Ralph waved the conch. 'Shut up! Wait! Listen!' He went on in the silence, borne on in his triumph. 'There's another thing. We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire.' 'A fire! Make a fire!' At once half the boys were on their feet. Jack clamored among them, the conch forgotten. 'Come on! Follow me!' The space under the palm trees was full of noise and movement. Ralph was on his feet too, shouting for quiet, but no one heard him. All at once the crowd swayed toward the island and was gone- following Jack. Even the tiny children went and did their best among the leaves and broken branches. Ralph was left, holding the conch, with no one but Piggy.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ralph tries to organize the boys around building a signal fire, but they are distracted by Jack's excitement.
- In plain terms
- Leadership struggles as the group prefers action over planning.
- What can you take from it?
- Charisma can overpower structured leadership.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you keep focus?
- When does excitement override sense?
Another view
Demagoguery often trumps logic in crowds.
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