Jack And Ralph example essay topic

Things do no begin to break up because of Ralph's ineffective leadership. Rather, it is because of man's inherent desire for power, his actions toward self benefit and tendencies toward savagery that are the true causes to the downfall of the island's society. The conflict between Ralph and Jack throughout the first five chapters is one of the main causes for the growing disorder of the group. In the beginning, Ralph is elected leader over Jack.

Jack is obviously upset but is appeased by being appointed leader of the hunting party. Both Jack and Ralph have a clear vision regarding the needs of the group. Ralph wants order. He believes that they should band together to construct a shelter and tend to the signal fire whereas Jack's main priority for the group is hunting.

When Jack and his party go out hunting and the rest of the group do not help Ralph construct the shelter, Ralph becomes discouraged but Jack seems to have no sympathy. Jack is focused on hunting. These differences in opinion cause a rift between the two leaders and ultimately the group. An inclination toward self benefit also plays a major part in the decay of the make-shift-civilization's order.

Although the obvious priorities of the group are shelter and maintenance of the signal fire, Jack convinces his hunters, who were chosen to tend to the fire, to abandon it out of his own selfish lust to hunt. The neglected fire soon dies out and an opportunity for rescue is missed. Ralph and those close to him are infuriated. Jack and several other boys seem uncaring, as they have just killed their first pig and re-tell the gruesome killing proudly. This action toward self benefit further disrupts the order of the group. The tendency of human nature toward savagery also plays a larger role in the break up of the island's social structure.

When the first pig is killed, a feeling of triumph transcends upon the group. The participation in such a gruesome, bloody killing seems to have triggered some primal instinct deep within the boys' psyches. Order is lost. Jack punches piggy during a disagreement and does not care that he has broken his glasses.

During a meeting, people begin to speak out of turn, ignoring the first rule established on the island. Wild cries seem to take over the children as they run into the jungle. The slaughter of the pig seems to commence the descent of many members of the group into savagery, leaving the organization in shambles. The leadership of Ralph plays little to no role in the decay of the make-shift- society. Rather, it is man's desire for power, action's for self benefit and tendency toward savagery that are the microcosm's ultimate downfall.