Chapters one and two: pages 7-47
I believe that a leader should be someone who does not want to have the responsibility or power of leadership. They also must be wise, intelligent, calm in hard situations, and open minded. It's understandable why the boys all voted Ralph as leader. He has a natural leadership quality about him; he is authoritative, influential, and has the ability to calm and reassure others. Ralph remained calm while on the island and was willing to run the boy's first meeting. But, I think that's really the only good major leadership quality he has displayed so far (besides attempting to make a rescue plan). Piggy is the real intelligent one in the group. He is the one who first decided to make plans with Ralph, he was the first to realize the severity of the situation, he was the one who decided to use the conch to call a meeting, he was the one who decided to get the names of all the boys, and he was the one who decided the group needed to make a plan. Piggy also does not want to have power. Even though he shows frustration in chapter two:
Although this frustration may be mistaken for Piggy craving power, I don't think that's the case. Piggy simply wants to be listened to, and he wants the boys to grow up and work together in order to survive. Piggy believes that if the boys keep acting like kids, more mistakes will happen, possibly even larger than a forest fire (by the way a forest fire already occurred in the first two chapters: clearly that's a little hint for the boys to get their act together, but still nobody listens). But, I also do not think that Piggy should be leader. He has no influence on others and he in no way remains calm when times are hard. If Ralph only chose Piggy as his number two instead of Jack, the island dwellers would be in much better shape. But, Ralph is much too concerned about what the other boys think and is too closed minded to listen to Piggy's great ideas.
But you know what let's just talk about Jack for a second. I really can't help but think of dictators when I think of this kid. First of all, he is in charge of the choir group, I have a feeling their skills are going to need some work if they are going to survive on the island. Plus, he treats his "subjects" like soldiers. At Jack's entrance, he made his clique wear their robes while marching around the island even though one of his boys was about to pass out. Granted, he may have done this in order to protect them from the sun, but I don't think that was his motive. Plus, when the boy passed out he basically said "Eh, don't worry about it he does it all the time" like don't you think that's something to be concerned about? Jack is power hungry and selfish; I think these traits are going to get in the way of the future rules of the island. Ralph is not going to be able to control Jack's influence and I think that the boys are all going to end up splitting up into different groups.
One thing that I could not get out of my head these entire two chapters is something really dumb. I could NOT get over the fact that Ralph kept calling Piggy, "Piggy". Plus, I don't like how Ralph told all the other boy's this unfortunate nickname; although I think that Ralph may be a nice guy hiding under his intimidation. I think this because after Piggy yelled at Ralph for this betrayal, Ralph replied:
But you know what let's just talk about Jack for a second. I really can't help but think of dictators when I think of this kid. First of all, he is in charge of the choir group, I have a feeling their skills are going to need some work if they are going to survive on the island. Plus, he treats his "subjects" like soldiers. At Jack's entrance, he made his clique wear their robes while marching around the island even though one of his boys was about to pass out. Granted, he may have done this in order to protect them from the sun, but I don't think that was his motive. Plus, when the boy passed out he basically said "Eh, don't worry about it he does it all the time" like don't you think that's something to be concerned about? Jack is power hungry and selfish; I think these traits are going to get in the way of the future rules of the island. Ralph is not going to be able to control Jack's influence and I think that the boys are all going to end up splitting up into different groups.
One thing that I could not get out of my head these entire two chapters is something really dumb. I could NOT get over the fact that Ralph kept calling Piggy, "Piggy". Plus, I don't like how Ralph told all the other boy's this unfortunate nickname; although I think that Ralph may be a nice guy hiding under his intimidation. I think this because after Piggy yelled at Ralph for this betrayal, Ralph replied:
" ' I got the conch! Just you listen! The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach. It wasn't half as cold down there in the night. But the first time Ralph says 'fire' you goes howling and screaming up this here mountain. Like a pack of kids!' " (Golding 45)
But still. This made me really sad the entire time I was reading because a nice little kid like Piggy doesn't deserve to be treated like he has been so far. But obviously I believe that Golding had a reason for doing this. In The Invisible Man, the author, Ralph Ellison, never reveals the name of his protagonist. He does this in order to further emphasize the invisibility that the main character clearly has. I believe that Golding is using the same technique. I don't think that the readers will ever get the chance to know Piggy's name. Golding probably does this in order to display Piggy's lack of influence on the group and to further enhance that he is treated like an animal. Or Golding probably did this to foreshadow the fact that all the boys will probably lose much of their humanity by the end of the novel. Plus, I think that near the end of the book Piggy will die. Along with his death, I think that the boys will still never have had the chance, or rather the concern, to learn Piggy's real name. This will make them think about who they are becoming, that they are (I'm assuming) killing other human beings. Hopefully this prediction that I'm making will allow the boys a chance to gain their humanity back.
But, this text is making me have A LOT of questions. First of all, what is the deal about these mysterious snakes that the little boys noticed? Is this book going to turn out like the popular TV show, Lost (especially since the plane seems to be no where in sight)? Is the novel going to turn into a story similar to those of the theatre of the absurd? Finally is the conch, the symbol of power, going to become a battle pawn between the boys?
And most of all, is that episode of Spongebob based on this book?
But, this text is making me have A LOT of questions. First of all, what is the deal about these mysterious snakes that the little boys noticed? Is this book going to turn out like the popular TV show, Lost (especially since the plane seems to be no where in sight)? Is the novel going to turn into a story similar to those of the theatre of the absurd? Finally is the conch, the symbol of power, going to become a battle pawn between the boys?
And most of all, is that episode of Spongebob based on this book?
" 'Better Piggy than Fatty,' he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership.." (Golding 25)