Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Essay

Firstly the reason why the glasses are so important to the novel is how it enables a smart logical boy named Piggy to see and performs tasks.This is shown in the text when Jack steals Piggy’s glasses and Piggy becomes immobile without it. “His voice shrieked of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face… I can hardly see!.. Jus’ blurs,

In this passage, we see Ralph, the chief of the island, wishing that he is able to think like Piggy because, as chief, he needs to be able make smart decisions, like Piggy is able to do. In the beginning of the novel, Piggy’s glasses represent intelligence. However, later in the novel, after they are broken, they represent how power has the ability to corrupt people, especially Jack Merridew. The glasses also symbolize power because they have the ability to create fire which represents life and independence. Therefore, whoever wields the power of the glasses also has the ability to survive without anyone's help. This power is something that Jack desires and seeks throughout the novel. For example, when Prometheus gave fire to the humans in Greek Mythology, he was tortured and had his liver pecked out every day by a crow for doing so because fire symbolized light and independence from the gods. This passage takes place right after the brutal attack by Jack and his hunters on Ralph’s crew, “Piggy drew his legs. ‘You

Although the boys try to stay civilized, others use items in attempt to become unsophisticated. War paint, clothing, and rocks are used as symbols to represent the boys becoming savages. After Jack stole Piggy’s glasses, Ralph deciphers a plan to confront the savages. During the

However, despite Piggy’s best effort to offer the best possible resolutions, the other boys do not take him, or his glasses, very seriously. Jack turns to violently grabbing them from Piggy, “His voice rose to a shriek of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face” (40). This is the first time Jack shows the savagery within him. Up to this point, he hides it, pretending like he wants what is best for the group. When the boys first land on the island, they are thinking rationally. They decide to use the shell as a means for communication, and put the signal fire in the mountains, among other good ideas. When Jack hits the glasses, he cracks them as well, and there is a sudden decline in rational thinking among the boys. When the glasses break, so does their ability to come up with reasonable ideas. The glasses are essential for Piggy’s well being, “He rubs his glasses during crises and when making decisions” (Martin). When Piggy rubs his glasses, they show their true nature, which is to aid him in making well thought out decisions. In conclusion, the glasses are very important to Piggy, but not taken nearly as seriously by everyone

The frame had made a deep, pink V on the bridge.” (Golding 11) this quote shows that Piggy’s glasses are an essential part of him and his identity, and also one of the characteristics that he has. Later in the novel when the boys were becoming more savage like. This is demonstrated when Jack hit Piggy and his glasses broke. Piggy said,” One sides broken.”

Piggy's glasses were used many times throught out the novel, where the boys of the island in fact found good use in them, and treated his glasses as a symbol of discovery,innovation, and source of civilization on the island such as creating the fire. Once piggy's glasses break, the innovation, and civilization is gone.

Piggy’s glasses symbolize reason and innovation throughout the novel; Golding most commonly associates them with the old camp on the beach. Piggy uses his glasses to help the other boys “see”, both physically and intellectually, the best and most reasonable way forward. However, any time they are removed from the beach, chaos is sure to ensue. The first time, when the boys go to the mountain to light the signal fire, Jack and the other boys pry the glasses off Piggy’s face so they can use them as burning glasses. While this does help to start the signal fire so they can be seen by a ship, it traumatizes Piggy since even at this point in the book, Jack scares him. Despite the good intentions for the fire, it soon goes wild and even results in the death of a littlun.

Following Simon’s brutal death, Ralph and Piggy find themselves searching, yet again, for something to provide stability amidst the atrocity encompassing Jack, Rodger and the hunters. The two contemplate what exactly what actions they should take, now that Jack and his hunters have succumbed completely to savagery. They look to the conch for help, Ralph taking “the shell caressingly with both hands” (156). Admiring the conch’s power and beauty, he is careful when touching it even when there is no one present to direct. Piggy, quick to suggest solutions reminds Ralph that he could call an assembly. Ralph laughs

"His specs-use them as burning glasses” (Golding 40)! This quote was said when Ralph and Jack were trying to figure out how to start the fire. As the boys figure out how to use the lens to create fire, the idea of the glasses representing power increases. The glasses also seem to increase their chance of survival. The spectacles represent the kids’ only way of achieving the fire, by reflecting the sun’s rays. "Piggy's glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks"(Golding 71). In this quote, Jack hit Piggy on the head, resulting in the fire. This caused the glasses to be broken. When the glasses broke, it represented the last tie of humanity the boys

This change in attitude and personality suggests that the boys can act like savages while they are painted. The boys are exempt from the constraining rules of society while painted, so their whole demeanor transforms. Despite the boys becoming more savage-like, Piggy’s glasses still exist on the island for a short time. Piggy’s glasses are a symbol for intelligence, and when given to the wrong people, can be used for bad things. Jack really wants the glasses for himself so he can have the power to start a fire whenever he wants, but Piggy knows better than to give them to Jack.

He has a disagreeable attitude toward them and uses Piggy’s glasses to his advantage. “Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks.” (71, Golding)  When Jack slapped Piggy and broke them, that resembled the full disorder and chaos experienced on the island. It showed how far the group has come from orderly civilization when the glasses are misused and not being used for smarts or reason anymore. The glasses are also one of the last remaining tools from the outside world. The boys use this tool, instead of more primitive means, to light the signal fire which shows the initial desire for order. But the glasses, like the conch shell, are broken by savagery. When the glasses break, the last link the boys had to their past society is broken.

Lord of the Flies, an allegorical novel by William Golding, holds truths about mankind’s true nature of existence. The novel explores the savagery in all men that lies dormant, yet when society’s rules cease to exist, the boy’s innocence perishes along with it. The boys attempt to band together and mock the society that they came from, but not understanding the complexity of the situation, results in their society falling into ruins. On the island the boys are returned to man’s primitive nature, without rules or discipline, and they slowly drift into anarchy. Without proper guidance, the boys resort to cloaking their innocence with body paint to survive. With the body paint coating their skin, the boys bury their old personas within and allow themselves to commit acts that society would frown upon. When Jack’s tribe uses the facade of body paint to dissociate themselves from civilization’s morals, they denote that hiding one’s true identity liberates them from the constraints of society.

He planned and eventually took Piggy’s glasses from Ralph’s group, and the glasses were the only way the boys knew how to start a fire. Ralph and Piggy were one of the few left who were not savage and cared about keeping a fire alive to be saved. The author writes, “You go away, Ralph. You keep to your end. This is my end and my tribe. You leave me alone.’ … ‘You pinched Piggy’s specs,’ said Ralph breathlessly. ‘You’ve got to give them back.’ ‘Got to? Who says? ” (176). Jack did not realize the importance of keeping the fire going, and by not giving the glasses back to the few people who still cared for the fire, makes their chances of being saved even slimmer than before. Jack’s decisions will only benefit himself and keep him in power, another act of being selfish, but does not want his actions to be

Piggy’s spectacles represented the power by man to alter and recreate their environment, if needed, to best suit their likings. Piggy’s glasses were used to start the fire. The cracking of Piggy’s first lens symbolized the boys losing focus of what was necessary for their survival. The fire was used as a representation of technology and the boys’ only vital connection to human civilization.

Piggy’s glasses symbolize knowledge. The glasses also represent society’s reliance upon technology because humans are sometimes weak. The glasses were created to make Piggy’s eyesight better than before. His life is better with the glasses because he can see, without them I don’t know what he would do. Jack slaps the glasses off of Piggy’s face, and in that