Themes and Symbols in
Lord of the Flies
)
Themes/Topics
 The fall of man
 Man’s savage nature
 Violence
Themes/Topics cont.
 Friendship
 Obedience/peer pressure
 Democracy vs. Dictatorship
Symbols
 The conch
 The fire
 Piggy’s glasses
 The Beast
 War Paint
 The island
A symbol is
something
that
represents
something
else, either by
association or
by
resemblance.
Symbols
The Conch- It represents order and civilization. It also symbolizes
democracy as it enables anyone to have a voice at the meetings. The
conch soon becomes a meaningless symbol as there is no system of
society to give it meaning. As the boys move further into savagery,
the conch is increasingly ignored until it is eventually destroyed,
symbolizing the end of civilization.
Piggy’s glasses- They represent clarity and foresight. They are a symbol
of civilization as well as a method of supporting the vulnerable like
Piggy. They are also the key link to the civilized world in that they
produce the fire which is the boys’ only hope of rescue.
Face paint- The face paint represents the descent into savagery. The
boys become separated from their civilized selves through the
anonymity of the paint, and this allows them to engage in savage
actions. It is also linked to superstition and a more primal way of life.
Symbols cont.
The Beast- It represents their own fears and the growing violence and evil
which is taking hold of them. The beast starts off as a ‘beastie,’ something
dreamed up by the littluns, but it soon takes hold of all the boys to the
point where eventually Jack and his crew leave it a sacrifice as if it were
some sort of God. The beast is also described as a snake like thing, linking
it to Satan in the Garden of Eden in Genesis, the cause of Man’s fall.
However, instead of the devil, in Golding’s story, it is Man’s own savage
nature that results in the fall of the boys and the transformation of the
island from a paradise at the start to a flaming inferno (hell) at the end.
Fire- In one sense fire represents civilization. It provides warmth and allows
the meat to be cooked. It is also the boys’ only hope of getting home. On
the other hand, fire can be seen as destructive and savage. The boys set
fire to a large part of the island at the start, and the end of the book Jack’s
tribe start a huge fire. Fire, like the boys, can be both good and evil.
Characters
 Ralph- Ralph is the one who blows the conch and is therefore
associated with this symbol of order and authority. Ralph wants
things to go well on the island and realizes the most important thing
is to be rescued. Throughout the book, we see Ralph’s loss of
innocence and growing awareness of the dark nature of man. Ralph
symbolizes a desire for civilisation and democracy; he believes in
good but is not able to stop things from falling apart, nor is he
completely immune to the powerful temptation of savagery.
 Jack- Jack more than any other character shows the descent from
civilization to savagery. In contrast to the first meeting where he
claims that rules are vital, he rejects them and starts his own tribe.
Jack’s tribe are only concerned with pleasure seeking and the violent
rewards of hunting, and Jack sets himself up as a sort of God or idol.
Jack can be seen as a symbol of man’s inherent savagery and the
dangerous possibilities of dictatorship.
Character cont.
 Piggy- Piggy is the ultimate outsider. He is overweight, wears
glasses and suffers from asthma. He is also from a lower-class
background. Piggy is routinely teased by the rest of the group
which reflects their primal instinct to target the weak and
vulnerable in society. Piggy is actually the clearest sighted of
them all. He maintains the need for rules and values the conch
above all others. Piggy represents logic and clear-sightedness;
however, he also represents the weaker elements of society that
are protected by the rules of civilization.
 Simon- Simon represents goodness and is presented as a sort of
savior, saint-like figure. He is the only one of the elder boys to
care about the welfare of the littluns. Simon is the only boy who
is in harmony with the island. He is also the only one who truly
understands what the Beast is. The other boys mock Simon and
think him strange and even mad, showing that his essential
goodness and clarity of vision are not valued.
Characters cont.
 The Littleuns- The Littleuns represent “the masses.” The
population in general. They are easily scared and easily
entertained and their main concerns are with basic needs
(food, shelter, warmth etc.). The Littleuns are protected by
altruism (Simon) and civilization (Piggy and Ralph). Dictators
like Jack rule through fear and don’t care about the needs of
the masses.