Maia Cothran Myp 3
Essay
The symbols that I think were incorporated in lord of the flies are :
o Piggys glasses
o The conch
o The three boys ( ralph , jack & piggy)
Lord of the flies by William Golding is an interesting and page turning novel and
his use of symbols often has an allegorical meaning. The first symbol in the novel
in my eyes is piggy’s glasses because in many ways I think that his glasses are a
symbolic representation of being an outcast , different and overlooked by the
others. When reading the first part of lord of the flies a description is written
describing piggy as being chubby an asthmatic but more importantly wearing
glasses. His glasses in my opinion are an outward indication of his intelligence.
Piggy’s glasses show that he projects clarity in his vision both in reality and
metaphorically. Symbols are a representation of something physical and mental
and in this case piggy’s glasses. Piggy’s glasses show his evident intelligence
and different physical appearance.
The second symbol is the (3) boys:
When reading the lord of the flies you very quickly begin to see that they are a
pivotal role in the foundation of civilization. The id , Superego and ego are three
parts to psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freuds structural psyche. They
are a significant concept of symbolic representation. Why ? each one of the
psychic apparatus contain a significant allegorical meaning. In my eyes jack has
extreme survival instinct {id}, ralph and his means to construct a accurate
civilization {ego} and piggy’s obvious intellect and ability to think about the
corresponding consequences {superego}. The central concern of Lord of the
Flies is the conflict between two competing impulses that exist within all human
beings : the instinct to live by rules {piggy}, act peacefully {Simon}, follow moral
commands {ralph}, act violently to obtain supremacy over others {jack}. And most
significantly law vs. anarchy.
The third symbol is the conch:
The conch that piggy discovers is in my eyes an accurate symbolic
representation of the ‘voice’ of all the people in the tribe including the ‘’littleluns’’.
The white conch shell, being symbolic of the civilization on the island, helps to
promote the beginning of a small -civilization, the gradual decline of the
civilization, and finally the elimination of all civilization on the island. In a broader
perspective the conch represents a significant allegorical meaning.
With the discovery of the conch comes the main and first symbolic use of the
shell, as it symbolizes the rise of civilization on the derelict island. When the
plane crashes and the Ralph and Piggy find themselves on an island engulfed by
the sense of being alone and with that they decide to stroll around the island in a
quest to find others but instead piggy discovers the pristine conch.
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