Piggy's Symbolism: Glasses Inglés 4 pag. Document shared on www.docsity.com Downloaded by: eliot-duggan (eliot@cloeit.com) Lord of the Flies: Piggy´s symbolism Quotes on his glasses: 1. <He put on his glasses, waded away from Ralph, and crouched down among the tangled foliage.> This citation, located on page 6 in the first chapter, is the first instance where the narration announces that Piggy, who is yet to be named at this point, wears glasses. This implies that Piggy has an eyesight impediment and thus needing the “man-made invention”. It is also worth identifying that in this scene Piggy is following Ralph through an island with very dense foliage at a faster pace than he is usually accustomed to, hence why it’s crucial for him to use them. 2. < “Here--let me go!” His voice rose to a shriek of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face. “Mind out! Give 'em back! I can hardly see! You'll break the conch!”> This citation, located on page 31 in the second chapter, is the scene where Jack, the main antagonist of the novel, succeeds in stealing Piggy’s glasses. The reason he did this was because Jack to had come up with a quicker way to light a fire for when night-time came and, while spotting how Piggy’s glasses reflected sunlight, he came up with the idea that the lenses (or “specs” as they are called in the book) could be used to refract sunlight into the wood and thus making a fire that would last for the night. While this shows us a more ingenious way to use man-made objects like glasses, the scene also acknowledges the importance of the conch, a recurring symbol throughout the narration whose symbolism is more important to Piggy than any other character since it was his only way of obtaining some authority towards others. 3. <Ralph stood, one hand holding back his hair, the other clenched. Simon was climbing out of the water. Piggy was rubbing his glasses on his shorts and squinting at the sea. Maurice had got both legs through one leg of his shorts. Of all the boys, only Ralph was still.> Located on page 50 in chapter 4, this excerpt occurs when Ralph spots a ship in the distance and begins to act impatiently and worried about the smoke. At this point in the story, Piggy’s glasses have already started to deteriorate because of their mis-usage by the others. This fact, illustrated by the word “squint”, is yet another evidence of his dependence on the glasses as something he couldn’t live without. It’s also worth pointing out that his glasses also provide him with a more imposing personality among the others in the island since they might be their best way to get rescued, even though at this point the children don’t give it as much importance as in the beginning. Document shared on www.docsity.com Downloaded by: eliot-duggan (eliot@cloeit.com) 4. <He stopped shouting and swayed on his feet. Piggy was only just visible, bumbling up from the beach. Ralph looked at the horizon, then up to the mountain. Was it better to fetch Piggy's glasses, or would the ship have gone? Or if they climbed on, supposing the fire was all out, and they had to watch Piggy crawling nearer and the ship sinking under the horizon? > This quote, located on page 51 in chapter 4, illustrates how the children (especially Ralph) panic as they start to realise that the smoke made in the mountain is not enough for the distant ship to spot. Yet again, the immediate solution would be to use the glasses again to make a bigger and longer-lasting fire but, since they were distressed, they also were doubting if the ship really was there. 5. < He went crouching and feeling over the rocks but Simon, who got there first, found them for him. Passions beat about Simon on the mountain-top with awful wings.> This excerpt, located on page 54 in chapter 4, describes probably the most important scene in the novel regarding Piggy’s glasses, where they brake because Jack, infuriated by Piggy scolding him for putting out the fire and his fellow hunters agreeing with him, shattered them on the ground. 6. < Piggy stood behind him, islanded in a sea of meaningless colour, while Ralph knelt and focused the glossy spot. Instantly the fire was alight, Piggy held out his hands and grabbed the glasses back.> Located on page 56, this quotation depicts the hopelessness of Piggy’s situation: the ship had left, most of the kids would obey Jack instead of Ralph and, of course, one of his lenses was broken because of Jack. Evidently, this scene’s tension conveys the feeling of dread and failure with how Ralph and Piggy act afterwards. For instance, the narration asserts here that Piggy is sitting by the fireplace waiting for the hunted pig to roast while he is also checking his own broken glasses. 