Answer the following in at least 2 well developed paragraphs then respond to at least 2 of your peers in at least one well developed paragraph:
How do the following items function as symbols in this novel: Piggy’s glasses, the conch
shell, the fire, the pig’s head? Think of them and how they reoccur throughout the novel (or don't); what is the significance of the symbols reoccurring or only appearing once?
The symbols in the novel play very important roles in the overall development of the story and the message that the author is trying to get across to the reader. Piggy's glasses are a symbol of intelligence. When the boys were faced with the problem of how to create a signal fire, the glasses were a useful tool and solution. Piggy uses science to face problems, having such knowledge keeps the children sane and civil. The glasses are a constant symbol throughout the novel because it is a connection to the past that the children want to return to. The conch shell is another constant symbol. The conch symbolizes power and order. The shell determines who has the floor during meetings and calls the children together when sounded. This can be compared to a whistle during a sports game, it sets rules and people follow them just like the children listen to Ralph when he blows on the conch.
ReplyDeleteThe fire is a symbol of hope for the children. Most of the children are determined to get rescued from the island and a signal fire is one of the only ways that they can get off of it. But the fire is also dangerous because they cannot control it, they let the fire get to big and it spreads into an uncontrollable wildfire. The pig's head is probably one of the most important symbols in the novel, especially since the head is called the lord of the flies which is the title of the story. The pig's head represents how the children have become savage killers and hunters. They have lost their sense of civilization and it represents Golding's central message: People have the power to be evil. Darkness is within us all, even small innocent children.
As per usual, our posts are similar. I would have to agree with all of your statements made above about the symbols. For the most part, they are the same as mine. However, I liked your summary of Golding's message; we definitely all have darkness inside of us, regardless of whether we are guilty murders or small schoolchildren trapped on an island. Once you take away civilization, that darkness will come out of you.
DeleteI agree with you that the pig's head is probably the one of the most important symbols in the novel. It shows how the boys have become savage and that it is only human nature to act out in that matter when put into those situations. I also agree that the boys have lost their sense of civilizations because they keep the pig's head in the first place instead of just throwing it to the side.
DeleteI've heard before from more than one individual -- People know what is right and what is wrong and they still choose to do the wrong thing. I think that is the same for the novel. Even young children know most of the difference between right and wrong and yet there is till a cynical side to these children.
DeleteI like how you compared the conch to a whistle. The conch and the whistle both bring order and "peace" to the situation that they are being used in. I also agree with you that the pig's head might be the most important symbol in the story. I mean that weird kid Simon had a whole conversation with the conch.
DeleteI agree, the pig's head is by far the most important symbol in this novel. It shows the innocence of children does not matter when being influenced by evil sources. It also ties in the book title.
DeleteI agree with what you are saying about Gouldings central messege. Goulding is trying to say that no matter how old a person is there is always going to be something in the way to bring out the worst in people.
DeleteSymbolism: the ever-returning stigma of the High School English student. It seems as though every time we do one of these discussions, it is somehow centered around symbolism. Anyways, on to my analysis. Piggy's glasses are representative of intelligence. Piggy is by far the most intelligent out of the boys (except for maybe Simon, but since he is kind of a devil-worshipper, it doesn't quite apply to him) and is the go to man when they need a problem solved. When Jack shattered Piggy's glasses in the first act of the boys' adventure on the island, it represented the boys letting go of societal norms of how children act, even though it goes against what they have learned all their lives from their parents. However, Piggy keeps the glasses, representing that fact that all of the boys, deep down, wanted to return to the days where they were normal in society. The conch shell is a symbol representing organization and power. The boys use it at meetings to decide who is talking, and design a code around it called the Rule of the Conch. The conch is the only badge of authority the boys encounter on the island, and also the only one that they will actually obey. For instance, they will not pay any of Ralph's commands any mind, but they listen to his every word at the meetings.
