William Golding served in the Royal Navy during World War II that lasted from 1939-1945. Due to his traumatic experiences throughout the war, this created a combination of ideas involving the change of people because of the influence of power. Although, in his early stages of life Golding spent his childhood very sheltered. Likewise, his occupation during adulthood was an elementary English private school teacher. These ideas provide the assumption that Golding more than likely is inclined to think that children were innocent and had not seen the real world until he had joined the war. In addition to this idea, the events affected Golding vastly which influenced him to demonstrate some characteristics through the characters and events in Lord …show more content…
Although, Piggy was one of the only characters that remained true to himself and kept a sense of intelligence amongst the group. Piggy's characteristics vary dramatically compared to the others which caused them to bully him. The group used intimidating names such as "fat boy" and "fatty" when conversing about Piggy. Involving the idea of symbolism as it relates to the idea of Piggy, his glasses were very significant when explaining his important role in Lord of the Flies. The glasses represented an example of mental power amongst the group and their survival on the island. Throughout the tragic event, the glasses showed both knowledge and understanding in representing Piggy's true identity and his mental power over the group. Furthermore, when the boys decide to use Piggy's glasses to start the fire again this foreshadows the idea of intelligence by proving to Ralph that he contributed to building the fire. "His specs-use them as burning glasses!" (Golding 40). Similarly, this demonstrates the relationship of power and the glasses as the burning of the glasses will increase their chance of being rescued and a greater chance of survival (Al Najm). Many of the boys did not see the intelligence and overall power that the glasses represented as they were mostly obsessed with the idea of …show more content…
There are several different ideas and characteristics that both the Holocaust and characters in Lord of the Flies compare to such as their mental stableness and how it varies throughout the novel. Many Nazi had trouble hearing gunshots, bombings or enemies approaching because they were mentally unstable by the end of the war. This idea relates to the boys at the beginning of the novel. They all agreed upon a well-organized plan of action but when irrelevant ideas became more of a priority than survival everything began to crumble, along with the boy's sense of intelligence and diligence. Another similar characteristic between the two similar topics would be the desire for physical power. During World War II many large companies fought over power in smaller countries. An example of this would be England and Germany, they both for power amongst smaller countries to join their democracy. At the beginning of the novel, Golding shows the fight for power between Ralph and Jack on who will lead and more importantly have control over the conch. "Him with the shell." "Ralph! Ralph!" "Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing"(Golding 16). Towards the end of the novel, Jack gains a majority of the control over the group as he influences the group to hunt and how to maintain the beast. This also relates back to
LOTF Symbolism The book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, is about how a group of young schoolboys in the midst of a World War, end up on a deserted island after a plane crash. The changing nature of Piggy, who is a symbol of the voice of reason, evolves from being necessary to being killed and having the reason of the island go along with him. In the beginning of the novel, Piggy is described as plump "The fat boy lowered himself over the terrace and sat down carefully, using the edge as a seat"(10), nearsighted "He wiped his glasses and adjusted them on his button nose"(11), and asthmatic "I can't swim.
Sereno,Vernon: The significance of the glasses is that is symbolizes the inteligence of the group. In chapter 2, page 34 it reads: Piggy puts on his glasses. " Nobody knows where we are. " This shows that he thought long and hard about the situation and didn 't have a fun time. This quote supports my answer because since Piggy has asthma and wears glasses, he has a lot more time to think than the other kids.
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding has many symbols within it, but the strongest and biggest symbol is Piggy’s glasses because them being stolen from him marked a significant change in their behaviors from civil to savage and they were the reason the fire was made that led to their rescue. Towards the end of the book, Jack and a few others stole Piggy’s glasses from him with brute force. Not only did this action make Piggy useless, but it gave the most powerful thing on the island to the most corrupt and savage boy. When Jack attacked the shelter, “Ralph and Piggy’s corner became a complication of snarls and crashes and flying limbs,” (Golding 167) proving that Jack was far from civil in his way of obtaining the glasses. This moment
To Ralph, Piggy’s glasses were a tool used for fire and didn't really serve much more use than for Piggy to comprehend what is going on around them. “Ralph – remember what we came
Lord Of The Flies Every obstacle in life makes you stronger even if at the time you think you’re going through hell and don’t know how you’re going to get out. In the novel Lord Of The Flies by William Golding the author uses many ways in each different situation to develop the theme of the novel. Every story has situations that are shocking to the reader, and this book was great at letting the reader know what’s going on before the character. Character development was very big in this book as each boy changed towards the end.
