The author’s attitude in my opinion is that the strong survive and the weak and naive perish. Ralph the protagonist and Jack the antagonist are the main ‘big uns.’ Both are strong. Both became leaders of their respective tribes and both survived. Ralph is portrayed as being noble, courageous and although he did not have Jack's prowess as a hunter he acquires some of that skill and sticks a pig. He demonstrates great daring to avoid being captured and apparently ‘dispatches’ some of his pursuers. Jack is somewhat of a megalomaniac: he seeks to usurp Ralph's authority, shows no respect for the conch and sadistically ties up and whips Wilfried, a tribe member. Simon was a helpless victim of circumstances and after his death, he was washed away by the ocean. Piggy although being strong intellectually was frequently the object of social derision and in the novel he often sought Ralph’s approval. Coincidentally, he (Piggy) was washed away by the ocean. The ocean although not a character as such is neutral. It holds the prospect of salvation and actually does bring salvation and it cleanses the land of the weak - Simon and Piggy.
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