Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another. Plato
- What does it mean? - How does it relate to the chapter 1 just read? - What concrete example of this quote can I find in the novel? (Remember to track page number)
It means that it's easy to betray someone but it's not as easy to do the right thing. This quote has a relation to the first chapter of The Lord of the Flies when Piggy doesn't want people to call him by that name, people do it anyways because it's easier to remember him by that name and also makes them feel above him by degrading him. "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 at school." "What was that?" The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned towards Ralph. He whispered. "They used to call "Piggy"." Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up. "Piggy! Piggy!" "Ralph-please!" Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension. "I said I didn't want-" "Piggy! Piggy!" (Page 6, Line 1 to 13
It's true that when we read this we think Ralph and the other boys are being mean, and maybe they are, but seeing as how they are very young, they lack a filter. They don't make these comments out of malice but rather because they project their direct thoughts out loud without really considering Piggy's feelings.
Good point. Since there are no adults, the boys are forced to deal with the idea of power (i.e. who is the leader?), a position in which kids should never be found in. I can definitely foresee Ralph taking a power trip and ultimately establishing a dictatorship (hence all hell would break loose...).
This serious situation also puts the boys under a lot of pressure. Because they are too young to know how to react, they may be making these rude comments as comic relief to ease the tension. In fact, after Ralph makes this comment all the other boys start laughing as well.
It's easier and human nature to go through the large passage-way than the narrower one. The latter being the harder and most likely the better choice. Piggy get's called names due to Ralph wanting to assert dominance and possibly become a leader. Though they are kids and possibly do not know the right way to do it.
"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 at school." "What was that?" The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned towards Ralph. He whispered. "They used to call "Piggy"." Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up. "Piggy! Piggy!" "Ralph-please!" Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension. "I said I didn't want-" "Piggy! Piggy!" (Page 6, Line 1 to 13
Seems pretty unfair to me that Ralph would do this. All Piggy asked was that he was not called "Piggy" and Ralph does it anyways! And calling him the one name he doesn't like in front of his new friends is even worst.
I don't know if it's just me but I got the impression that Ralph treated Piggy quite well compared to other characters (i.e. Jack). I mean, he did tell the other boys about his secret, but I believe he did so involuntarily and he was simply trying to defend Piggy (after Jack called him "fatty"). So far, I believe that Ralph has shown to be a good leader and that the exchange between him and Piggy (the quote you brought up) was merely kids being kids.
Yeah I agree with you Alex, I think what Ralph said was mostly just a "slip-up". I don't think he meant to hurt Piggy's feelings.
(Am I the only one who finds it weird that we are saying Piggy shouldn't be called Piggy because it's insulting, yet we call him that... anywyays)
Also does anyone think, Piggy might actually be the one asking for attention? I mean, he is the one who brought up the embarrassing nickname in the first place because he wanted Ralph's attention. If he hadn't mentioned it, Ralph would have asked for his name eventually and when Jack would have called him fatty, Ralph could've defended his with the right name.
I also agree with Alex, Ralph didn't mean any harm from the comment, he actually wanted to make sure no one called him Piggy.
And Elizabeth you raise an interesting point, I wonder if he will reveal his true name later on in the novel but i guess we will just have to wait till later to find out!
That's a great point, Alex. Jack did call him fatty. Ralph later mentions that it was better being called Piggy then Fatty. It could easily seem like Ralph was trying to hurt him but it was a way of defending him. I didn't see it that way until i read that. Such interest So read wow
This quote means that it is easier to do bad things to harm others than to do good thing and help someone out. This can relate to the first chapter because Ralph insults Piggy in front of all their new friends. Ralph also does not allow Piggy to come on the search with Jack and Simon. This seems unfair because all Piggy is trying to do is a good thing to make it easier for the others but his offer is rejected. Piggy has the courage to want to help others but is not wanted. " Piggy stirred. 'I'll come.' Ralph turned to him. 'You're no good on a job like this.' 'All the same-' 'We don't want you,' said Jack, flatly. 'Three's enough.' " (Page 20-21)
Agreed. I also think that Piggy is mostly neglected for his lack of confidence and unappealing looks, the boys think he is inferior to them and therefore don't give him a second glance.
true, i never thought about Piggy only wanting to do the right thing and help out but it makes sense, although as Jana said hes unappealing so it doesn't work.. sadly
When Ralph doesn't let Piggy on the search, maybe he is not letting him come because of his asthma.. maybe he is trying to make sure that he wont be left behind especially with Jack in the group. So he might be trying to save Piggy from more ridicule from the group.
