Only Piggy has grasped the enormity of the situation. The ending of this chapter really shows that if nothing changes, really bad things will happen. The typical definitions of what makes a good and bad person do not apply on this island.
Whether people like it or not, Ralph is the leader now. They chose him because he was the one with the conch. It appeared that he took action first and everyone looked to him as though he knew what he was doing. He doesn't think entirely like a leader should think. He is impulsive and doesn't grasp the full situation. Him and Jack can get some done working together, but Jack seems jealous. Being a bit of a suck-up/right hand man. Will he backstab him?
A leader should do what is best for the whole group. It's not about just having the title; it's about taking care of the group. Keep everyone safe. Get off the island. Ideally, a leader wouldn't be forced into that position, but if they are they should have empathy. A positive mindset because you will influence others. You should have a positive influence on the group so that they don't have a negative mindset. Take into account all different types of ideas. ie. Ralph was quick to shoot down the snake/beastie issue. He should have been more open to others concerns. However, maybe that would have been more demoralizing. Was it better to minimize the fear and keep things focused on their goal (survival and rescue)?
Would Piggy make a good leader? Simon seems more sensible - he is quiet, but showed care and kindness by sticking up for Piggy.
They are just children - none of them have developed yet into the people that they could be. As children they are more selfish. They haven't been exposed to the world yet. Maybe Piggy has the best worldview? The rest still seem childish. They think they're older than they are. Wrapped up in the idea that there are no parents. "This is our island. It's a good island. Until the grownups come to fetch us we'll have fun" (35)
"Like kids!" (38) but they are kids. Piggy thinks they should act like adults - intelligent, understand the reality of the situation,
How has your view of the characters changed since chapter 1? View of Piggy has changed - at first it seems like he wasn't fit for this, but he has now shown some leadership qualities. He has potential to get them out of there. He is trying to contribute instead of messing around all the time. In ch. 1, questioning what Piggy was there for - seemed like comedic relief. Now, we know that Piggy is very smart. They seem to value physical strength a lot more than intellectual strength. Adults would probably value both intellectual and physical strength. Maybe not, though...stereotypes come into play. A working adult might assume an unemployed person is lazy, etc. Your biases might affect your view. Feel worse for all of the characters because there is a strong impending sense of doom that gets stronger as the story goes on. The situation that they are in changes everything.