ReplyDeleteMoving on to the next symbol, the fire on the mountain. The fire on the mountain is primarily a symbol of hope, as the boys created it to try and attract the attention of anybody in the air or the sea in hopes of being rescued. However, it is also, paradoxically, a symbol of destruction and disorder, as the first fire turns into a massive wildfire, and at least one of the boys goes unaccounted for afterwards. The pig's head is also a symbol of destruction. The head, being the Lord of The Flies, meaning Satan, is Simon's personal idol, and becomes symbolic of the boy's transformation from little schoolboys to savages on an island.
I'm sure symbols won't be a thing of the past once we graduate, either. I agree with you that Piggy is the most intelligent boy but I interpreted the glasses as symbolizing technology/science and the power of technology/science. The conch is seemingly the easiest symbol to decipher, as we all have, so far, some to a consensus on its meaning. The fire is a complicated symbol but I think you explained it well. The pig's head and the swam of flies around it does indeed symbolize the innate evil/savagery of the human race.
DeleteI don't agree with you that Simon is a devil-worshipper, he is probably one of the most civil, level-headed characters in the entire story. He even says that the animals or beast were the children themselves. But I do agree with you that the pig's head represents the transition that the boys have gone through from their experiences on the island. Since there is no authority on the island (adults) the children put their respect into something as simple as a shell because they do not know any better. There are no rules that they must follow because their civil nature has been lost.
DeleteI CANNOT wait to graduate. I really enjoy this class and Mr. Lear, but these discussions have got to go. Anyway, I would have to agree that Piggy is the most intelligent one of the group since he figures out that he can actually start the fire and what not. The conch shell always reminds me of Sponge Bob... "The conch knows all, let's ask the conch" type of thing.
Delete^^^ Preach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteI also agree that Piggy is one of the most intelligent characters in the book, and that the conch shell represents power. The one who holds it, holds the power.
THY LEAR ALWAYS COMEUPTH WITH THESE DISSCUSSIONSETHS! Anyway... During this novel Tyrone recently mixed the baking soda with whatever was in the pot on the stove, and he created magic. TRAVISTER! jk lol ok... First off, symbolism means the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. In the novel LOTF, the conch is the main symbol and the only symbol that is consistent in the novel. The conch had such a significance to all the boys because it was such a staple in helping them begin their own “civilization”. ACTUALLY, the conch is what brought the boys altogether in the first place. The boys then began to use the conch as their talking stick. The boys treated the conch shell as a magical object, one that was higher and more powerful than all of them. Mr. Lear stated another symbol above which is piggy's glasses. This became a symbol once the boys used them to create a fire. The glasses symbolized the ability to see and understand things clearly. Piggy is the only boy, besides Jack, who really sees how things should be done.
ReplyDeleteEach of the symbols are utilized more than once and get troubled frequently. Its part of the boys trying to be civil and normal with a big difference below them. I believe they are all tied together in the novel to help show how the boys begin to change from civil to savage. These changes also help show how the novel goes from good to bad
Stove cooked cocaine = Mr. Lear? So he's dope? I'm confused. What? Okay. Your definition of symbolism is seems pretty legitimate. I don't agree that the conch is only symbol that's consistent in the novel, there are many that are. Although, I do think the conch is a pretty important one. Your interpretation of the symbolism behind Piggy's glasses is interesting. The loss of the boys' innocence is definitely a main theme in the novel.
DeleteSarcasm aside, you brought up some good points in your discussion. Although I disagree with you saying that the conch is the only true consistent symbol in the novel, because, as Victoria stated, there are many that are consistent throughout. Your description of Piggy's glasses, albeit a bit unorthodox, is an accurate one, and your analysis of the lost innocence is good as well. Why is it every time we have a discussion, all of the comments end up sounding similar?
DeleteYour childish antics make it hard for me to respond to your post in a non sarcastic. Your definition of symbolism is down to par. Your statement about Piggy's glasses is surprisingly accurate. I disagree on how his glasses only became a symbol when the boys used them to create fire. Piggy's glasses are used as a sign of intelligence. His glasses also sparked the first movement to civilization on the island.
