Jack And Piggy example essay topic

Throughout an individual's life, there are many challenges set in front of them that they must strive to overcome. William Golding portrays how individuals respond to challenges in his novel Lord of the Flies. He gives three contrasting characters that are all affected by many challenges and obstacles. Ralph, Jack, and Piggy each show a different reaction and handle situations according to what they believe in.

Ralph confronted his problems face to face and handled them with hope of rescue. Jack would use force and intimidation to overcome his problems. Finally, Piggy was one to face his obstacles with rationality and his mental power to come to a fair conclusion. Out of the three characters in the novel, Ralph was the weakest when it came to facing obstacles. Ralph had the popularity and seniority to be the leader but did not have good decision-making skills. He often took Piggy's advice for he could not always come up with his own solutions, not only for the group but personally as well.

Ralph initiated many tasks for the group to do but most were not kept up. He initiated the building of the huts on the beach, the fire on the mountain, and kept control of the group for a long period of time. When the boys began to join Jacks tribe, Ralph wanted to give up, but Piggy would not allow him to. After Piggy was killed, Ralph no longer had an advisor. Scared, Ralph began to run from Jack's tribe and would not give in to Jack. The tribe endangered his life and yet he kept on going though he could face death.

"He shot forward, burst the thicket, was in the open screaming, snarling, bloody". (Ch. 12 Pg. 220) Ralph never gave up the entire time on the island, though somewhat weak at responding to the obstacles he still overcame all of them. Jack had a much more cruel and intimidating response towards the challenges on the island. He believed that Ralph had to many rules and was boring. He, on the other hand, wanted fun and games to fill the day.

Jack had a lust for hunting. At the beginning of the novel he could not kill a pig, not because he was not physically able, because he did not have the means, he was a proper English school boy. "The pause was only long enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stroke would be" (Ch. 1 Pg. 32) By the end of the book Ralph based his tribe on hunting and feasting. When Ralph was the last member of the other group he even hunted him down with cruel intentions. Jack never gave up, the extraordinary evil that grew within him kept him going the entire book.

Finally, Piggy was the character that had the most thinking power to respond to the challenges set before him. What Piggy lacked in appearance and physical ability, he made up in brainpower. Piggy was fat had glasses, asthma and was not remotely popular among the boys. He always said what needed to be said with no thought about being hurt or ignored. Ralph realized Piggy's intelligence. He would always listened to what Piggy said and would consider it.

Near the end of the novel Piggy was no longer even being considered and no one really cared when he was killed. Though very weak physically in comparison to the other boys, Piggy responded most appropriately to the island. In conclusion, William Golding gives the reader some insight on different characters responding differently to the same situation. All his characters are symbolic and most readers can probably relate to one of them. Ralph is the strong figurehead and has power over others, yet lacks the true qualities of a leader. Jack is jealous of power and has lust for blood and anarchy.

Piggy is smart and thinks before he acts in all that he does. With their contrasting responses, these three characters make Lord of the Flies a modern classic..