck.

he is very curios.

He doesn’t get that he is on the island and how dangerous it could be.

Flustered and Frustrated, wants to be a good leader but can’t get everyone to listen to him. He has given orders but they are flustered and aren’t very organized.

“With the memory of his sometime clean self as a standard. Ralph looked them over.” Pg. 120. Ralph is losing his memory and civilization of when he lived in England.

“Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only piggy was not a chief” -Ralph (83)

“For all his ludicrous body, he had brains.” -Ralph (83)

Kind of follows everyone and what they do. “Piggy asked no names. He was intimidated by this uniformed superiority and the offhand authority in Merridew’s voice. He shrank to the other side of Ralph and busied himself with his glasses.” Pg. 17

He is more shy and laid back.

Not confidence, he is intelligent though.

Organizer. “Piggy watched him in disgust. ‘Like a crowd of kids-.” Pg. 37 as all the boys run off to build a fire.

He wanted to appoint the chief, “None of the boys could have found good reason for this; what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy while the most obvious leader was Jack.” Pg. 19

get a list of everyone’s name, he is responsible.

Stressed and wants everything to be organized. He tried to get a list of everyone’s name but couldn’t he is nervous and anxious about losing the little boys.

Isn’t letting Ralph lead, he lead the whole group up the mountain to start the fire even though Ralph still had the conch.

Rude to piggy “Aren’t I having none?-Piggy” “Jack had meant to leave him in doubt, as an assertion of power; but Piggy by advertising this omission made more cruelty necessary. ‘You didn’t hunt”-Jack Pg. 78

“Jack had him by the hairr and was brandishing his knife.” Pg.125 Savagery

Bright blue eyes “Eyes that in this frustration seemed bolting and nearly mad.”Pg. 49.

“You’re a lot of crybabies and sissies” (88 jack says to littlins)

“Serve you right if something did get you, you useless lot of crybabies! (88)

“Ralph- we need meat even if we are hunting the other thing.” Pg. 122. Jack becoming more savage and his hunting self.

“Use a littlun,’ said Jack, and everybody laughed.” Pg. 126. JAck talking about killing a littleun to recreate the boar scene. Evilness is taking over Jack.

“I’m going up the mountain.’ The words came from Jack viciously, as though they were a curse.” Jack is still savage and wants to prove everyone that he is the strongest one and will climb up the dark mountain even if no one comes with them.

“If you don’t want to go on….I’ll go up by myself.” Pg. 132. JAck doesn’t care about anyone but himself

“For the first eim since he had known Jack, Ralph could fel him hesitate.” Pg.133 JAck finally showing how he is scared and stressed for what is coming. He believes there is a beast.

Jack wants to take charge of everything because he thinks he is the best. Interrupts Ralph a lot to add his own things “Jack was on his feet.’We’ll have rules!’ he cried excitedly. ‘Lots of rules! Then when anyone breaks ‘em-.’” Pg.32

This quote shows Jack taking charge but also how we just wants to punish people etc.

“‘Simon. He helps out.’ Ralph pointed at the shelters. ‘All the rest rushed off. He’s done as much as I have. Only- Simon’s always about.” Pg. 56

“Simon, sitting between the twins and Piggy, wiped his mouth and shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy.” Pg. 78. Simon cares for Piggy and stands up for him, protecting him from the evilness the boys are starting to show.

“Your batty.”-Ralph to simon, Pg. 121

“Simon was speaking almost in his (Ralph’s) ear. -Ralph found the he had rock painfully gripped in both hands….’You’ll get back to where you came from.” Pg. 121. Simon caring for Ralph and easing his stress.

“I’ll go if you like. I don’t mind honestly.” Pg. 129. Simon is caring for piggy and also knows that there is no beatie because the beast is all contained in them.