There are many symbols in “Lord of the Flies”. The conch shell, signal fire, and Piggy’s glasses are some examples of the many
symbol- Conch
-the high hand of authority
-Civilized authority, democracy
Ralph and Piggy discover the conch shell on the beach at the start of the novel and use it to summon the boys together after the crash separates them. Used in this capacity, the conch shell becomes a powerful symbol of civilization and order in the novel. The shell effectively governs the boys’ meetings, for the boy who holds the shell holds the right to speak. In this regard, the shell is more than a symbol—it is an actual vessel of political legitimacy and democratic power. As the island civilization erodes and the boys descend into …show more content…
It soon becomes the symbol of authority and law and order. The conch is used to call assemblies and only the person holding the conch could speak at the meetings.
Ralph and especially Piggy respected the symbol of the conch until it is smashed to bits by Roger, one of Jack's followers. The destruction of the conch symbolizes the destruction of what little civilization the boys possessed.
Piggy and Ralph spot a conch and decide to use it to call a meeting. All right! Island society is off to a good start. The boys impose a "rule of the conch" on themselves, deciding that no one can speak unless he's holding the conch. As a representative of law and order, the conch helps Ralph get elected: "The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart" …show more content…
On the one hand, the glasses are a pretty simple symbol. They're intended for looking through, and looking = vision; vision = sight, and sight = a metaphor for knowledge. Piggy knows things the other boys don't, like how to use the conch, and the necessity for laws and order. When the boys take his glasses, he can't see anything. "Seeing" is Piggy's greatest attribute. It's the one reason the boys don't ostracize him completely; it's the one way he's useful. Without his glasses, he's useless—and the world he represents is useless, too.
At the beginning of their Outward Bound adventure, the boys think starting a fire is a great idea, but they're stumped about how to do it. Jack mumbles something about rubbing two sticks together, but the fact is the boys just aren't wilderness-savvy enough to do this. So, they rely on a remaining relic of their old world. When the glasses break, that's one more link to civilization gone. Check out how it's described:
The chief led them, trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement. He was a chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy's broken glasses.
symbol- Conch
-the high hand of authority
-Civilized authority, democracy
Ralph and Piggy discover the conch shell on the beach at the start of the novel and use it to summon the boys together after the crash separates them. Used in this capacity, the conch shell becomes a powerful symbol of civilization and order in the novel. The shell effectively governs the boys’ meetings, for the boy who holds the shell holds the right to speak. In this regard, the shell is more than a symbol—it is an actual vessel of political legitimacy and democratic power. As the island civilization erodes and the boys descend into …show more content…
It soon becomes the symbol of authority and law and order. The conch is used to call assemblies and only the person holding the conch could speak at the meetings.
Ralph and especially Piggy respected the symbol of the conch until it is smashed to bits by Roger, one of Jack's followers. The destruction of the conch symbolizes the destruction of what little civilization the boys possessed.
Piggy and Ralph spot a conch and decide to use it to call a meeting. All right! Island society is off to a good start. The boys impose a "rule of the conch" on themselves, deciding that no one can speak unless he's holding the conch. As a representative of law and order, the conch helps Ralph get elected: "The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart" …show more content…
On the one hand, the glasses are a pretty simple symbol. They're intended for looking through, and looking = vision; vision = sight, and sight = a metaphor for knowledge. Piggy knows things the other boys don't, like how to use the conch, and the necessity for laws and order. When the boys take his glasses, he can't see anything. "Seeing" is Piggy's greatest attribute. It's the one reason the boys don't ostracize him completely; it's the one way he's useful. Without his glasses, he's useless—and the world he represents is useless, too.
At the beginning of their Outward Bound adventure, the boys think starting a fire is a great idea, but they're stumped about how to do it. Jack mumbles something about rubbing two sticks together, but the fact is the boys just aren't wilderness-savvy enough to do this. So, they rely on a remaining relic of their old world. When the glasses break, that's one more link to civilization gone. Check out how it's described:
The chief led them, trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement. He was a chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy's broken glasses.