Symbolism In Lord Of The Flies

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Oftentimes authors will use symbolism through the characters in order to represent a larger encompassing theme. William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies is no exception to this pattern—as various characters in the book have such allegorical meanings. In the case of Jack, he could be said to represent the evilness in humanity, proven by three established concepts in the story: the true nature of his hunting tendencies, the progression of events that happen in his dancing rituals, and his interactions towards other symbolic figures. These three reasons, furthered by evidence shown throughout the novel, fit Jack into a role of symbolic evilness (add something here).

In William Golding’s “Lord Of The Flies” Novel, symbolism is a very important element of the book, Many symbols show how the boys on the island are slowly becoming savage and losing their civility.

Fear and Symbolism make up a big part of the Lord of the Flies book. They co-exist amazingly in this book. Symbols appear everywhere in the book, from the conch to the beast, they all symbolize a part of our life today.

William Golding kills off everything important to survival and by this he means that the world is doomed. So many significant objects are broken by the end of the book, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, which is a novel about a bunch of inexperienced boys being trapped together on an island and are forced to find means of survival. There are a lot of symbols in this book that all represent the only way they can survive. Each symbol represents a piece of the world and how it functions. Without all of these pieces, the world can’t function. William Golding clearly shows that the world is doomed by one by one killing off all of the objects and symbols that keep them sane and alive.

The novel Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding is a very iconic book in my opinion. This novel consists mostly of symbolism. Lord of the Flies talked about the relationship of teenage boys who survived a plane crash together. The boys are all on their own and struggling. They encounter many incidences that comply symbolism. A couple of the acts of symbolism are the beast the boys kept imagining, Piggy’s glasses, and the conch. The boys are all afraid of the beast, Piggy’s glasses demonstrate the fact that he saw everything more clear then the boys and how he started the fire. Lastly, the last of the most important symbolisms in the novel is the conch, showing the civilization and order.

The symbols in the Lord of the Flies all change meaning throughout the novel. As the boys change and develop, the symbols change with them. Some may become more positive or more negative and some may change meaning completely. Ralph, Piggy, and Jack all adjust to being stranded on the island differently and therefore react to and treat the objects on the island differently. With Jack’s development into savagery throughout the novel, his carelessness is evident in his lack of acknowledgement of symbols that are important to Ralph and Piggy who look at this experience more logically and optimistically. One symbol that changed dramatically throughout the novel is the fire. The fire in the Lord of the Flies is introduced as a symbol for hope, develops into destruction and is finalized as a representation of salvation.

William Golding's Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of English school boys who are stranded on a tropical island after their plane has been attacked and crashes during World War II. In the beginning, the boys like being on their own without adults. The boys separate into two groups, led by Jack and Ralph. Jack is obsessed with hunting, and he and his group pay do not pay attention. Ralph is concerned about keeping a rescue fire lit so they will have a chance to be rescued, but no one else seems too concerned about it. At least one ship passes by without noticing the boys on the island. Things on the island deteriorate into chaos and savagery. Jack and his tribe are consumed with hunting and

"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast . . . Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didn’t you? I'm part of you?" (Golding, 143) Symbolism is used to represent something of a deeper meaning. This quote represents the beast, which is one of the many symbols along with the conch shell and war paint presented in the novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. This essay will explore the different symbols utilized to give William Golding’s novel a deeper meaning.

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 plot of Lord of the Flies represents the breakdown of society from civilization to savagery. Golding uses symbolism to show this evolution through the symbols of the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses, and the fire. Without intelligence, rules, and hope in society, civilization will break down and people will not be able to survive. The first symbol that represents this breakdown are the glasses worn by the character, Piggy. Piggy is a young boy on the island that is overweight and wears glasses.

Thesis: In the Lord of the Flies, the conch shell reflects important values which show the conflict of Ralph and Jack throughout the novel. The conch shell represents authority, order and civilization.

“’His specs-use them as burning glasses…’ Piggy was surrounded before he could back away” (Golding 40).Piggy’s specs signify innovation and technology, they are used to create the fire, and he helps Ralph with academic technicalities on the island. Also for example, “Piggy took off his glasses and blinked at the assembly while he wiped them on his shirt” (Golding 33). Piggy’s glasses are mostly used to make fire, but he is repeatedly taken advantage of. However, behavior such as the way he (glasses) is treated reflects their progress or future disagreements. “…stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach… Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks, Piggy cried out in terror: ‘My specs!’…one side’s broken’” (Golding 71). Piggy is the most intelligent boy on the island. Not only does he persist with being civilized throughout the novel, and his glasses symbolize the entirety of the groups’ society that they have created for themselves and its condition. When his glasses partly break, it is their civilization beginning to crumble. Piggy’s glasses symbolize the state of their society, technology, innovation, but also ties in with one of its uses, the

Lord of the Flies has symbols throughout the story, each character brings a different point of view. Piggy, Ralph, and Jack take a leading role with all the boys, although they vote Ralph in charge both of the other boys take a leadership position. Goulding uses the boys to show the faults of mankind and the roots of all evil. Four symbols Goulding used in the novel were: Piggy’s glasses, the Conch Shell, The Beast, and Simon’s hiding place. Therefore, the symbols show the true character of the boys who are stranded on an island.

In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, three significant symbols throughout the novel include the conch shell, the beast, and the Lord of the Flies. These symbols not only aided in the development of the characters but also in their rescue. By the time the boys are rescued the meaning of each symbol has either been diverted or given a new interpretation.