These glasses serve as not only a fire starter, but as a reminder of who they were and the life they lived before the crash. It helps them keep in touch with their roots to insure that their past didnt burn up in the plane. Piggy finds a conch on the island and teaches Ralph how to use it. Piggy, because of his asthma, is unable to use the conch. The conch represents law.
Piggy’s glasses connects to his integrity because he acted like his true self when he had them on. Also as shown here by the way he instantly reacted to Ralph. Ralph was in the pool, while Piggy is on the side of the pool, then Ralph squirts water onto Piggy and laughs. He thought Piggy was going to just let it go and not do anything, but “Piggy beat the water with his hand” onto Ralph (Golding 131). Piggy demonstrates the lesson he learns because if Ralph had done this in the beginning of the book Piggy would 've just taken it or try to ask him to stop.
Piggy and his glasses play very vital roles in the book. For example, without Piggy Ralph wouldn't have known how to blow the conch. Another way Piggy is vital is that his glasses are used to start the fires. The glasses can symbolize law and order which is what Piggy represents as well. Piggy is more of an intellectual person that is outcasted by the other boys because he can not do much of any physical work.
The last significant symbol from the book was Piggy’s glasses. Used throughout the book to both help Piggy see and to light the fire, Piggy’s glasses played a very important role. During the course of Lord of the Flies, it was evident that Piggy was the most rational boy on the island, even though he was often ridiculed by his peers. Piggy saw clearly when others lost sight of themselves. The real downfall of the story began when Piggy’s glasses were stolen from him, when Jack Merridew and his tribe of savages attacked him.
Timothy Liu: The significance of Piggy's glasses in Lord of the Flies. The Piggy's glasses represent a escape from times where he doesn't want to be notice. On pg 16, "Piggy outside: he went very pinik, bowed his head and clean his glasses again." Another example is on pg 15, He shrank to the otherside of Ralph and busied himself with his glasses."
(page 18) The entire time they are trapped on the island, Ralph is determined to get rescued. He views a fire with a smoke signal to be the only way to be saved. Piggy's glasses are the only way the boys know to start a fire so this give him some degree of importance.
As the author explains, he is a boy with a glasses who is almost blind without his specs; however, nobody even cares about his situation and never stop bullying him. For instance, the times Jack takes Piggy’s glasses, Piggy goes almost blind and cannot see anything. We can understand his pain and feelings when he starts shouting and crying; “ Here–let me go! … Mind out! Give ’em back!
World War II and the Holocaust are an ideal parallel to The Lord of the Flies. Many of the book’s people and events correspond to World War II and the Holocaust. “The pigs were treated like the nazi’s were treated by Hitler,” Mel observed. The boys killed pigs in an astounding way. The boys are chanting,"Kill the pig!
Part of Piggy’s appearance is his glasses, and they constantly get Piggy harassed or bullied, Without the aid of his glasses, Piggy is practically blind, and as a metaphorical aspect, Golding tries to tell us that Piggy is blind to the word if he isn’t wearing his glasses. When Jack constantly hits Piggy and ends up cracking the lenses of the glasses, Jack is breaking apart of Piggy; Jack is taking parts of Piggy and shattering them, making it almost impossible for Piggy to see what is going on around him. In another perspective, Piggy uses his glasses almost as a safety net, relying on them to help him survive and get through the rough times. When the boys realize this, they start taking his glasses from him to light the fire without even asking for Piggy’s permission, Jack starts slapping Piggy which breaks the glasses and causes Piggy to
William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies does not simply describe the life of a group of children stranded on an island, but rather it is a representation of the qualities of human nature. As the novel progresses, the children grow deeper into savagery, performing actions that would be often criticised in society. The absence of law and order devolves even those that attempt to recreate it, like Ralph and Piggy. In this novel, Golding uses children to answer the question whether or not humans are born inanimately good or truly evil. Golding answers this question by symbolising the main characters and their descent into savagery.