Secondly, Golding portrays Ralph as an embodiment of ego that makes sure to satisfy all the needs and wants of the id in a way that seems proper in today’s world, which means that ego not only interacts with conscious but also unconscious mind. Ralph is the chief and one of the most influential boys in this little society. He constantly acts as a democratic leader that balances between the id and superego.
For instance, realizing Jack’s desire of being the chief, “Ralph looks at him, eager to offer something”, and then Ralph decides to give Jack control of the hunting team, and says to Jack: “The choir belongs to you, of course..”, and consequently, “the suffusion drained away from Jack’s face” (Golding 19).
Ralph cares about others’ feelings, and does something realistic that is allowed by the society. At the same time, he fulfills Jack’s desire to be a leader to a certain extent. This reasonable action, which is controlled by the ego, also satisfies the urges of id in a socially accepted way. Moreover, Ralph has a strong sense of responsibility. While he is complaining to Piggy that the other boys do not care about the importance of the fire going, he makes a confession, “‘supposing I got like the others—not caring. What ‘ud become of us’ ” (Golding 153).
He is more conscious about the society rather than himself. As a leader, Ralph has to identify the savagery of id and the morality of superego in order to come up with the best solution for the public. In his case, the concept of the ego is clearly demonstrated, which represents the rational aspect of the mind, and maintains peace and stability.