We automatically think Ralph is being mean to Piggy once again because that is all he's ever been to him. Personally, I would have said the same thing as you, Madison, but Nicolas has a good remark. Maybe Ralph could finally be starting to see the effects his actions have on Piggy. So, Ralph might be starting to make an effort to try to take care of him and do what is good for Piggy! :)
In my opinion, the quote refers to the fact that being evil or mean takes a lot less effort than it does to be good or nice, ultimately making the first the easiest way to go. In other words, any person can take the easy route and not try to make the world a better place with even the simplest of actions but the people who do try are singled out because they go above and beyond. This pertains to the first chapter because the boys in the novel find themselves stuck on a seemingly deserted island, inevitably leading them to tap into their primal selves, most notably their survival instincts. The first thing they do to establish some type of order is elect a leader, this is shown by the following scene; "Him with the shell" "Ralph! Ralph!" "Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing." (p.19) The boys's decision to elect Ralph, without even knowing who he is, is based on two things; his looks and what he holds in his hands. Ralph had previously been described as a good-looking guy, making him appealing and the fact that he is holding a conch gives him a sense of power
That is very well explained because it is so much easier to just take Ralph's side rather than make the effort to defend Piggy. The right thing to do would obviously be to defend Piggy but they choose the easy way, which is to agree with Ralph.
This means that it is in our human nature to be more prone to doing bad to other rather than good. By example, in the book Lord of the Flies, Ralph and Piggy met before the other came. As they were a lone Piggy asked only of one thing, to not tell any of the other guys that his name is Piggy. Of course, Ralph doesn't mind and tells the other boys who all make fun of his name and his appearance: “You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.” Laughter arose. “He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Oh, Piggy!” A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in.
then when Piggy clearly waned to join in with Ralph and Jack they were just mean and told him to his face that they did not want him and that hes no good: Piggy stirred. “I’ll come.” Ralph turned to him. “You’re no good on a job like this.” “All the same—” “We don’t want you,” said Jack, flatly. “Three’s enough.”
As a result, not much good came from this. Piggys feelings were only hurt.
In my opinion, this quote does reference to the fragility of humans. Plato is describing how anybody can do harm, thus he is describing how evil can be found in all humans, and that this trait is part of humanity. Often times, doing good takes a lot: whether it is time, money, generosity or care, it is certainly harder to do good than to do harm, since harm is often a case of selfishness or ignorance. Selfishness, in its purest form, can be found in all of us: there is no doubt that every one of us wants what is best for ourselves. But it is only when you acquire feelings for others, whether it is your mother or a complete stranger, that you can start seeing things from their perspectives and do good. I personally do not agree with this quote, since I believe that everybody has the capability of doing good deeds. In my opinion, the difference between good and bad people is that everybody has a different scale if you will, granting “bad” a certain weight and “good” another. When “good” surpasses the weight of the “bad”, the person will choose thus choose to do “good”. In Lord of the Flies, for example, Ralph seems to be naturally a good person: he is voted chief; he seems to be humble and shows many leadership skills. But even Ralph shows to do bad when he breaks his promise with Piggy by telling the group about his nickname. In addition, in characters such as Jack, there is a glaring sign of bad and evil. Jack shows to be arrogant and disrespectful. He decides to call Piggy a “fatty” to degrade him and establish power.
“You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.” Laughter arose. “He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Oh, Piggy!"
