What Does The Fire Symbolize In Lord Of The Flies

Lord of the Flies is a gruesome, dark and intense novel written as a political allegory by the author William Golding. In this novel Lord of the Flies, there are various significant symbols the most being Piggy’s glasses because of how it allows a logical smart boy to see and perform tasks, it becomes a tool of innovation being able to start fires, and how it leads to the destruction of an island.

In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, Piggy’s glasses represent both weakness and power. The symbolism for the glasses progresses throughout the novel.

First, of the many symbolic objects in the Lord of the Flies are Piggy’s glasses. His glasses symbolize many different things in the novel. First they symbolize hope. Piggy’s specs are what the boys

The fire is a big part of the story with helping the boys survive on the island. The fire is the only thing that got the boys rescued off the island. Ironically at the end of the book it’s the fire that Ralph just happened to light as Jack was hunting him that caught the attention of the passing ships. Ralph tried to keep the fire lit as often as possible in case any ships or planes were to see it. The previous times that has happened the fire has always been out. The boys also use the fire as a sense of comfort. Not only does it serve a purpose for keeping them warm, out of the dark, and giving them something to cook with, but it also gives them a sense of hope. Ralph and Piggy are the main characters that are genuinely concerned with keeping the fire lit at all times so there is a possibility of being rescued. When they aren’t able to do it, it seems as though that’s when things start getting out of control with the boys and their internal and external conflict. Which brings me to the next point; the fire was also a symbol of destruction. It caused some boys to act savagely, and it caused multiple deaths. When Jack realized he needed the fire he stole it from Ralph; Ralph and Piggy confronted him which caused Piggy’s untimely death. In the beginning of the book, when they first lit the fire it burned a good portion of the island and it caused a littleun to die. Additionally, it played a role in the boys savage behavior when dancing around the fire after killing a pig and right before killing Simon with their bare hands.

One of the main symbols throughout the book was the symbol of fire. Ralph, being the leader at this point, called a meeting to try to get through to them that the fire is how they will survive: "The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don’t keep a fire going? Is a fire too much for us to make?...Look at us! How many are we? And yet we can’t keep a fire going to make smoke. Don’t you understand? Can’t you see we ought to—ought to die before we let the fire out?" (31) Ralph is trying to explain to everyone that the fire is the key to survival. Also he is trying to convey that fire will save them and get them off the island. When Jack bought the idea up that they should make a fire all the boys were so excited and all they could think about is making a fire, even though Ralph was trying to call them to order: “‘A fire! Make a fire!’ At once half the boys were on their feet. Jack clamored among them, the conch forgotten. "Come on! Follow me!" The space under the palm trees was full of noise and movement. Ralph was on his feet too, shouting for quiet, but no one heard him. All at once the crowd swayed toward the island and was gone—following Jack” (37). Jack was convincing everyone to go with him and they did, and stopped listening to Ralph. Also Jack is starting to become the

(Golding 38). This is when the boys first start using the fire with the idea of getting saved by creating a large amount of smoke to get the attention of any nearby help. With the signal fire, they have the better chance of getting rescued. The fire's significance changes in this quote: "'His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too'" (Golding 202).

In the novel Lord of The Flies, Piggy’s glasses symbolise the boys’ last reminder of civilisation, the social structure outside of the island and humanity. These glasses are linked to Piggy because they are a part of his identity and his glasses are a way to help Piggy not be ignored by the boys, as he otherwise is seen as the outsider. Throughout the novel, as the glasses become shattered, it results in more savagery. When they discover the significance of the glasses, and how to start a fire, the glasses begin symbolise hope of survival and rescue, and as they become shattered their hope of survival and rescue is diminished.

The boys were worried and scared when they first got off the crash landed plane on the island. The boys were unorganized until they found the conch shell and organized themselves. The fire gave the boys hope and a chance of survival they first tried to bring a ship in to get them off the island but their plan didn't work.

William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies has many displays of symbolism, including Piggy’s glasses, the conch and the signal-fire. Piggy's glasses are a crucial part of the book, as they keep on being broken and stolen because it is the only way the boys and make fire. Piggy himself is a very shy and timid person, he is called a follower many times in the book, but when the time comes he stands up and says very logical things. When Piggy does not have his glasses, he is useless because he cannot see. The effect that the specs have on the boys is tremendous. The boys become savages and even kill Piggy for the glasses. At the start of the novel Piggy's specs embody the qualities of logic and reason, but as the novel progresses, However, they

The fire is a symbol of rescue because it is what the boys use to signal passing ships or planes, but it also represents how hopeful they are for rescue. At the beginning of the novel, it is clear that “the fire is the most important thing on the island… the smoke is more important than the pig… [they have] got to make smoke up there - or die” (Golding, 80-81). Additionally, when the fire is alive and burning bright, the boys have lots of

The fire is hope for them because if someone see it that person will help them get back to England. When the boys give up hope they become savage. Mankind goes chaotic if they have no hope because they do not care what they do

Jack and the hunters decide it was more important to have fun and let the fire flicker out. This stupid decision lost them a chance to be rescued. Continually , fire symbolises destruction. In the beginning of the novel they let the fire get out of control which burns a large portion of the island resulting in the “boy with the birthmark” to go missing. Likewise, at the end of the novel jack sets the island on fire in an attempt to

Now that Jack is the new leader, he became increasingly greedy and mean and exiled Ralph and Piggy from the rest of the group and left them with nothing, except the symbolic origin of fire, Piggy’s glasses. But instead of using fire to divide the group they really needed everyone to come together to create a controlled fire so they can get off the island. While Ralph and Piggy were away Jack tried to create a signal fire, but instead he created a bonfire that ended up burning a quarter of the island down. Piggy walks up to Jack and told him (because he was mad): “‘You got your small fire all right.’ ...the boys were falling still and silent, feeling the beginnings of awe at the power set free below them” (55). Jack knew they needed a fire, but in reality Jack did not understand how destructive a fire can be, and ended up killing one of the members of the group with the fire he started. With the group divided and life in danger, the symbolic meaning of fire is displayed in this quote because it demonstrates the order and or chaos that is on the island and how nearly all of the social structure on the island could be lost as quickly as the time it takes to snap Piggy’s glasses in half.

Does a picture really embody a thousand words? How about symbols? How much do they represent? William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, uses symbolism to convey the theme people tend to use their primal instincts when there are no authority figures. This narrative uses Piggy’s glasses as it starts off as a tool, and then slowly becomes a weapon of savagery as the boys abuse the glasses’ power.

While they are out, a ship passes by the island, but because there is no fire, the ship does not see or rescue them. Throughout the novel and in general, fire represents and brings hope and civilization, and Jack and the other hunters have just both of those away from the boys by not keeping the fire going. Jack and the hunters take away civilization first. When the choir returns to the others, they are chanting, “Kill the pig. Cut her throat.