Questions on Lord of the Flies. Piggy is clearly a clever boy, but he is also a victim too. How is he important in the novel?

Piggy's physical appearance is often the downfall of his ideas put into practice by the other boys. His ideas and insights are always ignored, although they are obviously right. He also quite insecure and lacks self esteem because of Jack's continual bullying, which earns piggy no respect from his peers. His winnings and sensitivity make the other boys frustrated and chose to ignore him, and follow jacks influence.

Piggy influence can be seen by his idea to use the conch in meetings, which is ignored by the group early on. Piggy is a fair and democratic boy, who chooses

Piggy's treatment by the other boys shows that a society needs a scapegoat. The boys pick on Piggy because he is an obvious victim. By picking on Piggy they are making themselves feel better. The instigator is Jack, who intimidates Piggy bother verbally and occasionally physically. Where in some instances has slapped Piggy, knowing that Piggy will not retaliate and stoop to his level. He mocks Piggy because he sees him as a weak target, when in actual fact is his intellectual better, and to warn off others who may dare to challenge him.

Piggy

Piggy's treatment by the other boys shows that they are malevolent and cruel. The way they treat piggy shows that bullies pick on the weak to make themselves feel superior. Those who don't pick on Piggy, stay quiet to avoid the same thing happening to themselves. In a normal situation this would be considered worse than actual bullying, but as the circumstances are different, it could be considered a sensible move. Although it cannot be condoned, it is a sensible move if totally insensitive, survival of the fittest if you will. But I am sure that they would speak out about Jack 's behaviour if it were not that were isolated on a island, and dealing with savages. They chose to keep quiet, and laugh at appropriate intervals, and go along with the group for fear of the same fate themselves.

Jack and Piggy do not get along. They represent two types of civilisation; savagery and democracy. The two idealisms could not be further apart, as do the two boys. There has been hostility between Piggy and Jack since the first day, but has always been on Jack's behalf. Jack is the instigator.

Jack has shown resentment towards Piggy for no particular reason. Perhaps he is jealous of Piggy's intellect, or he envy's his relationship with Ralph. The first instance of any enmity between Jack and piggy is at the groups first meeting. 'You're talking too much' said Jack. 'Shut up, fatty'.

Piggy is a thinker, Jack is a doer.

An example of jack and Piggy fighting is when Jack and the hunters leave the signal fire to hunt. A ship passes but since no one is up there, they do not get rescued. Ralph calls a meeting and settles the issue. Piggy criticises the hunters, Jack slaps Piggy viciously, breaking one of the lenses of his glasses. Piggy's glasses represent knowledge, the breaking of one the lenses shows violence against intelligence, violence wins. Jack later apologises for not staying with the fire, not for his bullying of Piggy.