DeleteThere are several recurring and one-time symbols in Lord of the Flies. All of the symbols given for us to decode (Piggy’s glasses, the conch shell, the fire, and the pig’s head) are recurring. The importance of this is add to the complexity of whatever idea or thing the symbol is signifying. A great example of this is how fire is used in Lord of the Flies. Fire is seen in every chapter of the novel except the first, and is very complex. The signal fire represents hope. In the beginning of the book, the boys are hopeful that they’ll be rescued. As the story progresses, the fire dies down, symbolizing the boys’ degression into savagery and the loss of their hope. If this symbol hadn’t been recurring then this change would not have been pictured so eloquently.
ReplyDeletePiggy’s glasses represents the use of science/technology. Glasses are a piece of technology. Optometry wouldn’t be much of a priority in the wild, it’s a connection to civilization. The glasses are used to create the fire. Science and technology is powerful. The conch shell is a large symbol. It represents order in society. With it, meetings are called and agendas (not physical ones) are talked over in an orderly fashion. The pig’s head symbolizes savagery. It represents the evil in the boys, and on a larger scale, the evil in humanity.
As I said in my response, I also agree that the fire represents hope because it is the boys only way of finding a way out of the island. I mean that is the boys main focus is to be rescued and back with their parents at home. The boys do end up losing hope of being found when they start to care less about the fire being made. They feel as if there is no point in going through the trouble of making the fire because they believe that they will never be found and go back to the lives that they once had.
DeleteI agree with your thoughts here on the different items and what they can symbolize, specifically the conch shell because it is the very first symbol we are introduced to in the novel. It serves its purpose to maintain order in society of the island. But as we have seen throughout history, civilizations fall because of internal revolts which in this novel would be the boys becoming savage and not caring about anything except surviving on the island. They have moved from a point to wanting to be saved to now just surviving like animals.
DeletePiggy's glasses, the fire, the conch shell and the pig's head all function as symbols in the novel that play important roles into making the novel so important. Piggy's glasses in the novel symbolize intelligence due to him knowing that his glasses could help start a fire. When the boys had no other resources to make a fire, Piggy's glasses are what made a huge turning point for them surviving on the island. Since the boys now had a fire, the fire symbolizes their hope of being rescued. They use the fire as a signal to be seen by a plane or by a boat to, for their sake, be found. However, their knowledge on the fire is what is lacking because it tends to get too big and out of control. As the novel progresses, the boys lose interest in making a fire because they feel as all hope is gone for them and there is no point.
ReplyDeleteThe conch shell represents superiority and order as to who has a turn to talk in the meetings that the boys have. Ralph uses the conch shell to call meetings and assign who has the privilege to speak while a meeting is taking place. The conch shell helps keep things in order without any problems and the boys seem to respect that aspect of the conch. The pig's head represents what the book is mainly about. The pig's head came from a pig that the boys hunted down and killed. It represents how the boys have becomes savages from the circumstances that they are in and proves that even the most innocent of minds can become savages which is the overlying theme that Golding wanted to portray through making children the main characters.
I agree with you in how the conch shell could represent superiority. We see the order it brings during all the times throughout the novel when it is blown to summon the boys. They also respect the rule they placed about whoever had the shell had the chance to speak while the others would remain silent in listen. Superiority on the other hand can be seen because in the very beginning when the boys were selecting a leader, Ralph was selected because he had the shell which had brought everyone together in which Jack felt as a challenge therefore causing the uneasiness because he felt inferior
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSomeone who understands my point. Thank you. I agree with what you said on how piggy's glasses symbolize some intelligence. I believe this is where you could actually see something civil happening in a savage area with kids. Also, the conch helped certain kids get some leadership. Yet, it's crazy how the little munchkins started going crazy after they figure out the fire isn't getting them any attention. I would go chase monkeys for food and also catch fish
DeleteI didn't really think of the fire representing hope exactly, but I agree with it now. I don't really think the conch shell represents superiority as much as it represents social order. I can see where you can conclude that though.
DeleteI agree the fire symbolizes hope and the desire to be found. The conch shell represents superiority and order is also a statement I totally agree with.