In this case, it was much easier for the boys to degrade and humiliate Piggy (perhaps to receive acclaim from the others) than to say nothing at all. Furthermore, it was much easier for them to do this than to step in and defend Piggy. Thus, this scene makes reference to the fact that it is easier to do bad than to do good.
That was an awesome way of describing that quote. I did not think that deeply into it but you seem to have nailed it. I totally agree with you. Well done. Such amaze So read wow
Wow that's a really well-thought-out explanation of the quote. And I like your way of thinking towards the good vs. bad fight inside every person, though I don't think that the "scale" of good and bad inside an individual is personal. I'm more inclined to think that it is based off your experiences and influences rather than your personality. Anyways, great explanation.
This quote means that it is easy for someone to hurt another person. Everyone can hurt someone else simply by not being careful; it is a lot more effort to be kind. Even small actions can have a great negative impact. For instance, in the first chapter of Lord of the Flies, Jack calls Piggy "fatty" and Ralph "corrects" him saying his real name was Piggy. I think Ralph didn't understand the gravity of his action, and how much it would affect Piggy. He is not a bad person but he hurt Piggy simply because he wasn't careful or thoughtful enough, or maybe because he wanted the other boys' attention. Either way, he chose to say this because it was easy and he didn't make the effort to think about the repercussion of his action. We also know he is not a bad person because when Piggy confronts his later on, Ralph does realize what he did was wrong. Yet he chooses the easy way out once again and doesn't apologize. Furthermore, this quote also applies to all the other boys who laughed and reacted to this comment. They are just as guilty. Of course it was easier for them to laugh than to stand up for a poor boy.
You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.” Laughter arose. “He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Oh, Piggy!" (p. 17)
(...)
Stillness descended on them. Ralph, looking with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult. "Better Piggy than Fatty," he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership (...) (p.21)
I completely agree, except for the part where you say that Ralph didn't apologize for telling the other boys of Piggy's name. "'Better Piggy than Fatty,' he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership, 'and anyway I'm sorry if you feel like that." (p.21-22)
He may with a half-apology/half-insult (Better Piggy than Fatty) but he ends up getting to a proper apology eventually.
The quote means that doing wrong comes easy to everyone, however only a few can easily do good to others by putting other people before themselves instead of being selfish. In chapter one, Piggy confides in Ralph by telling him that he does not like being called Piggy, however when Jack calls him Fatty, Ralph just explains that his name is not fatty, it's Piggy. Now as this is not any better that Fatty, you can clearly see that Piggy is crushed by What Ralph said to the group as they all started laughing at Piggy.
'You told 'em. After what i said.' His face flushed, his mouth trembled 'After i said i didnt want-' 'What on earth are you talking about?' 'About calling me Piggy. i said i didn't care as long as they didn't call me Piggy; an' I said not to tell them and then you went out an' said straight out-' Page 21 (bottom of page)
Now Ralph did not think he was doing anything wrong, in fact he thought he was defending Piggy by correcting the group.
"Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another." -Plato The quote seems self explanatory. It can be very easy to hurt someone whereas it can be very difficult to help someone. It is easier to harm someone and requires less effort than doing good for that person (if it is intended to harm them). A good example found in Lord of the Flies is once Ralph exposes Piggy's name to the rest of the group. This clearly upsets Piggy as he confronts Ralph and asked him to be discreet about his name. "You told 'em. After what i said." His face flushed, his mouth trembled. "After i said i didnt want-" "What on earth are you talking about?" "About calling me Piggy. i said i didn't care as long as they didn't call me Piggy; an' I said not to tell them and then you went out an' said straight out-'"
The readers and Ralph are now aware that Piggy was harmed. It was easy for Ralph to harm him even if it was not intended. This is a good example to illustrate that quote in this novel.
Ralph did not intend to harm Ralph. He seemed to have tried to defend him from Jack. Although, Piggy was still hurt and that confirms the quote from Plato.
"Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another." - Plato This quote shows that it is part a human nature to do harm. It is easy to hurt someone and this evil is present in everybody. However, it takes courage and selflessness (two qualities that must be learned) to do the right thing. For example, in the first chapter of The Lord of the Flies, Ralph reveals Piggy's name to the other boys without even thinking about when Piggy has asked him to not tell them about his nickname. By accident, he hurt Piggy's feelings, showing how easy it is to do harm. Yet, when Piggy confronts him about this, Ralph hesitates between apologizing and further insulting Piggy. This moment of hesitation shows how much more difficult it is to be good, even when you know what you should do, whereas Ralph ended up hurting Piggy's feelings without a second thought about it.
"Ralph, looking with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult. 'Better Piggy than Fatty,' he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership, 'and anyway, I'm sorry you feel like that." (p.21-22)
The meaning of this quote is that doing harm comes a lot easier than doing good. It takes such small effort to hurt someone, but a lot more effort to be kind to them. It is of human nature to feel and act this way. It sounds bad, but it is true. Our first instinct is to do what is beneficial for us. In other words, we put yourselves first. By being selfish, it is so simple to hurt others because we don't think about their feelings. Contrary to that, it takes a lot more effort to put others first especially if it does not necessarily make us happy. Helping someone out and do good to them requires going out of our way, which results in effort. The meaning of this quote is first seen in chapter one of Lord of The Flies when Ralph is making fun of Piggy after he asked him not to.
"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 at school." "What was that?" The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned towards Ralph. He whispered. "They used to call "Piggy"." Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up. "Piggy! Piggy!" "Ralph-please!" Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension. "I said I didn't want-" "Piggy! Piggy!" (page 6)
In this situation, Ralph is putting himself first as he thinks that laughing at Piggy's name is beneficial for him since it makes him seem superior to Piggy. Ralph is a young boy so he doesn't really know any better and probably doesn't realize that his actions emotionally affect Piggy. Ralph is also very rude to him. Even though Piggy is positive and tries to perform good actions, his good intentions are always quickly rejected by Ralph. In my opinion, I don't think Ralph actually realizes how upset he makes Piggy, but that doesn't make Ralph a bad person. This was just the easiest option for him and he most likely did not have any intentions of hurting him the way he did.
This also applies to when the boys all laugh at Piggy because of his weight and appearance and then make fun of his name after Ralph tells them. They are just as guilty as Ralph.
"You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.” Laughter arose. “He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Piggy!” (page 17)
This quote shows that it's effortless to criticize another (to either boost one's self esteem, dominance over others, etc.). It's part of human nature, however. Despicable acts are seen often, and have slipped into socializing in general. It can be seen often. On the other hand, acts of kindness or good acts require more effort, sacrifice, and selflessness. It's a major factor to why good acts are less seen (but are much appreciated when committed!).
This quote links to the first chapter of the Lord of the Flies because it demonstrates my earlier explanation of it being a social, human-like thing to do. The children laugh, and behave in a manor to not feel distant, and effortlessly obey ignorance, when it comes to boosting one's self esteem. This is seen when Ralph often ignores Piggy's request to not be called as such.
Ralph turned to him quickly. This was the voice of one who knew his own mind. 'Then,' went on Piggy, 'that boy - forget -''You're talking too much,' said Jack Merridew, 'Shut up, Fatty.' Laughter arose. "He's not fatty,' cried Ralph, 'his real name's Piggy!' 'Piggy!' 'Piggy!' 'Oh, Piggy!' A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in.
It means that it's easy to betray someone but it's not as easy to do the right thing. This quote has a relation to the first chapter of The Lord of the Flies when Piggy doesn't want people to call him by that name, people do it anyways because it's easier to remember him by that name and also makes them feel above him by degrading him.
RépondreEffacer"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 at school."
"What was that?"
The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned towards Ralph.
He whispered.
"They used to call "Piggy"."
Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up.
"Piggy! Piggy!"
"Ralph-please!"
Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension.
"I said I didn't want-"
"Piggy! Piggy!"
