The Comparison and contrasts of the leadership styles of Ralph and Jack and how these are related to their characters.
The two characters of Jack and Ralph have many contrasts. However the contrasts between the two far surpass the comparisons. As both boys are of a similar age and are stranded on an uninhabited island with the younger boys looking up to them as role models (leaders), how they go about this is where the contrast are in their leadership styles. I believe this has been used by Golding to portray Dictatorship and Democracy and how the differences lead to conflict between the two characters.
Golding gives us a good contrast between the boys in his physical descriptions of them. About Ralph he writes, "you could see now that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went, but there was mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil." .
While of Jack he wrote "he was thin and bony; and his hair was red beneath the black cap. His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without silliness. Out of this face stared two light blue eyes, frustrated now, and turning, or ready to turn, to anger.
The picture portrayed here is that one is a much stronger character.
The differences between the two is first established when there is a vote for leadership, Ralph the physically stronger easily wins this, although Jack thought he should be leader by right and voices this with simple arrogance by saying ' I ought to be chief because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.'.
The vote establishes leadership, though Jack still maintains leadership over the choir who he dominates in an almost military fashion as a dictator would. Hitler echoed this in many ways in history. Charismatic and offering easy solutions, they both learnt to use the fury of the mob against their enemies. Hitler turned mobs against the Jews, as Jack turns the boys against Ralph.
