GCSE styled question:
At the start of the novel, we are told:
"Ralph and Jack smiled at each other with shy liking"
Yet by the end, they are mortal enemies. What happens to ruin their friendship?
For a GCSE English Literature Exam, you will typically be expected to spend around 45 minutes on this, so you could perhaps plan your time by leaving:
- Ten minutes planning your answer;
- Thirty minutes writing your answer, and;
- Five minutes checking your answer.
Remember also that when you make a point, you need to support it with a quotation and then explain exactly how the quotation highlights what you want to show.
You could perhaps follow this structure to brainstorm for this particular sample question:
Introduction - Discuss the quotation in the title. It occurs just after the first vote for chief in Chapter 1. What does it show about them?
Paragraph 1 - Look at Chapter 3, when Ralph builds huts while Jack hunts for pigs. What does it show about Ralph and Jack's priorities? Are they still together?
Paragraph 2 - Discuss what happens in Chapter 4 when Jack lets the fire go out when he goes hunting and a ship sails by. What impact does this have on the friendship?
Paragraph 3 - Examine how Jack undermines Ralph's authority more and more, such as when he rejects the law of the conch and other rules on the assembly in Chapter 5.
Paragraph 4 - Comment on Chapter 9, when Jack sets up his own tribe and Simon is killed in the 'dance'. What has happened to Ralph and Jack's relationship now?
Conclusion - By the end, Jack is in control of the fort and of all the boys. He wants Ralph dead. What does this show about the differences between the former friends?
Now, a sample Answer:
Ralph & Jack are friends at the beginning of the novel. They are among the oldest boys on the island and have a certain amount of prestige right at the start: Ralph found the conch and gathered all the boys together - immediately earning him everyone's respect; and Jack is the leader of the choir and was head-boy at school. They both want to be chief, but Ralph is elected leader by popular vote. However, he is diplomatic enough to know that Jack needs an important role, so he asks him to be the leader of the hunters. This perhaps is what brings them to look at each other with a 'shy liking' as each has gained an honourable position of authority and know that they will have to work together in the future.
Almost immediately, however, Ralph & Jack appear to have different priorities. Ralph is keen to work towards their survival and eventual rescue by building shelters and keeping a fire burning, whilst Jack is intent on killing a pig for food. And, whilst Ralph works for the good of everyone, Jack only does this because he
enjoys hunting, and 'a compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up.' 'Swallowing him up' suggests that he was completely consumed with this desire - and we later see how he allows this burning desire to get in the way of things he should be doing (such as helping to build shelters). This causes some disagreements as Ralph resents having to do all the work with only Simon to help. However, at this stage, Ralph & Jack still try to remain friends and go bathing together - but they do so 'baffled' 'in love and hate' as if aware and uncomfortable about the potential friction between them.
Furthermore, when Jack and his choir leave the fire to hunt, a 'high barrier' of distrust grows between the two leaders. The 'hunters' successfully bring back a dead sow, but during the chase the fire goes out and a ship sails by. Ralph is furious - and even more agitated when Jack doesn't seem to see the gravity of the situation.
At this point, Jack apologises, as if that would make everything better, but Ralph knows that the chance of rescue has gone, and brusquely orders him to build another fire. 'So Ralph asserted his chieftain-ship... Jack was powerless and raged without knowing why.' From this, we find that Ralph also has a desire for power within him, and is glad to have gained the upper hand. Jack, on the other had, is enraged for having been shown up on the day he thought he'd be a hero for having provided meat - and wants to get his own back.
The idea of a Beast keeps Ralph & Jack together as a team perhaps for longer than they may have been otherwise. Both fire this common enemy, but react different to the threat. A discussion about what to do with the Beast degenerates into a shouting match between Ralph & Jack, ending with Jack denouncing Ralph's leadership by shouting 'Bollocks to the rules!', and running off from the assembly. Not only does his slang language show his lack of respect for the order Ralph is trying to keep up, it also undermines Ralph's authority and encourages others to do the same.
Ultimately, Jack rejects Ralph's rule entire, saying at the next assembly that 'I'm not going to play any longer'. This expression shows a degree of immaturity as Jack seems to perceive life on this island as a 'game'. In contrast, Ralph is shown to be more mature and practical when he tries to call him back, knowing that a split would be dangerous. However, perhaps due to their young age and incomplete development of character, Ralph is unable to persuade him to see the logic, and Jack sets up his own tribe on the other side of the island.
Most boys are tempted to join - or are bullied into doing so - and even Ralph and Piggy become caught up in the 'dance' that leads to Simon's death. Yet Ralph is full of guilt for the 'murder', whilst Jack seems completely unaffected. He is shown to become utterly absorbed in killing, whilst Ralph is still struggling to do the right things for everyone's benefit so they can get rescued.
Once Jack obtains possession of the fort, it becomes clear that any pretense of doing things for other has completely dissipated - all he wants to to win as much power as possible. When Piggy dies, Jack has no remorse at all: instead he celebrates - 'I'm Chief' - and hurls his spear at Ralph 'viciously'. Ralph escapes, but knows, ironically that there 'was that indefinable connection between himself and Jack; who would never let him alone; never'.
Hence, the connection is that Ralph & Jack have both been leaders and show properties of a natural leader in their personality. Consequently, there has been a near constant one-upmanship battle between them. And now, having the majority of the children on his side, Jack wants to make sure of his supremacy. His power-hunger has apparently triumphed over Ralph's selfless desire to help everyone on the island to be rescued and ruined their friendship. This play of power and friendship seems to reflect our modern society and shows the danger of a desire to gain power. Yet this novel ends on a bittersweet note: Ralph is able to re-assert his power at the very end of the novel - when the naval officer asks who is in change, Ralph convincingly answers 'I am'.
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