Ralph

                          Ralph, a tall, blond twelve year old, establishes himself
                          as the leader of the boys when he blows the conch
                          shell to call the first assembly. Throughout the story,
                          he struggles to maintain order, forced to compete with
                          Jack for respect. Ralph's name, derived from the
                          Anglo-Saxon language, means "counsel."

 Jack

                          Jack, a tall, thin red-head, initially appears in the novel
                          as the leader of the boys' choir. After losing the
                          election for leader to Ralph, he voluntarily takes
                          charge of hunting and maintaining the signal fire. As
                          the structure of life on the island breaks down, Jack
                          forms a tribe of savage boys on the far side of the
                          island. Jack's name, Hebrew in origin, means "one
                          who supplants," reflecting his use of force.

 Piggy

                          Piggy, an obese, asthmatic boy with myopic vision,
                          clings to civilization and refuses to adopt the new, less
                          structured way of life. His physical weaknesses are
                          preyed upon by the other boys, particularly Jack, but
                          Ralph learns to depend upon Piggy for intellectual
                          guidance. Piggy's glasses, his only contribution to
                          survival on the island, become a major focal point in
                          the novel because of their abilty to light the signal and
                          cooking fires. Piggy's name parallels the wild pigs that
                          are hunted on the island and also reflects his superior
                          intellect.

 Simon

                          Simon, skinny with black hair, is a saint-like presence
                          on the island, neither particularly popular nor despised.
                          Although he spends much of his time alone in the
                          jungle, he is willing to help with necessary chores such
                          as building the huts. It is during one of these solitary
                          journeys into the jungle that he speaks with the "Lord
                          of the Flies," who confirms the belief that he has tried
                          to share with the others, that the "beast" comes from
                          within them. Simon's name comes from the Hebrew
                          word meaning "listener."

 Roger

                          Roger, the most savage of the boys, engages in the
                          sadistic torture of a pig, of Piggy and of the littluns. He
                          supports Jack's leadership in the same way that Piggy
                          backs up Ralph's. His name, Germanic in origin,
                          means "spear."

 Sam and Eric

                          Sam and Eric are twins who merge into a single
                          identity, "Samneric," as the story progresses. When
                          the island society begins to break apart, they maintain
                          their loyalty to Ralph, but eventually they side with
                          Jack's savage tribe. When they reveal Ralph's hiding
                          place to the hunters, the final hope for society and
                          order is lost.
 

By Chad and Emily