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Symbolism In Lord Of The Flies

Decent Essays

William Golding uses many objects and characters in his story, “Lord of the Flies”, to develop and symbolize certain aspects of his story. Lord of the Flies is a story that contrasts good with evil. The story shows how a society without any set-up regulations, develop and grow into a civilization. The novel shows this by placing a group of young boys on an island with no parents. These pre-adolescents give us an inside look at our inner desires and inclinations. Throughout this story, William uses many distinct symbols to move his story along and show some of the hidden messages. The author not only places symbols throughout the book, but he makes the symbols dynamic. Throughout the Novel the symbols are constantly changing. This brings a new perspective to the story. Through the changing symbols we can gain a vast understanding of the plot and the sequence of the events in the story. With the help of dynamic symbols such as the conch, fire, and the island, we can interrupt the islands society in a new light.

Power was a main theme in “The Lord of the Flies”. It was mainly represented by the conch that Ralph was always in possession of. In the beginning of the Novel, it was a representation of power. On the island, if you wanted to speak, you had to be holding the conch. Meetings were also called by the conch. The power of the conch shell is seen when “all the…boys vote for Ralph because he blew the conch.” (Golding Chapter 1). When the island boys help an election for

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