Lord of the Flies

 
Who is the guiltiest?

When I read the book for the first time, without hesitating I would have answered Jack.

However, after reading the book again and watching the movie, I feel that he is not.

Jack's only sin was that he was weak, a coward. In the name of 'chief' he had hid his fear, drawn the line so that he can feel he is different.

When Jack did so the other boys joined so that they can be a tribe; that is how the children are. They must have sensed the same weakness that they all had,

the weakness that they did not want to show to anyone else.


 
The sin Ralph had was that he was too courageous. He could not understand that boys around him had the human instinct of fear in their heart.

Ralph would have been a good leader, if it were not a situation where the boys had to fear.

Eventually, Ralph was hated not because he was against the ideas of the others, not because he witnessed Piggy's death, but because he was the one who did not fear.

With the death of Piggy, the children wanted Ralph to have the same feeling as they did – the fear.

Then the children wanted Ralph away so that they will no longer have to compare themselves, and try to justify themselves.


 
Being courageous is a good quality, a heroic quality.

However, a person cannot be blamed for not being a hero.

Not every person is born a lion; sometimes you are a zebra, or a monkey.

Of course, killing Piggy and Simon due to their childish fear may have been wrong.

However, when you are in a herd of zebra chased by a lion,

you cannot help secretly hoping that a crippled, a youngster, anyone weaker than you, to be caught by the lion

so that you may run safely.

Perhaps you may intentionally leave them behind so that they will earn you some more time.

But should a zebra be called guilty of the others' death?


 
The boys had to face a lion made of their mistakes and fear; they needed to run from it.

So who is the guiltiest? The lion.