Lord of the Flies: Dialogue

Dialogue

The following is an excerpt from a dialogue taken from the Lord of the Flies novel.

Jack: What are you blubbering about?

Ralph: Just leave me alone. We’re done with the island, done with your tribe and I want to be done with you as well.

Jack: You really think it’s that simple? That we can just forget what we did, what we saw and how we felt? You think returning to normal life after feeling the rush of the kill is going to be a simple and good thing? Are you mad?

Ralph: Are you?! Piggy is dead. Dead. And it’s our fault. We owe it to him and the rest of these boys to give ourselves back over to civilization and live as good of lives as we can.

Jack: I’d sooner jump off the edge of this ship and return to the island. The only reason I’m here is that the sailors made me, and the only reason the rest of my tribe is here is that they think the sailors can save them… can take them home. But what if they can’t?

Ralph: What are you talking about?

Jack: I’m talking about mutiny; I’m talking about killing these men and taking this ship for ourselves and taking us all on grand adventures like the island!

Ralph: We almost DIED on the island you bloody imbecile! All of us! Piggy is dead and we almost were too, just so you could play your stupid game of conquest! Well, I’m sick of it! I won’t sit here and listen to this anymore, and I certainly won’t let you convince the rest of the boys to mutiny the ship.

Jack: You act as if you have a choice in the matter, Ralph.

Ralph: What makes you think that you could wrest this ship from the sailors even if you tried? These are men of the Royal Navy! They have nothing to fear from a gaggle of weak, sunburnt children!

Jack: That’s just what I need them to think. Then, when they’ve been lulled into a false sense of security, we’ll strike. Even men of the Royal Navy need sleep sometime.

Ralph: You’re mad. You’re bloody mad, and you’re going to be strung up and thrown overboard for it. I won’t weep for you either.

Jack: Nice to know you’re not above wishing death upon your enemies. The only difference between you and me however, is my ability to follow through with the threats.

Ralph: It wasn’t a threat! And it wasn’t a death wish, either.

Jack: Oh come off it! I know you bloody well think I murdered Piggy, and you may be mister “civilized” around these men on the ship, but I’ve seen you kill before! I know how badly you want my blood, Ralphy boy. Well, come get it; I promise I won’t disappoint you.

Ralph: You’re sick.

Jack: You’re idealistic.

Ralph: I’m a civilized man.

Jack: You’re a whimpering child who refuses to understand the nature of the construct you profess to belong to. Society is what you make of it, Ralph!

Ralph: And you think a society where you’re the king and everybody does what Jack says is the best way to go? …A just society?

Jack: I think a place where men aren’t afraid to be what they know themselves to be is a just society. Call it what you want, but come nightfall, these sailors will be dead in their beds and this ship mine.

Ralph: Not if I say something first…

Jack: You never were very clever.

Jack looks around to make certain no one is watching and gives Ralph a solid push. His cries for help are drowned out by the crash of waves against the hull, and the ship pulls away one passenger lighter as the sun sets in the distance…

Work Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.