NON AFRICAN PROSE
WILLIAM GOLDING: Lord Of The Flies
to what extent is Jack a better leader than Ralph?
As the leader of the whole group, Ralph has been elected democratically. He assigns rulers as best as he can. Civic responsibility is shared among the boys. Not knowing what to do with Jack, he assigns him the leadership of his choir.
Things go bad when the little ones and even older boys set hygiene aside and attend to the call of nature anywhere and anyhow. The rescue fire is neglected. All of Ralph's arrangements for a decent orderly living go haywire pretty fast.
Ralph is unable to see the shelter building project through. This is because he is unable to make anyone work. Practically, only he and Piggy shoulder the building of he shelters. This is poor leadership; When the fire is neglected and he notices a passing ship, Ralph is personally agonized. However, he is unable to articulate what it is that has gone wrong, and cannot proffer any remedy.
Several times, at meetings, Ralph goes blank and it takes Piggy to fill him in and keep his thoughts on track. His reliance on the couch for authority is legitimate. But the couch does not speak for Ralph at the critical moments; Ralph has to. Thus, Ralph fails to take the bull by the horns.
Jack, on the other band, continues in his role as leader of the choir boys who are now hunters. He takes his job seriously, probably to absurd limits. But he certainly gets results: leading others and having them do his bidding.
This may sound authoritarian. However, in a sense, keeping the boys in check is that missing adult presence that Piggy bemoans. Sack's leadership is adult-like and focused.
In the hunt the feasting and the game, everyone is a participant. In this way, there is a sense of commitment and belonging to the tribe among Jack's boys.
The assignment of roles by Jack is methodical and specific and one dare not leave one's post; one carries out instructions to the letter.
Jack's leadership is unifying and attractive. Even Ralph and Piggy are gleeful participants in the fun hunt in which Simon perishes. They have been under no avert compulsion to join the hunt.
Ralph's insistence on having been active in a pig-hunt is ridiculous. As Jack is in charge of the hunters, if Ralph hunts he does so under Jack. The overall leader may instruct or direct or superintend the hunting, but need be participate? Doing so detracts from Ralph's leadership, wobbly as it is.
All in all, it can be said that Ralph's leadership is a weak one compared to Jack's firm manner of controlling others and managing affairs.
Candidates who provide contrary views should be judged on the merit of their arguments.
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