Keywords: William Golding,Glasses,Lord of the Flies,Novel,Symbols,BOY,Birthmark
Imagine a group or young boys landing on a remote island. They have no supervision and no adult help. In his groundbreaking novel Lord of the Flies William Golding demonstrated what can happen under these circumstances. Golding employs many literary devices in his multifaceted novel. Symbolism is the most important thing. This essay discusses symbolism within Lord of the Flies. It focuses on three important objects, the conch, fire and bestie. Golding shows the boys’ adaptations and changes through each of these symbols. These symbols are also used to illustrate the ideals of each boy on a variety elements, including human nature and society’s controls. These three symbols are also subject to change and are an integral part of the story. Piggy first discovered the conch on the island as a large shell. Because it is so important, the conch displays great power throughout the book. This conch’s importance and power can best be compared with the Rabbi removing the torah from its ark. Ralph and Piggy use the conch to call all the boys together on an island where they are alone. This is the first time that the conch has been mentioned. “We can use the Conch to call other people. Invite them to join us for a meeting (16).” We then see again how the Conch draws the boys to it. It is like a magnet that attracts everyone who uses it. “By Ralph’s end, the platform had crowded (32).” Conch also shows the concept of civilization. When everyone is talking simultaneously, it is called disorder. “Conch, that is what the shell’s name is. The next person who speaks will get the conch. He can hold while he’s speaking (33)” The conch is finally used to demonstrate how Piggy helps others and not to get credit. It was used because Piggy first saw the Conch. Piggy also instructed Ralph how it worked. Ralph was the first to see the Conch’s noise and got credit.
Fire is the next and most prominent symbol in the story. The fire, which was used to heat and cook early on in human history, was seen as a savior. Ralph would be the one who saved him. There are many interpretations of the fire. Like the boys, the fire can be used to create constructive things. They could even get a ship to rescue them. “If they come by the island, they might see us. We must light a fire (38). This is also a sign of the responsibility these boys have, but only a few seem to possess. This is what Ralph demonstrated when he placed Jack and his hunters in charge. Then they forget to light it so that they can go hunting. This causes a lot of conflict. “There was a ship there. You promised to keep the fire burning, but you actually let it go. They might have seen that we were gone, so they may have thought we had gone home. The fire is then used to reflect the actions of the boy. Although the boys were able to establish a sense and order among themselves, it was soon that all hell broke loose. A fire was also started in order to save the boys. It quickly got out of hand and nearly claimed Ralph’s life.
The “beastie” is the most common symbol throughout the novel, although it’s often misinterpreted or misunderstood. Because the “beastie”, which is the root of the chaos, appears throughout the story, the “beastie”, also appears throughout the story. The “beastie”, or evil, is a representation of society’s evil and appears in Simon’s discussion about Satan. The war on the island that killed many boys and landed them there was caused by the evil side of human nature. The “beastie,” as they were known, drove the boys to violence, fear, hatred, and an antagonistic vibe. These components create chaos, which causes chaos in a simplified society. This makes civilized individuals look like the beasts within all of us. The “beastie”, Chapter 8 – “Gift for the Darkness”, told Simon: “Fancy thinking the Monster was something that you’ll chase, kill!” I’m part you? Near, near, near! It’s not possible because of me. Why are things the way they are?” Mother Nature was eventually affected by Jack’s evil behaviour, and Ralph’s murder. Ralph was the final representative of civility, deep quality, and human dignity among the many, brutish boys.
Piggy’s eyeglasses serve as the last symbol. Piggy’s eyes are an example of how the boys live on the island. The glasses were used for lighting the fire. “His specs are burning glasses (40).” This is very close to the way the boys treated Piggy. Piggy was a useful person in situations where he discovered the conch and he always tried to make things right. Piggy is not a good boy and he doesn’t want to hurt his brothers. This shows that the boys are actually destroying their island by dismantling everything they find useful.
Symbolism is an integral part of Lord of the Flies. Golding brings together emotion, symbolism and thought through all of the major symbols in Lord of the Flies. The boys’ emotions are expressed through the symbols in the novel.
Cited sources
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Fitzgerald, J. F., & Kayser, J. R. (1992). Golding’s Lord of the Flies: Pride as the Original Sin. Studies in the Novel published an article in their 24th volume, 1st issue, exploring the topic of [topic] and concluded [conclusion] (78-88). (https://www.jstor.org/stable/29532839)
Faryyad, F., Ajmal, M., & Ali, S. (2020). A Corpus-Based Study of the Symbolism of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation recently published the 24th edition of their publication, which covers many topics related to the rehabilitation of people with mental health issues. (https://www.academia.edu/39112023/Symbolism_in_William_Goldings_Lord_of_the_Flies)
Kruger, A. (1999). Golding’s Lords and Flies. The Explicator, a journal published in the year 57(3), recently published an article discussing the meaning of certain texts. The article looks at how different interpretations of the texts are created and how they shape the understanding of the text. The article also highlights the importance of considering multiple interpretations when attempting to understand the text. (https://doi.org/10.1080/00144949909596859)