(Page 6, Line 1 to 13
Good remark, heuhueheu.
EffacerRalph seems to be almost bullying Piggy
EffacerIt's true that when we read this we think Ralph and the other boys are being mean, and maybe they are, but seeing as how they are very young, they lack a filter. They don't make these comments out of malice but rather because they project their direct thoughts out loud without really considering Piggy's feelings.
EffacerGood point. Since there are no adults, the boys are forced to deal with the idea of power (i.e. who is the leader?), a position in which kids should never be found in. I can definitely foresee Ralph taking a power trip and ultimately establishing a dictatorship (hence all hell would break loose...).
EffacerThis serious situation also puts the boys under a lot of pressure. Because they are too young to know how to react, they may be making these rude comments as comic relief to ease the tension. In fact, after Ralph makes this comment all the other boys start laughing as well.
EffacerIt's easier and human nature to go through the large passage-way than the narrower one. The latter being the harder and most likely the better choice. Piggy get's called names due to Ralph wanting to assert dominance and possibly become a leader. Though they are kids and possibly do not know the right way to do it.
RépondreEffacer"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 at school."
"What was that?"
The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned towards Ralph.
He whispered.
"They used to call "Piggy"."
Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up.
"Piggy! Piggy!"
"Ralph-please!"
Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension.
"I said I didn't want-"
"Piggy! Piggy!"
(Page 6, Line 1 to 13
Seems pretty unfair to me that Ralph would do this. All Piggy asked was that he was not called "Piggy" and Ralph does it anyways! And calling him the one name he doesn't like in front of his new friends is even worst.
Effacerlol hey mike! i think you have a good point and do agree with you madison ^ :p
EffacerCe commentaire a été supprimé par l'auteur.
EffacerI don't know if it's just me but I got the impression that Ralph treated Piggy quite well compared to other characters (i.e. Jack). I mean, he did tell the other boys about his secret, but I believe he did so involuntarily and he was simply trying to defend Piggy (after Jack called him "fatty"). So far, I believe that Ralph has shown to be a good leader and that the exchange between him and Piggy (the quote you brought up) was merely kids being kids.
EffacerYeah I agree with you Alex, I think what Ralph said was mostly just a "slip-up". I don't think he meant to hurt Piggy's feelings.
Effacer(Am I the only one who finds it weird that we are saying Piggy shouldn't be called Piggy because it's insulting, yet we call him that... anywyays)
Also does anyone think, Piggy might actually be the one asking for attention? I mean, he is the one who brought up the embarrassing nickname in the first place because he wanted Ralph's attention. If he hadn't mentioned it, Ralph would have asked for his name eventually and when Jack would have called him fatty, Ralph could've defended his with the right name.
I also agree with Alex, Ralph didn't mean any harm from the comment, he actually wanted to make sure no one called him Piggy.
EffacerAnd Elizabeth you raise an interesting point, I wonder if he will reveal his true name later on in the novel but i guess we will just have to wait till later to find out!
That's a great point, Alex. Jack did call him fatty. Ralph later mentions that it was better being called Piggy then Fatty. It could easily seem like Ralph was trying to hurt him but it was a way of defending him. I didn't see it that way until i read that.
EffacerSuch interest
So read
wow
This quote means that it is easier to do bad things to harm others than to do good thing and help someone out. This can relate to the first chapter because Ralph insults Piggy in front of all their new friends. Ralph also does not allow Piggy to come on the search with Jack and Simon. This seems unfair because all Piggy is trying to do is a good thing to make it easier for the others but his offer is rejected. Piggy has the courage to want to help others but is not wanted.
RépondreEffacer" Piggy stirred.
'I'll come.'
Ralph turned to him.
'You're no good on a job like this.'
'All the same-'
'We don't want you,' said Jack, flatly. 'Three's enough.' "
(Page 20-21)
Agreed. I also think that Piggy is mostly neglected for his lack of confidence and unappealing looks, the boys think he is inferior to them and therefore don't give him a second glance.
