relationship between J and R

Question 1

overview

Answer 1

At first, Ralph and Jack have a very positive relationship because they are both natural born leaders. Soon, they begin to drift apart because their priorities are no longer the same as Ralph prioritises building shelters whereas Jack prioritises hunting. When Jack lets the fire out it becomes clear to Ralph that Jack does not value the fire and rescue which leads to their relationship breaking. After this, Jack continues to challenge Ralph for leadership until the moment he leaves the group to form his own tribe. Ralph cannot understand the reason why Jack hates him and he only realises at the end that it’s because Jack is truly evil.

Question 2

beginning

Answer 2

• At the first meeting where the boys decide who will be chief Jack tells the boys that he wants to be chief but the boys elect Ralph instead. This coud create conflict later on in the novel because Jack immediately wants power. However, in response to this Ralph tells Jack ‘the choir belongs to you, of course’ to try and please Jack. The use of tone from Ralph emphasises this as it suggests how he’s telling Jack that he would never try and take the choir from him.
• The boys then go exploring the island and Jack says ‘we’re explorers’ when they bond over rolling rocks. Jack is quick to say that they are a team and this is shown through the use of the word ‘we’re’.
• At the next meeting the boys establish rules on the island and it becomes clear that Jack likes rules so that he can punish the boys whereas Ralph likes rules to keep everyone civilised. However, the meeting begins to break up when the beast is discussed and Jack reassures the boys that ‘there isn’t a snake thing’ to support Ralph but then uses the idea of the beast to scare the boys and gain control when he realises the idea of the beast could lead to an advantage. This suggests how Jack is a fickle friend because he will only act in a way that suits him and will follow along but only to an extent.
• Ralph and Jack begin to drift apart when they prioritize different things. Ralph spends his time building huts whereas Jack spends his time hunting. This leads to a small argument where Ralph says ‘all you can talk about is pig, pig, pig.’ This suggests how Jacks only priority is hunting and the fact that the word ‘pig’ is repeated suggests his obsession with it and Ralphs anger towards it.
• This split in priorities leads to Jack letting out the fire because he considers it an ‘irrelevance.’ This means that the ‘link between him and Jack had been snapped’ and this is the impact of the two of them having different priorities. Golding uses this metaphor of the ‘link’ which was rescue to show how because they don’t value it in the same way they have become distanced. Ralph cannot get over the fact that Jack stopped them from being rescued.

Question 3

middle

Answer 3

• To try and re-establish the rules Ralph holds and assembly where he discusses the importance of rules. However, Jack yells, ‘bollocks to the rules!’ This suggests how he is undermining Ralph’s authority in an attempt to gain more power and he knows that he can get away with this because there are no consequences for his actions
• Jack constantly antagonises Ralph and challenges his leadership. This leads to Jack making Ralph look like a coward infront of the other boys and when Jack forms his own tribe the rest of the boys join him.

Question 4

end

Answer 4

• In an attempt to regain control of the boys, Ralph threatens to blow the conch during an assembly but Jack says ‘we shan’t hear it.’ This suggests how Jack doesn’t listen to democracy anymore and neither do the other boys which leads to Ralph completely losing his power and control over the boys.
• Jack steals Piggy’s glasses to light a new fire and Ralph tries to reason with him like when he says ‘you’re not being fair.’ This suggests how Ralph has stayed the same and still listens to what is civilised whereas Jack won’t understand this because he has changed and all his actions are based on the survival of the fittest. This is why their relationship has fallen apart.
• This leads to Jack hunting Ralph like a pig at the end of the novel and only when they are rescued does Ralph weep ‘for the darkness in man’s heart.’ This suggests that finally realises that Jack hates him because he is evil and this supports Golding’s message which is that people who leave civilisation can become evil.