Lord Of The Flies Characters.

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charismatic Protagonist (Leader or Main character)

Fair hair, tall and athletic

Represents order, civilisation, productive leadership

At beginning of novel, presented as perfect and infallible (dependable)

Wants to get rescued: sets about building huts and making a signal fire

Democratically elected leader; has secure power and influence over the boys

Strong commitment to morality and civilisation

Cannot understand why boys would give in to blood lust and barbarism

Resists temptation later in novel to join Jack’s tribe: remains morally strong

Attends Jack’s feast and experiences thrill of violence; participates in Simon’s killing

Becomes an outcast “Cos I had some sense”

RALPH means 'Wold council' in OLD ENLGISH

Old English: Lord of the Land Hebrew: ‘Jacob’ – One who takes over

Merridew: Lord of the Place

Represents the rational side of civilisation of

the adult world. Always tries to act according to an absolute set of standards

Physically disadvantaged; overweight, asthma,

short-sighted. Needs his glasses to see properly. OUTSIDER

This makes Piggy very vulnerable, and he is

taken advantage of, through Jack taking his glasses to light the fire with, and

later stealing them out of spite and so he cannot see. This is when he develops

a physical dependency on Ralph

Indirect, clever metaphor that his name Is

‘Piggy’ – his death is similar to that of a Pig’s, and is trying to show that

the anger Jack and his tribe have towards pigs is channelled also into Piggy

Continued references to Auntie and England

demonstrate a dependency on adults and order

Very intelligent, however no-one is willing to

listen to his ideas, or they are dismissed. Suggests a sundial, use of green

branches, etc.

Very mature, tries to keep everyone in order,

only person who cares for the littluns [apart from Simon]

Piggy and the conch are destroyed

together, symbolising the destruction of intelligence and authority on the

island; so nothing is there to stop Jack gaining full control

Leader of the choir and head boy at school, so a

natural leader

However, he is a bully and disregards the health

of Simon when he faints

Strong willed egomaniac, instinct of savagery,

violence, desire for power

Fiery hair and ugly in appearance – represents

hot-headed, unpleasant character

Desires power above all things – furious when he

loses the ‘election’ to Ralph, and continuously pushes boundaries as the

subordinate of the group

Gradually grows as a dictator, controlling and

manipulating the hunters, however longs for total control and he becomes more

barbaric, wild and cruel as the novel progresses

Obsessed with hunting, devotes himself to the

‘task’ – gives in to bloodlust

As his savagery grows, he gains more control

over the group, until he resorts to torture to gain control of Samneric and the

littluns

Only wants rules in place so that he can punish

those who break them; it soon becomes clear he does not care about the rules,

or being civilised

Ralph

Jack

Piggy