EffacerWow that's very well thought out! I think this applies a lot to the real world.
Effacertrue, i never thought about Piggy only wanting to do the right thing and help out but it makes sense, although as Jana said hes unappealing so it doesn't work.. sadly
EffacerWhen Ralph doesn't let Piggy on the search, maybe he is not letting him come because of his asthma.. maybe he is trying to make sure that he wont be left behind especially with Jack in the group. So he might be trying to save Piggy from more ridicule from the group.
EffacerHey Nick... I didn't notice that, way to go ;)
EffacerCertainly an interesting observation Nick, :D
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EffacerWe automatically think Ralph is being mean to Piggy once again because that is all he's ever been to him. Personally, I would have said the same thing as you, Madison, but Nicolas has a good remark. Maybe Ralph could finally be starting to see the effects his actions have on Piggy. So, Ralph might be starting to make an effort to try to take care of him and do what is good for Piggy! :)
EffacerIn my opinion, the quote refers to the fact that being evil or mean takes a lot less effort than it does to be good or nice, ultimately making the first the easiest way to go. In other words, any person can take the easy route and not try to make the world a better place with even the simplest of actions but the people who do try are singled out because they go above and beyond. This pertains to the first chapter because the boys in the novel find themselves stuck on a seemingly deserted island, inevitably leading them to tap into their primal selves, most notably their survival instincts. The first thing they do to establish some type of order is elect a leader, this is shown by the following scene;
RépondreEffacer"Him with the shell"
"Ralph! Ralph!"
"Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing." (p.19)
The boys's decision to elect Ralph, without even knowing who he is, is based on two things; his looks and what he holds in his hands. Ralph had previously been described as a good-looking guy, making him appealing and the fact that he is holding a conch gives him a sense of power
that makes a lot of sense because it is always easier to chose the wrong thing than the right thing in real life
EffacerThat is very well explained because it is so much easier to just take Ralph's side rather than make the effort to defend Piggy. The right thing to do would obviously be to defend Piggy but they choose the easy way, which is to agree with Ralph.
EffacerThis means that it is in our human nature to be more prone to doing bad to other rather than good. By example, in the book Lord of the Flies, Ralph and Piggy met before the other came. As they were a lone Piggy asked only of one thing, to not tell any of the other guys that his name is Piggy. Of course, Ralph doesn't mind and tells the other boys who all make fun of his name and his appearance:
RépondreEffacer“You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.”
Laughter arose.
“He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Oh, Piggy!”
A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in.
then when Piggy clearly waned to join in with Ralph and Jack they were just mean and told him to his face that they did not want him and that hes no good:
Piggy stirred.
“I’ll come.”
Ralph turned to him.
“You’re no good on a job like this.”
“All the same—”
“We don’t want you,” said Jack, flatly. “Three’s enough.”
As a result, not much good came from this. Piggys feelings were only hurt.
In my opinion, this quote does reference to the fragility of humans. Plato is describing how anybody can do harm, thus he is describing how evil can be found in all humans, and that this trait is part of humanity. Often times, doing good takes a lot: whether it is time, money, generosity or care, it is certainly harder to do good than to do harm, since harm is often a case of selfishness or ignorance. Selfishness, in its purest form, can be found in all of us: there is no doubt that every one of us wants what is best for ourselves. But it is only when you acquire feelings for others, whether it is your mother or a complete stranger, that you can start seeing things from their perspectives and do good. I personally do not agree with this quote, since I believe that everybody has the capability of doing good deeds. In my opinion, the difference between good and bad people is that everybody has a different scale if you will, granting “bad” a certain weight and “good” another. When “good” surpasses the weight of the “bad”, the person will choose thus choose to do “good”. In Lord of the Flies, for example, Ralph seems to be naturally a good person: he is voted chief; he seems to be humble and shows many leadership skills. But even Ralph shows to do bad when he breaks his promise with Piggy by telling the group about his nickname. In addition, in characters such as Jack, there is a glaring sign of bad and evil. Jack shows to be arrogant and disrespectful. He decides to call Piggy a “fatty” to degrade him and establish power.
