Piggy In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

By the end of the novel Piggy has perished while Ralph survives to be rescued. Even this puts Ralph in a good light because it shows he was smart and resilient enough to survive on an island full of savages. If Piggy-with all his disadvantages- were to survive it would only serve to undermine the effort Ralph put into survive. In Ralph’s civilized society and the insane society of Jack, a weak person like Piggy can't make themselves known without consequences. This is similar to

Piggy lectured them by asking how they could "…expect to be rescued if [they] don't put first things first and act proper?" (45), which is something they did not want to hear, this was proven time and time again when the boys not let him speak without interruption even when he had the conch shell. Piggy's greatest asset was also his weakest point; the only way he could relate to the other boys was at an intellectual level, whereas the other boys could only relate on an emotional level. Ironically, in spite of his intelligence and logic, rational thought, from the beginning of the novel, Piggy was a social outcast.

At the beginning of the novel, the boys were trying to start a fire. The boys then used Piggy’s specs to light the fire. “Ralph moved the lenses back and forth, this way and that, till a glossy white image of the declining sun lay on a piece of rotten wood”(40). Using Piggy’s specs to start the fire was a scientific method to create and it contributes to the fact he represents a scientific approach. Also, it was Piggy’s idea to make shelters so the boys could sleep in them for the night. “The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach”(45). By building shelters, the boys can sleep and stay dry when it's raining. This would also establish a settlement so they won’t have to continuously move to different areas of the island. Even though Jack’s tribe unknowingly murdered Simon, Piggy tried to keep the reason why they killed Simon rational. He tries to think that the death of Simon was justifiable. Ralph argued that the death was murder and Piggy complained “What good’re you doing talking like that”(172). Piggy is trying to find a formula that would explain Simon’s death. In other words, Piggy is one of the only characters in the novel who takes a scientific approach

Ralph being the main character of the book and always trying to find a way to get them off the island is the main good guy, and Piggy can almost be looked at like his sidekick. While Ralph was elected leader in the story he admits, to himself, that Piggy is smarter than him. Whenever Ralph freezes or is at a loss for words Piggy is there to remind him what he needs to say. He is the only person that never betrays Ralph even at the cost of his own life isn’t trying to join Jack’s side. Ralph is the main character and protagonist of the story, but he does have flaws. From the very beginning he never had the leadership skills to get everyone to work hard as a group. It almost seemed that as the story went on he didn’t become a better leader, but a worse one. He would always lose his train of thought while speaking to the group, and couldn’t make them feel safe. They were all afraid of the beast. What makes him the hero of the story, is that he never gives up on being rescued. He also doesn’t become a savage like the other children do. His mind is always on the fact that they need to get off the island, even when the others

Jack stole Piggy’s glasses, and without them Piggy wasn't himself. He could barely see and he couldn't think straight. Ralph decided they needed the fire if they wanted to be rescued and Piggy and the boys risked their lives to go and get them from Ralph. “Which is better—to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is? . . . Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?” (Golding. 11) After sticking up to Jack and his pack, the boys were laughing at Piggy, they didn't take anything he said seriously. We see once again Piggy acting as the parent, and coming up with intelligent things to do and say unlike

Piggy’s physical appearance contributes to his position as an outsider within the society of boys. When Piggy and Ralph first meet, Ralph remarks on Piggy’s shortness of breath to which Piggy responds, ¨ That’s right. Can’t catch my breath. I was the only boy in our school what had asthma, said the fat boy with a touch of pride, ‘And I’ve been wearing specs since I was three¨ (Golding 9). This quote describes Piggy as a fat boy with asthma and glasses, while the other boys are skinny and do not share any of the same characteristics as him. In addition, the author contributes to the outcasting Piggy by never revealing his real name and only describing Piggy as the “fat boy.” This proves that in this society, Piggy is not worth getting to

One can see by examining why the boys bully Piggy, that cowering behind the mask of society and belonging, humans are inherently evil.

Most people try, fail, and never try again, but not because of their capabilities but because of their personality. Piggy has great capabilities as well as a great personality, but throughout the novel, he has never really gotten the chance to reveal his great potential. Piggy is more logical and innovative than most of the boys stranded on that island. Unlike the other school boys, Piggy thinks practically about their situation and tries to reason with it as well as resolving it. On page 34, Piggy points out that no one knows where the boys are nor that a crash had happened by saying “Who knows we’re here?

He wants to take time to listen to other people’s ideas even the littluns. Ralph and the others don’t feel the need to let them talk or give them the right to talk. Piggy insisted Ralph to give the conch to him. Piggy is compassionate for the others. When the fire got out of hand he was the only one to notice that some of the kids may have been hurt. He cares about others rather than just himself and is willing to listen to everyone. He tries hard to make things work out for the better.

The next way Piggy is an outcast is because of his “ass-mar”, as the pys referred to his asthma. He is excluded from many physical activities, and he also excludes himself. He also isn’t able to keep up many times with the pace that moves. One account of this is when they were going to swim. Ralph starts “you can’t half swim.” “Piggy took of his shoes and socks… “its hot!”(Piggy) “What did you expect”(Ralph) “I didn’t expect nothing. My auntie—”… “aren’t you going to swim?” Piggy shook his head “I

Piggy’s responsibility set him apart from the other boys, like Ralph. When Piggy cried out, “I don’t ask for my glasses back, not as a favour. I don’t ask you to be a sport, I’ll say, not because you’re strong, but because what’s right’s right” (190). For a moment, Piggy’s anger with unfairness and helplessness he felt took away from his logical reasoning but returned as soon as he was confronted by the savages. When Piggy asked, "Which is better- to be a pack of painted niggers like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is?"(200) it demonstrated a change in Piggy's nature. Piggy learned to stand up for himself against Jack and the savages. He was able to think clearly and plan ahead of his encounter with the savage boys. The cruelty Jack showed towards him taught Piggy how much more pain there was in the

us how Piggy is sectioned from the est of the group due to his social

The agony that Piggy is put through due to his looks acts as a vulnerability. Though that maybe his weakness, his strength, on the other hand, is his mind. His ability to come up with ideas keeps the society together and running. “‘Ralph!’ Ralph looked up. ‘We can use this to call the others. Have a

In this case, he’s stuck on an island with other boys who realize what they have to go through in order to survive. Any ideas that contribute to their survival is considered important. That is where piggy comes in. “‘Only piggy could have the intellectual daring to suggest moving the fire from the mountain.”’(Golding, 129). When Piggy suggested moving the fire from the mountain to the beach, the boys become completely baffled at such a thought. This is important because the idea was so outstretched from anything that they have ever thought before. But at that time there was nothing much to do after Jack left the group. “Now that there was something to be done they worked with passion. Piggy was so full of delight and expanding liberty in Jack’s departure, so full of pride in his contribution to the good, that he helped to fetch wood.”(Golding, 129). Once they fully comprehended what they had to do to survive, the boys pour all their passion out into one objective; building a fire. This is all thanks to Piggy.

Because he is physically different from the other boys on the island, he is looked at differently almost immediately after he started to make suggestions for how the island should have been run. His suggestions for what some of rules should be prior to the election of a leader prove that Piggy was ultimately and fundamentally good because he wanted what was best for the other boys.