Skip to main content

Why is Piggy a good leader in Lord of the Flies?

Piggy has a number of excellent leadership qualities, despite the fact that most of the boys don't like him and mock him. Piggy has the ability to envision courses of action that other boys miss. This is evident from the first chapter when he suggests to Ralph that he use the conch to summon the other boys on the island. When Ralph feels beaten because the "beast" is preventing them from having a signal fire on the mountain, Piggy suggests moving the fire to the beach: "Only Piggy could have the intellectual daring to suggest moving the fire from the mountain."

Piggy also seems to have a natural gift for administration and organization. He is the one who attempts to learn the names of the littluns, and he is the most vehement in enforcing the rules of the conch. 


Piggy is also surprisingly clear-headed. When Ralph begins to falter in his dedication to keeping the signal fire lit, Piggy keeps reminding him of the necessity of the fire to achieve their end goal of being rescued. 


Additionally, Piggy has standards for good behavior. Several times he laments, "What's grownups going to say" at the wild behavior of the boys. He warns Ralph that Jack hates him. When the boys leave to follow Jack, he says Ralph's group can "do all right on our own...It's them that haven't no common sense that make trouble on this island." And he insists on confronting Jack directly to tell him that "what's right's right." However, there are times when Piggy doesn't live up to his own standards. He doesn't respect Simon, saying he's crazy. He participates in the mob that kills Simon, and he tries to re-write history afterwards. 


Despite his faults and the fact that the boys make fun of him, Piggy has qualities that make him a good leader, including intellectual ability, organizational skills, focus, and high standards of behavior.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more