RépondreEffacer“You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.”
Laughter arose.
“He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Oh, Piggy!"
In this case, it was much easier for the boys to degrade and humiliate Piggy (perhaps to receive acclaim from the others) than to say nothing at all. Furthermore, it was much easier for them to do this than to step in and defend Piggy. Thus, this scene makes reference to the fact that it is easier to do bad than to do good.
By the way... I pulled this quote from page 17 of the novel :P
EffacerThat was an awesome way of describing that quote. I did not think that deeply into it but you seem to have nailed it. I totally agree with you. Well done.
EffacerSuch amaze
So read
wow
Wow that's a really well-thought-out explanation of the quote. And I like your way of thinking towards the good vs. bad fight inside every person, though I don't think that the "scale" of good and bad inside an individual is personal. I'm more inclined to think that it is based off your experiences and influences rather than your personality. Anyways, great explanation.
EffacerThis quote means that it is easy for someone to hurt another person. Everyone can hurt someone else simply by not being careful; it is a lot more effort to be kind. Even small actions can have a great negative impact. For instance, in the first chapter of Lord of the Flies, Jack calls Piggy "fatty" and Ralph "corrects" him saying his real name was Piggy. I think Ralph didn't understand the gravity of his action, and how much it would affect Piggy. He is not a bad person but he hurt Piggy simply because he wasn't careful or thoughtful enough, or maybe because he wanted the other boys' attention. Either way, he chose to say this because it was easy and he didn't make the effort to think about the repercussion of his action. We also know he is not a bad person because when Piggy confronts his later on, Ralph does realize what he did was wrong. Yet he chooses the easy way out once again and doesn't apologize. Furthermore, this quote also applies to all the other boys who laughed and reacted to this comment. They are just as guilty. Of course it was easier for them to laugh than to stand up for a poor boy.
RépondreEffacerYou’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.”
Laughter arose.
“He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Oh, Piggy!" (p. 17)
(...)
Stillness descended on them. Ralph, looking with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult. "Better Piggy than Fatty," he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership (...) (p.21)
I completely agree, except for the part where you say that Ralph didn't apologize for telling the other boys of Piggy's name.
Effacer"'Better Piggy than Fatty,' he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership, 'and anyway I'm sorry if you feel like that." (p.21-22)
He may with a half-apology/half-insult (Better Piggy than Fatty) but he ends up getting to a proper apology eventually.
The quote means that doing wrong comes easy to everyone, however only a few can easily do good to others by putting other people before themselves instead of being selfish. In chapter one, Piggy confides in Ralph by telling him that he does not like being called Piggy, however when Jack calls him Fatty, Ralph just explains that his name is not fatty, it's Piggy. Now as this is not any better that Fatty, you can clearly see that Piggy is crushed by What Ralph said to the group as they all started laughing at Piggy.
RépondreEffacer'You told 'em. After what i said.'
His face flushed, his mouth trembled
'After i said i didnt want-'
'What on earth are you talking about?'
'About calling me Piggy. i said i didn't care as long as they didn't call me Piggy; an' I said not to tell them and then you went out an' said straight out-'
Page 21 (bottom of page)
Now Ralph did not think he was doing anything wrong, in fact he thought he was defending Piggy by correcting the group.
"Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another."
RépondreEffacer-Plato
The quote seems self explanatory. It can be very easy to hurt someone whereas it can be very difficult to help someone. It is easier to harm someone and requires less effort than doing good for that person (if it is intended to harm them).
A good example found in Lord of the Flies is once Ralph exposes Piggy's name to the rest of the group. This clearly upsets Piggy as he confronts Ralph and asked him to be discreet about his name.
"You told 'em. After what i said."
His face flushed, his mouth trembled.
"After i said i didnt want-"
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"About calling me Piggy. i said i didn't care as long as they didn't call me Piggy; an' I said not to tell them and then you went out an' said straight out-'"
The readers and Ralph are now aware that Piggy was harmed. It was easy for Ralph to harm him even if it was not intended. This is a good example to illustrate that quote in this novel.
