The Lord Of The Flies
Symbolism in Lord of the Flies
To help his readers gain a better understanding of the message in his novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses the literary tool symbolism. He uses this tool liberally in two important areas, those being objects and people. This novel incorporates countless symbols, but this paper will discuss some of the most widely recognized ones, beginning with the objects.
Golding uses symbolic objects to convey his opinion of the necessity of structure for people to function in a group. Probably the most important object in the novel is the conch shell. The shell is found by Ralph on the beach shortly after the boys arrive on the island. The conch is ...
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the boys' society decays, and the conch fades, becoming "fragile and white"(171), its power diminishes until it is finally crushed. With the intentional smashing of the conch, all order on the island is effectively lost.
, a pig's head on a pike, one symbol in the novel for evil, or Satan. To Jack it was meant as a sacrifice to the "beast" which controlled the boys through fear. When Simon talked with he learned what true evil was, it's "part of you, close, close, close!" The enlightened Simon never got the chance to explain to the others that the beast was within all of them and could be beaten, because he had angered by not being scared. When Simon returned to the group, they killed him when a chant got out of hand. Allowing evil to continue to take over the island.
Piggy's eyeglasses are directly connected with another symbol, the fire. They are related by the fact that the glasses were used time and again to light fires, rescue or otherwise. The decaying state of the ...
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and did a fine job organizing a democracy and delegating tasks. Ralph represents authority, government, and moral integrity. Throughout the novel he attempts to keep the boys on track, makes commonsense rules for them to follow in order to be rescued. Unfortunately, the decline to primitivism leaves no room for Ralph's ideals, his power diminishes and he is alienated, then hunted.
Piggy, an overweight asthmatic boy who cannot see without his glasses, represents physical weakness and mental strength. Piggy uses his ability to think situations over logically and use reason instead of emotion to guide to assist Ralph in running and efficient government. Piggy's character is also ...
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"The Lord Of The Flies." Essayworld.com. July 21, 2006. Accessed April 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Lord-Of-The-Flies/49443.
"The Lord Of The Flies." Essayworld.com. July 21, 2006. Accessed April 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Lord-Of-The-Flies/49443.
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