Jack And Ralph From William example essay topic

1,071 words
Part A: The Truth About Talking In Ben Johnson's quote "Language most shows a man? Speak, that I may see thee!" He tries to explain his theory. This quote explains that when a person says anything we can understand his personality by the context in which he said it. I agree with Ben Johnson's quote because the way in which someone speaks sometimes shows more about their personality than their actions would.

The characters from the following novels best exemplify this quote: Jack and Ralph from William Golding's Lord of the Flies, and Juror 3, from Reginald Rose's novel Twelve Angry Men. In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Ralph is honorable in principles, intentions, and actions. He is realistic and democratic in his leadership role. When the boy's first become stranded on the island Ralph has to truthfully tell all of the younger boys about their situation by saying", 'The plane was shot down in flames.

Nobody knows where we are. We may be here a long time. ' " (34). At meetings Ralph is very democratic and insists on keeping order and rules. Ralph is addressing the boys and telling them what they need to accomplish in order to survive and to be saved. Ralph proves his leadership when he says", 'There aren't any grownups.

We shall have to look after ourselves'... ' And another thing. We can't have everybody talking at once. We " ll have to have a "Hands up" like at school'... ' Then I'll give him the conch. ' " (33).

Ralph is always logical and realistic; he knows what has to be done in order to obtain their objective of being saved. He shows this when Jack goes hunting and takes the boys who were supposed to be watching and keeping the fire going. Ralph confronts Jack by saying", 'There was a ship. Out there. You said you'd keep the fire going and you let it out! They might have seen us.

We might have gone home -' " (70). In Reginald Rose's Twelve Angry Men, Juror 3 is an opinionated man who proves to be very intolerant of other people's opinions. Juror 8 is trying to plant reasonable doubt into the other juror's minds and some of the jurors are beginning to be swayed by his arguments. Juror 3 shows his sadistic feelings when he says to the other jurors: You come in here with your heart bleeding all over the floor about slum kids and injustice and you make up these wild stories, and you " ve got some soft-hearted old ladies listening to you.

Well I'm not, I'm getting real sick of it. What's the matter with you people? This kid is guilty! He's got to burn! We " re letting him slip through our fingers here (100).

Juror 3 is very intolerant of others opinions and he forces those opinions on all of the other jurors. Juror 8 was explaining how the old man could have lied about hearing the boy yell to his father "I'm going to kill you" and he was planting reasonable doubt into some of the jurors minds. Juror 3 shows his intolerance when he says to the other jurors, "Well, that's the most fantastic story I've ever heard. How can you make up a thing like that?

What do you know about it?" (98). Juror 3 cannot believe that Juror 8 is changing everyone's opinion because he believes so vehemently that the boy is guilty. Juror 3 has an extremely opinionated mind and he believes that everything he says is the most important. Everyone in the jury had been convinced that the boy was not guilty but Juror 3 shows he still wasn't convinced by telling the jurors, "Well you " re not going to intimidate me!

I'm entitled to my opinion! It's gonna be a hung jury! That's it!" (108). In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Jack is very controlling and sometimes violent. Throughout the novel Jack proves to be unpredictable and at times cruel. The boys are talking about the beast and the litt luns are speaking up about how scared they are.

Jack proves his cruelty and his non-understanding when he states", 'You don't hunt or build or help - you " re a lot of cry-babies and sissies. That's what. And as for fear - you " ll just have to put up with it like the rest of us. ' " (82). Jack is overly confident and at times arrogant.

Jack has an aura of authority around him and that makes it easier for him to act like the leader. When all of the boys have their first meeting they decide that they need to choose a chief who will make all the decisions for the group. Jack speaks up by addressing the group of boys on his opinion he says", ' I ought to be chief, because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp' " (22). Jack seems very confident that he will receive every vote for chief and that contributes to his disappointment after he doesn't get elected. Later in the novel Jack shows his desire to command and control everything and everyone.

After the majority of the boys join Jack's tribe he rules over them commanding the boys to do things for him. He treats everyone as though they were lower than him and that he is better than all of them. He shows this authoritarian character when he speaks to the boys", 'Give me a drink. ' Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape. 'All sit down.

' " (150). I agreed with Ben Johnson's quote because I feel that a person can reveal everything about himself when he talks. This includes his personality and how he treats people. The characters and quotes supported Johnson's quote because all of them revealed their true self in what they said.