Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies Ralph is a twelve-year-old boy marooned with a group of other boys on a deserted island. He is the athletic and charismatic character of Lord of the Flies. Ralph was elected the leader of the boys at the beginning of the novel and is the primary representative of order, civilization, and productive leadership in the novel. While most of the other boys are concerned with playing, having fun, and avoiding work …

…and it plunges him into listless despair for several chapters. But this knowledge also enables him to cast down the Lord of the Flies at the end of the novel. Ralph's story ends semi-tragically; although he is rescued and returned to civilization, when he sees the naval officer, he weeps with the burden of his knowledge about humanity. Ralph represents the civilizing instinct within human beings, as opposed to the savage instinct symbolized by Jack.