Symbolism in Lord Of The Flies Essay

In William Goldings book Lord of the Flies uses many items such as fire, Piggys glasses, and the conch to symbolize moral destruction of the boys. His argument that this book explains how today society is; and how they will act if they were stranded on an island. How these things are important to everyday living. Plus we take those simple things for granted.

First, what the fire symbolizes is sanity. In the story Ralph says we need fire for safety, Ralph insists on the fire because he wants order and to feel sane. Fire for instance is hot and keeps its form, and if its messed with itll sporadically go out of control. Once the fire goes out darkness begins to set in exactly how craziness sets in when Ralphs request for keeping the fire going is ignored. The storm in the book represents hopelessness and anger. Because when Ralph tells SamnEric that they need to keeps the fire going at the top of the hill they listen to him. But when Ralph and some boys get into an argument thats when the storm comes in. When the fire gets put out, Ralph loses a little bit of his moral and sanity.

Then, Piggys glasses symbolize how clear things were when he first arrived on the island. Glasses help people who cant see, see, and thats why piggy needed them he was very smart and had great ideas. But as time started to progress on the island one of the lenses cracked, and when the lens cracked so did Piggys mental stability. More time had passed so more things happened and he lost a lens. That can symbolize that little boy with mulberry mark that they lost in the begging. Also, can symbolize how Piggy is losing his mind. Piggy always says I need my glasses or I cant see, when he says that; since the boys are getting crazier every time they stay on the island is that the crack in the lens can symbolize how cracked their society is. Then something terrible happens to the glasses they get shattered in a stand-off between a couple of boys, and when that happens almost all sanity is lost.

After, the fires been put out, the glasses have been shattered, and then theres the conch. What the conch symbolizes in the story leadership and order. To the boys the conch was everything, but there was a rule and Piggy made it; it was You must have the conch to speak in the council. When Ralph blew the conch it would make a beautiful sound and a very loud one at that. The boys would come and sit and talk that shows leadership. Later on the story Ralph and a boy argue throughout the story and couldnt agree on a thing; there was a huge power struggle between them. The boys split up and its just Ralph, Piggy, and SamnEric so Ralph has lost his leadership through the whole pack of kids. In the beginning there was order and somewhat civilization. Order is what kept the boys in line and when Ralph lost leadership and respect with the boys; order was lost and things started to get very disorienting. Piggy brought the conch to a quarrel between two boy s and in the end it was shattered which means all sanity is lost there is no hope. The boys were heading down a destructive path and their morals; what morals they have none.

Finally, in the beginning Ralph had pushed for a fire he didnt get one, Piggy lost his glasses due to argument and paid the ultimate price for them, and they have lost the conch in the end. Those three things represented all things pure and happiness. But in the end all of those things were decimated in vain not in honor. With those things desecrated those things symbolized the kids morals, and since those things are gone so are the kids morals. So in the end morals are gone and there is no hope; what is left to fight for?