DeleteThroughout Lord of the Flies there are a variety of symbols. Some of these symbols appear more than once throughout the novel while others just appear once. One of these recurring symbols is the conch. The conch is what brings all the boys together in the beginning, therefore the conch is symbol of civilization and order since the boys set rules about whenever a person held the shell, that person would be the only to speak while the others would listen. They respect this at first but as the novel continues the conch loses its significance. The next item that appears more than once would be the fire. This fire serves the boys as a signal fire and a beacon of hope for the boys. Because of the location of the signal fire it can easily be spotted from the ocean therefore making it an effective signal. It is a signal of hope because this fire is the only possibility for the boys to get off the fire and in a way, it is the only connection to civilization. Though as the fire died out, one can assume that the boys have lost all hope and are now falling into savagery.
ReplyDeletePiggy's glasses and even Piggy himself are symbols in this story. Piggy seems to be the most intelligent of the boys and therefore is the one that thinks the most rational. His glasses like my fellow classmates have said is a piece of technology which has came about thanks to science and for science to have been created it required humans to be civilized otherwise we would have never got around to create all the things we see today. The pig's head can symbolize savagery and a turning point in the story in which the boys starting falling into savagery. Prior to getting the pig, the boys acted in a more civilized manner but after hunting the pig down, the boys started to stray from being civilized.
Science sets the rules in society sometimes. Innovations and inventions push our civilization forward, away from the savage nature we once were a part of. I agree with you that piggy could also be a symbol in the story. He is the only child with glasses on the island and one of few that actually thinks with his head and not with his emotions. The pig's head again, as I stated earlier, embodies the children's savage nature and what their games of hunting and killing have turned them into.
DeleteMost of these symbols represent order and civilization. The conch shell is a symbol of rules and order. The glass represents intelligence, while the fire represents hope. The only negative symbol out of the four is the pig's head. It symbolizes the transformation from civilized beings to savages. It is also the turning point of the story. Golding used these four symbols to convey the theme of the book: people are vulnerable to outside influences.
DeletePiggy’s glasses function as a symbol that symbolizes the intellectual and orderly side of society. The conch shell is used to regroup all of the boys after the plane crash. The conch shell is also symbolizes the order that a society can actually have. Of course, the fire is used to send a signal to anyone who can help the boys. The fire symbolizes hope and will to be rescued. As long as the fire is burning there is still hope in the boy’s minds that they can be rescued.
ReplyDeleteThe pig head is juxtaposition to the other symbols mentioned. The pig head symbolizes the other side of society, the dark side, or the savagery of society. The significance of the symbols either reoccurring, or not depends on the importance of the item. Also the importance of the message that the author wanted these items to symbolize was shown depending on how much the item reoccurred throughout the story.
I agree with you that the fire symbolizes hope. When the fire goes out, is when the boys have lost all hope. They should just gather around the campfire and sing their campfiresong song. In all seriousness though, I agree with you that the more the symbol is shown throughout the story, the more important it is.
DeleteI did not realize until now that the pig's head was juxtaposed with the other symbols, great point. The fire was an excellent sign of whether or not the boys lost hope of being rescued.
DeleteThere are many symbols in the Lord of the Flies. The first symbol is Piggy's glasses, which are a symbol for intelligence. Piggy is the smartest person in the group of kids, and he helps solve problems that the rest of the group can't figure out. The next symbol is the conch shell. ALL HAIL THE MAGIC CONCH. The conch represents power and order, because it is used to call the group to a meeting, and the person holding it is the only person that is supposed to talk.
ReplyDeleteThe Next symbol in this series is the signal fire. The fire is a signal for the group's hope to be rescued, while it is on there is a chance to be seen by passing ships. When they let the fire go out, it is a symbol that they have given up hope of being rescued and have accepted their life on the island. The last symbol is the pig's head. The pig's head symbolizes how the kids turned into savages and have no chill bruh. They have turned into killers, and they have lost their innocence and become less civilized.
I agree with you on all the meaning of the symbols. Most of these symbols are positive, while the pig's head represents negative element. Piggy's glasses is a symbol of intelligence and civilization, as he tried to use to create a fire. The conch shell and the fire both represents order and hope respectively. All three shows a connection to civilization. The last one, the pig's head, however, has a negative elements. It represents the transformation of the kids from civilized beings to the savages they are now.
