Ownership In Lord Of The Flies

Over many centuries, people have discussed what it means to own something, what can be owned, and how ownership impacts a person’s identity and sense of self. Plato argues that owning objects is detrimental to a person’s character. Aristotle claims that ownership of tangible goods helps to develop moral character. Jean-Paul Sartre, a twentieth-century philosopher, proposes that ownership extends beyond objects to include intangible things as well. Ownership is more than having an object or possession, it is how having that object or possession affects one’s identity and sense of self. Knowing something well affects personal identity. According to Sartre, becoming proficient in some skill and knowing something thoroughly means that we “own” it. After learning and practicing the art of playing piano for eight or nine years, I consider myself a proficient pianist. I own this skill, and as long as I continue to hone it, it …show more content…
In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, there is a character called Piggy, who owns a pair of glasses. These glasses are an essential tool to the boys’ survival as they use them to create fires, and the fires are used to cook their food and send smoke signals. In the beginning of the story, Piggy has possession of the glasses. However, later the in the story, his glasses are stolen. Piggy’s ownership and loss of the glasses impacts his identity in a couple of different ways. His loss of them causes him to become identified as useless because the boys need his glasses and find no use in him alone. In turn, his sense of self is diminished as he becomes a bumbling and blind little boy. However, his ownership of the glasses enables him to a boost of self esteem. Because he owns the glasses, and the boys need them, the boys must accept Piggy and treat him well. When the boys are friendly with him, he finds confidence and self