1. How do the main characters in Shoeless Joe and Lord of the Flies persevere towards achieving their goals through the troubles that they are faced with?
2. How do the main characters show individuality while in pursuit of achieving their goals?
3. Why do friendships play an important role in helping the protagonists work through their journey?
4. How do the events in each book build up stress in a character and show how this can lead to betrayal?
5. How do the challenges and events faced by the protagonists in each book reflect upon the pressures of the first world society?
6. How do the protagonists own smaller journeys and goals reflect upon the desires of our own society?
Essay
How are friendships required in order for characters to progress through their journeys?
Horne 1
Justin Horne
Mr. Connolly
ENG 2D
16 December 2012
Essay 2nd Draft
Ray’s friends are always there for him, in Shoeless Joe, pushing him forward and assisting him with his problems. The first friend that Ray makes during his journey is J.D. Salinger. J.D. is always encouraging Ray to pursue his goals. “ ‘The announcer,’ he says quietly. ‘Go the distance.’ ‘I knew it,’ I crow triumphantly. ‘You heard him too.’ ” (Kinsella 85). This is the first real case in which Ray and J.D. realize their friendship and importance to each other. Also, it is when Salinger first pushes Ray forward in his journey where he may have lost hope and given up. Later in the story, we see another situation in which Ray needs help. He has fallen behind on his mortgage payments, and the bank is threatening to foreclose his farm. Once again, Ray has friends to assist him in his times of trouble. “Just let me bring the mortgage up to date. That will hold them at bay
for a while.” (Kinsella 172). Salinger was there to offer help when Ray was in trouble, even though he was rejected that time. At the end of the novel, we see Ray come out on top of the bank and keep his farm, all because of the friends that he had to help him along the way.
Lord of the Flies shows just how important every friendship is for a person. Ralph has only one real friend, Piggy, on the small island that he and many other kids are stuck on. Piggy is always supportive of Ralph and helps him work through his problems by giving his opinions. The book starts with the kids on the island scattered about. Piggy finds Ralph and gives his first helpful suggestion, likely unknowingly starting their friendship. “We got to find the others. We got to do something.” (Golding 12). This is the start of Ralph’s run to become chief of the island community because of Piggy’s help. Later in the story, after events on the island get out of Ralph’s control, Piggy is the only person that he can rely on. Everyone else left them for the newly created enemy tribe of Jack Merridew. This has sparked some anger between the tribes. “What’s grownups goin’ to think? Young Simon was murdered. And there was that other kid what had a mark on his face. Who’s seen him since we came home?” (Golding 158). That was Piggy giving his thoughts about Jack’s tribe sabotaging them to Ralph. In Lord of the Flies, we see just how friendships are required in order for characters to fight through challenges to their goals.
In conclusion, friendships are necessary for any character to bypass challenges and achieve their goals. Ray had friends that would do anything to keep him on-track to achieving his goals, and Ralph had his one friendship that was important in all his decisions on the island. Do friendships play important roles in your everyday life like in the novels?
Works Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Capricorn Books, 1959. Print.
Kinsella, W.P. Shoeless Joe. New York: Ballantine Books, 1982. Print.
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