DeleteI agree with you on the meaning of the symbols. I agree that the children are no longer civilized but now only savages. The conch shell, glasses, and fire are no longer any use for the children anymore. Almost as if they are no longer useful in the novel.
DeleteALL HAIL THE MAGIC CONCH. I agree with you on all the meaning of the symbols. I like to think how slowly and slowly the children are becoming more and more savage. They are killers. They are murderers. Hell, they are natural humans fighting to survive. I give it three weeks before they start eating each other.
DeleteThere are many symbols throughout the story. The four most important ones are piggy's glass, the conch shell, the fire, and the pig head. Piggy's glass represents the civil and intelligent aspect of the stranded kids. In the story, Piggy used the glass to light the fire. This is one example of the civilized aspect of the kids, and it represents a connection between the old innocence kids and the current savage one. The conch shell, on the other hand, represents power and order. At the initial meeting, it was established that whoever has the conch shell is going to the leader. At that time, they were still civilized and orderly. However, as time moves on, they gradually ignore the order of the shell and it loses power.
ReplyDeleteThe fire has two symbols: hope and destruction. They use the fire to signal for ships to rescue them. For them, it remains the only hope for them to get out of island. While using the fire as a hope for the kids, it is also a symbol of destruction, as it went out of control and became a wildfire. Golding put fire as a double-symbol to convey to us that there is two sides to everything. Finally, we have the pig's head. The pig's head symbolizes the transformation of the kids. It showed how the kids turned from good, innocent school kids to the savages they are now. It also represents the vulnerability of the human heart and how the environment can change people.
I think that Piggy's glasses used as a symbol is one of my favorite things. I think its because of how simple it is. Like I said in my post, I feel like the fire and the conch shell go hand in hand.
DeleteI agree with the meaning of all the symbols i liked most the conch shell (probably because of spongebob) its what brings the children together in first place. The conch represented power and order that the children do not have anymore. The conch shell is useless now.
DeleteSymbols are a very important part of the novel. There are many different ones throughout this story used for different. One of the main ones, and in my opinion, one of the most important ones is the conch shell. The conch shell is one of the first things that is found on the island and it is used to summon the boys. It is a sign of civility. It is a sign that there is still social order among the boys. As the boys fall more into the savage ways, the conch shell also deteriorates. The less of their civil nature is shown, the less the conch can do anything to affect the boys.
ReplyDeleteSomething else that also goes along with the previously stated symbol is the fire. The fire is used by the boys to try and signal boats to come and and rescue them, at least that's what it should do. The fire at first, is used to the extent that it should be. As the civil side of the boys starts to slowly fade away, so does the fire. Their need to no longer be rescued compliments their descent into their savage nature.
I would think that the fire was a sign of hope the boys had of being rescued that eventually died out overtime as they became more savage. I like the link you used between the conch and the fire.
DeleteSymbols are used very often in the novel. Piggy's glasses symbolize intelligence. He was smart enough to use them to create a fire. The conch shell is a symbol of civilization. The shell governs the boys’ meetings.The boy who holds the shell holds the right to speak. The fire is also a symbol. When the fire is higher, the boys hope of being rescued is as well. However when the fire gets low, so does their desire to be found.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything stated here. Golding uses quite an abundance of symbols throughout the story such as the symbols that you stated. Your definitions for these symbols are quite on point. The best symbol would have to be Piggy's glasses, his intelligence allowed for them to have a fire in the first place. So without piggy, there would be no hope of being rescued...
DeleteSymbols are very significant not only in this novel but many novels abroad. Symbols can enlighten a reader in various ways and sometimes trigger some emotions. Symbols carry a certain meaning, depending on an authors background to be honest. Symbols vary upon whoever inserts them into the novel. The more symbols there are in novels the more we can be enlightened throughout reading the story I say.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Lord of the Flies", William Golding uses many symbols throughout the story. The symbols throughout the story are Piggy's glasses, the Fire, the Conch Shell, and the Pigs Head. Piggy's glasses represent science and technology, mankind's power to transform and remake their environment to best suit its needs. The fire symbolizes the boy's connection to human civilization: their signal fire gives them hope of rescue. The conch shell symbolizes the rule of law and civilization. It's used to call assemblies and as a kind of microphone that grants the right to speak to whoever holds it during assembly. These following symbols are repeated throughout the story to show emphasis on why they're particularly used in the story. They are also repeated to show the significant importance of these four items. There are plenty of other symbols such as the adults, the ocean, and of course the beast.
