"Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us," said Henri Frederic Amiel. It is believed that many have two sides to their personality which provides a chance for the barbarian within them to come out. In difficult situations, the longing for one's need of power or desire for confidence evolves into the drive to pull one towards the primitive human being inside. Therefore, the drive of superiority led to destruction of balance as the competition between characters over power, courage, and leadership brought out the animal they had in themselves. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding illustrates through his characterization of Ralph, Jack, and Piggy that humans reveal their true character when put in a predicament.
To begin with, William Golding uses the character Ralph to show how in time of conflict one reveals their true leadership skills. Sometimes in conflict it is easier to just abandon the problem. However, if one takes control and overcome the hardships, one may succeed. In the novel, Ralph's goal was to get off the island. Soon after Ralph was declared chief of the island, he began to use the initiative he had inside himself to make decisions for what he thought would best benefit the tribe. Ralph exclaimed, "We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they my not notice us. So we must make a smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire" (Golding 38). Even just a few moments after becoming chief, Golding used Ralph's dialogue to show the leadership characteristics he obtained to take command of the situation. He understood that if the boys wanted maximize their chances of getting off the island soon, they had to get certain things done. If put into a hectic situation, one needs to look deep within themselves to find that leadership to achieve their goal, just as Ralph did in the novel.
In contrast to Ralph, Golding uses the character Jack to show that when put in a desolate world, the fierce and cruel human being within may take over.