Ralph did not intend to harm Ralph. He seemed to have tried to defend him from Jack. Although, Piggy was still hurt and that confirms the quote from Plato.
Effacer"Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another." - Plato
RépondreEffacerThis quote shows that it is part a human nature to do harm. It is easy to hurt someone and this evil is present in everybody. However, it takes courage and selflessness (two qualities that must be learned) to do the right thing.
For example, in the first chapter of The Lord of the Flies, Ralph reveals Piggy's name to the other boys without even thinking about when Piggy has asked him to not tell them about his nickname. By accident, he hurt Piggy's feelings, showing how easy it is to do harm. Yet, when Piggy confronts him about this, Ralph hesitates between apologizing and further insulting Piggy. This moment of hesitation shows how much more difficult it is to be good, even when you know what you should do, whereas Ralph ended up hurting Piggy's feelings without a second thought about it.
"Ralph, looking with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult.
'Better Piggy than Fatty,' he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadership, 'and anyway, I'm sorry you feel like that." (p.21-22)
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RépondreEffacerThe meaning of this quote is that doing harm comes a lot easier than doing good. It takes such small effort to hurt someone, but a lot more effort to be kind to them. It is of human nature to feel and act this way. It sounds bad, but it is true. Our first instinct is to do what is beneficial for us. In other words, we put yourselves first. By being selfish, it is so simple to hurt others because we don't think about their feelings. Contrary to that, it takes a lot more effort to put others first especially if it does not necessarily make us happy. Helping someone out and do good to them requires going out of our way, which results in effort. The meaning of this quote is first seen in chapter one of Lord of The Flies when Ralph is making fun of Piggy after he asked him not to.
RépondreEffacer"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 at school."
"What was that?"
The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned towards Ralph.
He whispered.
"They used to call "Piggy"."
Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up.
"Piggy! Piggy!"
"Ralph-please!"
Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension.
"I said I didn't want-"
"Piggy! Piggy!"
(page 6)
In this situation, Ralph is putting himself first as he thinks that laughing at Piggy's name is beneficial for him since it makes him seem superior to Piggy. Ralph is a young boy so he doesn't really know any better and probably doesn't realize that his actions emotionally affect Piggy. Ralph is also very rude to him. Even though Piggy is positive and tries to perform good actions, his good intentions are always quickly rejected by Ralph. In my opinion, I don't think Ralph actually realizes how upset he makes Piggy, but that doesn't make Ralph a bad person. This was just the easiest option for him and he most likely did not have any intentions of hurting him the way he did.
This also applies to when the boys all laugh at Piggy because of his weight and appearance and then make fun of his name after Ralph tells them. They are just as guilty as Ralph.
"You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.”
Laughter arose.
“He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
“Piggy!”
(page 17)
This quote shows that it's effortless to criticize another (to either boost one's self esteem, dominance over others, etc.). It's part of human nature, however. Despicable acts are seen often, and have slipped into socializing in general. It can be seen often.
RépondreEffacerOn the other hand, acts of kindness or good acts require more effort, sacrifice, and selflessness. It's a major factor to why good acts are less seen (but are much appreciated when committed!).
This quote links to the first chapter of the Lord of the Flies because it demonstrates my earlier explanation of it being a social, human-like thing to do. The children laugh, and behave in a manor to not feel distant, and effortlessly obey ignorance, when it comes to boosting one's self esteem. This is seen when Ralph often ignores Piggy's request to not be called as such.
Ralph turned to him quickly. This was the voice of one who knew his own mind.
'Then,' went on Piggy, 'that boy - forget -''You're talking too much,' said Jack Merridew, 'Shut up, Fatty.'
Laughter arose.
"He's not fatty,' cried Ralph, 'his real name's Piggy!'
'Piggy!'
'Piggy!'
'Oh, Piggy!'
A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in.