I like how you put more detail on how Piggy's glasses were used for something civil. Couldn't you elaborate more on how the adults and the ocean were a symbol that had an impact on how they're life was affected? I would refer to symbols during this story as a clue. This amazing author leaves the readers expecting the unexpected. I'm glad that you noticed how much control that conch had over things.
DeletePiggy'a glasses serve as an reoccurring symbol in The Lord of the Flies as well as the conch shell, and the fire. The glasses represents intelligence. The boys use the glasses to create a fire, when jack and his group go to the camp they steal the glasses and it basically took the group'a chances of ever getting rescued. The conch shell represents order in the group, we see how the shell gathers the boys for a meeting, and when someone holds the shell they have the right to speak over time the conch no longer represents order since it lost its "power" and no one follows by it anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe reoccurring fire represents the strength of civilized instinct they still have. The children usually let the fire die out whenever they are up to no good. Since the fire goes out they have no desire to be rescued. The pig'a head symbolizes evil, when it speaks to Simon. It tells him that evil is all within them and that he will have fun with Simon almost as to foreshadow. The significance of the reoccurring symbols serves on how the civilized boys start to become more savage. Placed in a specific environment the children's instincts will change and will let "loose" their savagery that lies beneath them.
The most important symbol here is the pig's head. The head is a symbol of evil. The head speaks to simon about having fun, but this fun is only to harm a good person that can not control the temptation of wanting to try bad things. The pig's head is also foreshadowing death, because the head also to represents the devil and the effect evil can have on one.
DeletePiggy's glasses, the fire, conch shell, & the pig's head all act as symbols & help make the novel. Piggy's glasses symbolize intelligence as he ends up using them to start a fire. This knowledge plays a great role in the boys survival. The fire is used to signal any plane/boat that passes the island so they can be rescued. The use of fire starts to die when the boys begin to stop caring about putting the signal fire.
ReplyDeleteThe conch shell represents authority & order at meetings where whoever has the shell can talk. An example of the shell showing authority is that Ralph uses the conch shell to call meeting & such. This helps maintain order as well by them respecting this.
The pig's head represents what the book is mainly about. The pig's head came from a pig that the boys ended up killing after hunting it for a long time. It represents how the boys have becomes savages from being stranded on the island for a long period of time. It also shows that even the most innocent person can become savages when put in such situations. This is a major theme that Golding wanted his readers to understand by how he made children the main characters.
Symbolism is everpresent in literature and this novel is no acception. In Lord of the Flies, some of the main symbols are Piggy's glasses, the conch, the fire, and the pigs head. All of these serve their own individual purpose in conveying a meaning in this book.
ReplyDeletePiggy's glasses represent intelligence. They show the boys' survival skills and desire to live. Everything they do is with a purpose and their use of the glasses shows they are resourceful and quick to find solutions. The conch symbolizes social order. It's main use is to bring the boys together and to keep them focused. As the novel goes on and chaos breaks loose, the boys lose respect for the conch. The fire can be seen as a representation of hope. As the boys first build the fire, they are optimistic about their survival chances. However, each time the fire dies, so do their hopes of being saved. The pig head shows savagery, loss of innocence, and the natural evil of the human nature. If you were to leave a bloody pig's head outside, it would attract flies. Knowing this, the reader can assume the head is surrounded by flies, and the presence of Beelzebub, literally the "Lord of the Flies," is there. This shows the boys, apart from Simon, are all turning toward the devil, toward evil.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThese items function as symbols in the novel, because Piggy's glasses symbolize science and intelligence, because when in the island the boy's do not know how to start a fire a use Piggy's glasses to make the fire from the reflection of the sun. Piggy himself is a symbol of the intellectual aspects of civilization. The symbol that rises from this glasses is fire the fire symbolizes the wanting of the boy's to return to civilization and the link of the boy's to civilization. The conch shell that is used in the beginning of the novel to bring the boy's together is a symbol of unity, and leadership, because when it is blown all the children come together and the person who blows it is always heard and this is also a symbol of wanting to keep their civil ways alive and not let them die.
