A leadership style is a leaders method of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating others. John NG, a Chinese innovator, states that, “Styles are tailor made to different situations. Different leaders must have unique styles and these styles must be able to adapt to different people and situations”. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, no one leader can fulfill the needs of all people due to the concentration on their own personal needs. Golding demonstrates this through; Jack’s obsession of obtaining power, Piggy’s persistence that everyone is moral and civil, and Ralph’s ixation on being rescued.
Jack represents a coercive, autocratic leader who demands immediate compliance. Using threats and force, Jack makes someone do something out of fear. However Jack’s self-appointed dictatorship and absolute obsession of obtaining power result in him ignoring the values of others. By concentrating on his own personal needs of obtaining power, he is unable to fulfill the needs of everyone else on the island. Jack’s first successful hunting trip on the island, bringing back a mutilated pig carcass, is a milestone in Jack’s mind and he is too elated to focus on other jobs of his.
Above all, Ralph is there to make sure that Jack knows what task he forgot to tend to by saying; “You let the fire out. ” Jack checked, vaguely irritated by this irrelevance but too happy to let it worry him. (Golding 73) In fact, by Golding writing, irritated by this irrelevance, he displays Jack’s priorities and mindset. Ultimately, Jack prioritizes his own needs in front of the groups by hunting. Also by hunting in order to gain power rather than tending to the fire, he ignores the consensus value of the group which is a rescue.
After the power completely shifts into Jack’s hands, Ralph desperately creams in order to clarify Jack’s priorities to the entire group, “Look at that! Call that a signal fire? That’s a cooking fire” (197). Consequently, Jack intends to manipulate the group into thinking he values rescue by creating a signal fire with the actual purpose of a cooking fire. Due to Jack’s complete necessity to fulfill his own needs, significantly power, he ignores the shared value of the group, rescue. The obsession of his own needs renders his autocratic leadership style unable to fulfill everyone’s needs.
Secondly is Piggy, a coaching style leader who ttempts to help and teach others through civil and moral methods. Despite Piggy’s approach to improving everyone and coaching the group, Piggy is persistent that everyone is moral and civil in a civilization which embodies the exact opposite. During the initial moments on the island, the first introduction between characters happens as Piggy says; “I don’t care what they call me,” he said confidentially, “so long as they don’t call me what they used to call me in school. ”
Ralph was faintly interested. What was that? ” The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned toward Ralph. He whispered. They used to call me Piggy! ” Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up. “Piggy! Piggy! ” (6) This new stranger to Piggy, Ralph, gives him an impression that he is completely moral, civil, and trustworthy. Ironically, Piggy’s concentration on his own needs that everyone is moral and civil leads to his own demise. Ultimately, everyone refers to him as Piggy for the entire novel instead of his real name, which remains unknown.
Due to Piggy’s misled trust, he reveals the one thing he would not like to be called instead of his real name. After arguing and attempting to correct the boys throughout the ovel, Piggy realizes the utter savages each one of them has become. However Piggy is still under the belief that he can cure them and rectify civilization and order as he says; “Which is better-to be a pack of painted n*****s like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is? ” A great clamor rose among the savages. Piggy shouted again. “Which is better-to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill? (200) All things considered, Piggy is still under the belief that everyone is moral and civil, and repeatedly attempts to correct the group. Instead of reconstructing the group, he tips hem off the edge, motivating, and leading them to viciously murder him. Piggy’s focus on his own needs, insisting that everyone is moral and civil propels the boys to slaugl As a result of Piggy’s concentration on his own needs that everyone is moral and civil, he endangers and threatens himself versus creating a positive change.
Therefore, this fixation on his own needs leaves his coaching style of leadership unable to fulfill everyone’s needs. Ralph, the democratic leader who votes for the best of the group and focuses on a rescue. Albeit Ralph represents the most respectable method of leadership for the roup’s needs, Ralph’s fixation on being rescued does not allow him to fulfill everyone else’s needs and clouds his judgment in certain situations. The fear of this beast created by themselves has peaked and Ralph seeks to settle this once and for all.
Little does he care that their only source of light is the moonlight above them and sharpened sticks are their only form of self- defense; “What was the use of three of them, handicapped by the darkness and carrying only sticks? ” (132). This is an awful decision Ralph makes due to his desperate, frantic effort to regain power. Furthermore, he believes that his only method of getting rescued is to be in control and to have power on the island. As a matter of fact, Ralph believes that if Jack remains the powerful figure on the island, their hopes of rescue are non- existent.
Hence, causing him to make and a poor decision to hunt the beast in the dark. As a result of this dreadfully composed expedition, the boys mistake something for a beast and heighten the sense of fear on the island. Effectively, Ralph prioritizing his own needs, rescue, in front of everyone else’s, him. causes him to make a poor decision. Afterwards, Ralph realizes he importance of a fire which has multiple benefits and decides to construct one in the most productive and effective manner.
However, this causes chaos and Piggy notices someone missing when mentions, “That littlun had a mark on his-face-where is -he now? ” (47). During the turmoil and disorganization, the boy with the mulberry mark on his face goes missing and is presumed to have died. Due to Ralph’s prioritization of rescue over the safety and security of the group, it is the reason he is at fault. By Ralph forcing everyone to make this fire immediately, he causes a mass distraction and misses one of he boy’s walk himself bewildered through the confusion to his own death.
Thanks to Ralph’s obsession on his own needs, his judgment is distorted and he endangers others in the process. This concentration on his own needs renders his democratic style of leadership ineffective and unable to fulfill all of the needs of the others. In the Lord of the Flies, a novel written by William Golding, the fixation on one’s personal needs renders leaders unable to fulfill the needs of all people. Jack demonstrates a coercive leader with no regard towards being rescued, a shared value among the group, and rather’s fulfill his wn need which is obtaining power.
Piggy displayed a coaching leader prioritizing his own needs persisting that everyone is moral and civil versus fulfilling the boy’s needs on the island. Ralph exhibits a judgment and endangering the safety of the others on the island. A leader is democratic leader with his own needs, his obsession over rescue clouding his someone who is able to command a group and fulfill everyone’s needs simultaneously. As Nelson Mandela said, “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front. Then people will appreciate your leadership”.
