Ralph And Piggy: Assertion Of Intelligence (Essay Example)

The two halves of a brain that will save them on this uninhabited island, contest their intelligence in hopes of survival. In the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, the first two characters we are introduced to are Ralph and Piggy, who from the beginning examine every detail around them. They are two of many schoolboys who are stranded on an island full of unknowns. The boys mostly live on the beach whilst they dispute amongst themselves about what to do about work and rules. From the beginning, Ralph and Piggy individually, either thought about logical survival options, as well as how to deal with the crowd to keep the schoolboys alive. In Golding's novel, Piggy and Ralph both show their intelligence on the island, but with differences in mind, Piggy finds the most logical and rational way to survive, whereas Ralph examines everyone's emotions, actions, and reactions so he can direct them to achieve his goals.

Undoubtedly, both Piggy and Ralph are the brains behind every major course of action made by the boys, although they each exhibit their intelligence in their own way. Piggy uses what he has around him to help anyone who it can be of use to for any logical purpose to be safe and organized. For example, in the beginning, Piggy points out to Ralph that the conch can be used as a trumpet or horn stating “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us”(Golding 20). Piggy spots that the gorgeous conch can help Ralph gather the others, potentially mesmerizing them by the fact that they found this item, and he does not hesitate to tell Ralph. Whereas, Ralph carefully listens to everyone's ideas and then finds a way to peacefully put all their ideas into one. During the first meeting where the boys were all chaotic, Ralph tells them that they will vote for a chief. Obviously, without the conch Jack was not chosen as the chief intern he is furious with the ruling of things, so Ralph explains “Jacks in charge of the choir. They can be - what do you want them to be” (Golding, 30). He states that Jack, his competitor, can be the leader of his group acting as the hunters, to ease the foreshadowed tension that overflows between the two boys as the story progresses. In addition, Ralph admits to himself that Piggy has intelligence that trumps his own in different ways; on the contrary, the same goes for Ralph. During the crisis of the fire not being tended to, Ralph points out that “Only Piggy was no chief but piggy for all his ludicrous body, had brains.”(Golding 96). He is frustrated that he can not be wise like Piggy in order to be a better leader, thinking that he needs Piggy to help him be chief because Piggy is not able to lead himself, but has ideas that exceed his. 

In conclusion, Ralph and Piggy are the two cogs that keep the boys alive, finding the most rational and organized way to keep the boys together and alive. Through Piggy symbolizing the conch, Ralph processing everyone's thoughts, and Ralph confirming the intellectual differences of the two these two boys have sustained the island and its new inhabitants with all their acuity. Without Piggy to point out the relevance of the conch and Ralph to bring it to fruition the boys would be savage by the second chapter.