The last a probably if not the most important symbol is the pig's head a.k.a the lord of the flies. The lord of the flies is an important symbol not only because it is the name of the book, but because this head represents evil, the evil of which brings out tue beast in who ever comes upon it even in the most innocent human being. This head is also a symbol of the devil and how the devil is waiting on the moment to attack even the most innocent mind and being out the worst in them. The reoccurrence of these symbols is used to covey that both hope and evil are always present and that the boy's arw a good target for evilndue to their innocence.
The main symbols in Lord of the Flies are Piggy's glasses, the conch, the fire, and the pig's head. For starters, the conch introduced at the beginning of the story signifies civilization, the order and authority which controls the way society works. For example, the meetings that the boys partake in are called into order by the sound of the conch and the one holding the conch may speak. The fire was at first made in attempt to be rescued, however, overtime the fire was without care, which symbolized the acceptance of living on the island. The pig's head symbolizes the inner beast within humans. The pig's head is the power of evil which was able to manifest inside Simone's head. Piggy's glasses signify power. Without the glasses, the boys cannot make a fire. Intelligence is what allowed for the fire to start. Eventually, Jack will steal Piggy's glasses in order to make a fire; the power to create what is essential to survival.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff Amado. I like to think that this is a battle of good versus evil. The glasses, the conch, and the fire is the good. The pig's head is evil. The glasses are science and all but that can be used for evil. The conch is power and order which can also be used for evil. Hope can also be corruptible and destroyed. Only thing for sure to stand is evil: the pig's head. Hopefully, evil wins.
DeleteGood inquiry, I agree that the conch symbolizes some sort of authority and/or civilization. Without the conch, as it shows later in the story, nothing is able to be discussed because of all the differing opinions with no true order.
DeleteAlright because only Lear and one or two of you will see this post, I can finally say
ReplyDeleteGlasses: Modern civilization. Glasses are modern (modern as in it wasn’t common back in medieval times) thing. Piggy wears them. Piggy solves problems using logic, science, and what not. The glasses symbolizes the society we have made for ourselves in the real world.
Conch Shell: Order. The conch is used to give power to whomever has it. Its sound brings all the boys to the yard. It brings silence; therefore, it brings order. Silence the savages with the conch. He who holds the conch controls the savages.
The fire: Hope. The fire is set to signal boats, airplanes, cars, and pedestrians who pass by that the children are there and still alive. They keep it alive for the hope that someone will see it and take them home. If it dies, hope is lost and they remain lost. Too much hope will kill you.
The Pig’s head: Savageness. The children are savages. Humans are savages. They kill; they hunt; they murder; they massacre; they are savages. It’s only the natural progression of human nature: hunt or be hunted.
And that’s it. Peace.
I agree that the glasses could symbolize modern civilization. I believe it symbolizes intelligence, but the connection between that and modern civilization could be easily made, as we are becoming a more overall intelligent society.
DeletePiggy's glasses represent intelligence in my opinion. Piggy is easily he most intelligent kid in the island, but when his glasses are stolen, that makes him incapable to see, symbolizing that without his glasses, the intelligence is gone. The symbol is always there because Piggy is always inquiring about certain issues, but when he loses his glasses, he is not able to do or say anything reasonable.
ReplyDeleteThe conch shell symbolizes civilization. Only with that conch shell, is when the kids are put to order, in the beginning of the story. However, whenever the conch shell is destroyed, it is almost as if all the boys go insane, which is what I believe what would happen if we ever had no type of civilized society or government.
The fire symbolizes hope. What is on Jack's priority list is getting out of the island, which is only possible by that fire. Thusly, this can only mean that the fire symbolizes hope.
The pig's head symbolizes savagery. The fact that they not only killed the pig, but impaled the head of said pig. This shows that innocence is gone, and all they have become are savage-like, blood thristy individuals.