7. < "When you done laughing perhaps we can get on with the meeting. And if them littluns climb back on the twister again they'll only fall off in a sec. So they might as well sit on the ground and listen. No. You have doctors for everything, even the inside of your mind. You don't really mean that we got to be frightened all the time of nothing? Life," said Piggy expansively, "is scientific, that's what it is. In a year or Document shared on www.docsity.com Downloaded by: eliot-duggan (eliot@cloeit.com) two when the war's over they'll be traveling to Mars and back. I know there isn't no beast--not with claws and all that, I mean--but I know there isn't no fear, either."> Located on page 64 chapter 5, this speech here illustrates how Piggy, by putting on his glasses previously, is still capable of providing a rational set of ideas even though most of the other kids have succumbed to Jack’s primitivism. In this sense, the glasses also symbolise, like the conch, a sense of power and wisdom from his unique perspective of the situation. 8. < "We can't keep one fire going. And they don't care. And what's more--" He looked intensely into Piggy's streaming face. "What's more, “I” don't sometimes. Supposing I got like the others--not caring. What 'ud become of us?" Piggy took off his glasses, deeply troubled. "I dunno, Ralph. We just got to go on, that's all. That's what grownups would do."> Located on page 108 chapter 9, this dialogue represents both Ralph’s and Piggy’s philosophy for survival: growing up. We can appreciate how throughout the whole play the theme of “grownups” is always relevant to the plot as it dictates how Ralph should act as leader and be responsible for everyone on the island. However, Piggy’s role in the play, as shown on the quote, is to act as Ralph’s “second in command”. He does this by giving Ralph advice and ideas whenever he needs them, although in this case he doesn’t give a compelling reason to “go on” but more like a hint at the concept of “survival”. It’s also worth mentioning that this behaviour on Piggy’s behalf is reflected through his glasses, asserting that they can also be used as an indicator as to how he feels. 9. < Piggy handed Ralph his glasses and waited to receive back his sight. The wood was damp; and this was the third time they had lighted it. Ralph stood back, speaking to himself. "We don't want another night without fire."> Located on page 126 chapter 10, this quote shows how his glasses have still endured after all this time on the island. This can be interpreted as Piggy managing to survive for as long as he has, which would imply that there is another symbolic bond between him and his glasses other than eyesight. It’s also important to remark that his glasses can also be used as a medium to help them sleep in warmer conditions at night. 10. < Then there was a vicious snarling in the mouth of the shelter and the plunge and thump of living things. Someone tripped over Ralph and Piggy's corner became a complication of snarls and crashes and flying limbs. Ralph hit out; then he and what seemed like a dozen others were rolling over and over, hitting, biting, scratching. He was torn and jolted, found fingers in his mouth and bit them. A fist withdrew and came back like a piston, so that the whole shelter exploded into light. Ralph twisted Document shared on www.docsity.com Downloaded by: eliot-duggan (eliot@cloeit.com) sideways on top of a writhing body and felt hot breath on his cheek. He began to pound the mouth below him, using his clenched fist as a hammer; he hit with more and more passionate hysteria as the face became slippery. A knee jerked up between his legs and he fell sideways, busying himself with his pain, and the fight rolled over him. Then the shelter collapsed with smothering finality; and the anonymous shapes fought their way out and through. Dark figures drew themselves out of the wreckage and flitted away, till the screams of the littluns and Piggy's gasps were once more audible> This last citation, located on page 130 chapter 10, describes to us how the “Beast”, who turned out to be Jack and his hunters, fight with Ralph and Piggy. As a result of this fight, Piggy’s glasses get irreparably broken, an event that has grave consequences throughout the end of the play. For instance, Piggy’s eyesight is now permanently hindered, it’s impossible now to make new fires and smoke to help with their own survival and that Piggy has been rendered useless. All of these foreshadow both the fate of all living children on the island and Piggy’s inevitable death, events that would sever completely the other children’s tie to civilisation. Document shared on www.docsity.com Downloaded by: eliot-duggan (eliot@cloeit.com)
