Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis - 1131 Words

In Lord of the Flies (LoF) by William Golding, symbols are used to illustrate Golding’s bleak views of the basic instincts of man. It appears that Golding believes that no matter whom you are or what your life is like, your basic instincts and compulsions are dark, and self-preserving. The majority of this story can be read symbolically whether through the islands structure, the characters if the boys, or the objects occurring within the book. However the symbolism of the conch, the lord of the flies, and both fires are the three most important symbols that illustrate the true darkness of man. Golding begins his story after an accident has left a group of boys have been stranded alone on an island; however he chooses to only show†¦show more content†¦Something in the boys snaps at this moment and the flood gates holding back the dark destructive behaviours they possess are opened and all the laws and civilization that existed crumbles. After establishing a government on the island, it is decided that the boys must build a fire. They choose to light a fire on top of the mountain so that it can act as a signal for any ships or planes that may be passing by the island. It is quickly realized that the boys—Ralph in particular—view the signal fire as â€Å"’the most important thing on the island’† (86). This fire creates a new sense of hope within the boys, that they may â€Å"’be rescued’† (86). The hope of rescue is quickly lost when a ship finally passes by the island at a time when the fire is not lit because the hunters are not doing their jobs. Ralph is outraged that had the fire been lit, they â€Å"’might have gone home’† (74). The hope that the boys had is lost at this point and is never regained. This serves as a turning point for the symbol of fire; because from this point on, fire no longer represents hope, but instead it begins to represent death and destruction. Fire is present during the feast where Simon is murdered. The boys start out with a harmless dance around the fire but as â€Å"the flickering light became brighter† (167), the boys become more crazed and violent;Show MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis766 Words   |  4 PagesLord Of The Flies In William Golding’s â€Å"Lord Of The Flies† Novel, symbolism is a very important element of the book, Many symbols show how the boys on the island are slowly becoming savage and losing their civility. The conch is just a shell, But it does represents much more than that, the conch is power, order, respect and civility and when its broken, It’s the loss of civilization. The conch is first found by Piggy and Ralph when they first get to the beach. Piggy who’s seen one beforeRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis733 Words   |  3 Pages Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies has symbols throughout the story, each character brings a different point of view. Piggy, Ralph, and Jack take a leading role with all the boys, although they vote Ralph in charge both of the other boys take a leadership position. Goulding uses the boys to show the faults of mankind and the roots of all evil. Four symbols Goulding used in the novel were: Piggy’s glasses, the Conch Shell, The Beast, and Simon’s hiding place. Therefore, the symbols show the trueRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis752 Words   |  4 PagesLord of the Flies, by William Golding, is full of symbolism and allegories. Three important symbols are the conch shell that represents civilization, the fire that represents hope, and the outside world that the boys represent. The conch shell represents civilization, order, and power. For example, in the beginning of the novel, Ralph blows the conch shell, in hopes of attracting other boys that may be on the island; and, soon, other boys do appear. The conch has brought the boys together, andRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis968 Words   |  4 Pages Lord of the Flies In William Goldings novel Lord of the Flies, he demonstrates the struggle of being trapped on an island containing no civilization and the attempt to remain safe. As the conflict starts to occur on the island, the battle to stay alive and hope to be rescued becomes more challenging for the boys. Throughout the novel, many symbolic elements become significant and are prominently used to get the reader to interpret things differently and see things in other perspectives. In theRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis710 Words   |  3 PagesLord of the Flies William Golding’s use of Symbolism for Leadership, Survival, and Intelligence †All nature is a vast symbolism; every material fact has sheathed within a spiritual truth† (Edwin Hubbell Chapin)In life there is a lot of symbolisation especially with nature, everything is one thing but can stand for a totally different objective. Being symbolic happens not only in life but in the book in many ways.In the story there is symbolism on good and bad and each stand for what is neededRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis768 Words   |  4 Pages The Lord of the Flies is a novel that contains multiple symbols that reflect the actions of human nature. Some of these symbols include Piggy and his glasses, the signal fire, the conch shell, and the Lord of the Flies. Each symbol shows a different flaw or mistake the boys encounter throughout the novel. Piggy is one of the main characters in the novel. It is notable that he is also the only character who wears glasses. Because of his ideas and approach to different situations, he is seen as theRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis1291 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Golding, winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature, argues in his 1954 book Lord of the Flies that humans are evil in nature. He uses multiple symbols to define what savagery really is and how it can affect even the youngest of society. Some symbols, such as painted faces or a pigs head on a stick are used as shocking narrative tools but are necessary in order to portray these children as ruthless monsters. Golding’s use of painted faces does symbolize that when there is anonymity, humansRead MoreLord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis1020 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the novel Lord of the Flies, there are many characters that show symbolic traits. Jack, Simon, and Piggy are examples of characters that possess symbolic traits. Jack represents a savage humanity. On the other hand, Simon represents the goodness inside of humans and a civilized humanity. The last character that will be discussed, Piggy, represents science and intellect. These three characters will be analyzed throughout this paper. Jack is the main antagonist in Lord of the flies. ThroughoutRead MoreLord Of The Flies Fire Symbolism Analysis947 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, many important symbols are introduced that denounce different meanings of the novel’s purpose. The story, Lord of the Flies takes place on an unknown deserted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The boys, stranded on the island, utilize fire in order to survive. After meeting the author announces the character, the forest envelopes in flames and the boys were in grave danger. The fire was also shown to equal community and civilization to signalRead MoreSymbolism Analysis Of Lord Of The Flies By William Golding2013 Words   |  9 Pages Symbolism Analysis of Lord of the Flies â€Å"Lord of the Flies† is a novel written by William Golding which shows the reader dark situations throughout the play of the book. In this novel, boys are completely isolated from civilization and rules. The theme portrays ‘civilization vs savagery’, questioning if civilization fade away without the positive views of rules. Lord of the Flies gives the reader an idea of how humanity’s form can shape throughout different life threatening situations. Golding