Civilization can be destroyed as easily as it is created. Without the walls of society, humans are capable of committing actions they never thought possible. Lord of the Flies focuses on a group of kids alone on an island without authority. The novel reveals what can happen to humanity without the presence of authority. In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, the protagonist Ralph symbolizes leadership, civilization, and the loss of innocence. Ralph is the closest resemblance to authority the boys have on the island. His appearance plays an important role in him signifying authority: "Now you could see that he could have been a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders, but there was a mildness in his mouth and his eyes that proclaimed no evil" (Golding, 10). His appearance changes throughout the novel as does his character. Ralph plays the most significant character because most of the novel revolves around him. He becomes the leader of the group of boys at the beginning of the novel, until he begins a power struggle with the antagonist Jack. Ralph experiences a journey that makes him lose his innocence and discovers many things about humanity. Ralph's symbolism of leadership, civility, and loss of innocence reveals what can happen to society. Evil is present in all humanity, humanity can move from civilization to wilderness without the presence of the walls of society. One of Ralph's best character traits is his leadership. Good leadership is an important part of keeping a civilization in order. Ralph demonstrates his strong leadership early in the novel. He knows that if the island has no rules and order it will be completely changed...... middle of paper......the desire to be free has overcome them as well as fear. It represented civilization and showed how a figure of civilization was present, but the idea of ​​being liberated from civilization will most likely lead to savagery. His loss of innocence reveals that evil is present in all humanity. The impulse to hurt is within every human being, however, some are able to keep it hidden, but others cannot because the impulse is too strong. The presence of authority changes the way of acting because once the naval officer found the boys, even the boys who were about to put an end to civilization, began to cry because they realized everything they had done, “[. ..] the other kids also started shaking and sobbing” (Golding, 202). Now they cried, but when they acted savage they didn't. Lord of the Flies comes to show how a society can become inhumane without a stable civilization.