Soon after in the same chapter, Golding again try’s to show us what humans are generally like using Piggy again as an example. He is short, fat, wears glasses and has asthma. Also, he ‘crouched down among the tangled foliage’; he had diarrhoea. I believe that Golding is trying to make us laugh at Piggy so that we then realise how humans behave.
The conch is another way in which Golding shows us about leadership on the island. It was Ralph that found the conch, however when he saw it he thought it was ‘interesting and pretty and a worthy plaything’ however Piggy saw it for its true value which showed the way that the two characters think. Piggy thought logically and saw that it could be used to make a noise that could bring all of the children together however Ralph saw it for its beauty. Ralph eventually blew the conch and called the others after Piggy had told him to blow from ‘down here’ in the diaphragm. Ralph was then embraced and voted as the new leader when all of the others arrived simply because he had the conch and was the one who brought them together. This shows that although Ralph wouldn’t have known how to blow the conch or what to do with the conch without Piggy he was simply voted leader because he did it. I believe that Golding is using this to try and say something about society.
From the very start of the novel Piggy is treated like an outsider to the rest of the group, he is bullied by everyone else and is singled out by Jack. However this is ironic because he is the most mature of the group and has the most common sense, he also refers to the other children as ‘kids’ this is ironic as he is only young but it also shows that he is much more mature that the other children that are there. He suggests the best ideas and has the best plans, this is ironic because he has probably had the worst up bringing in terms of grammar, he is the only one who speaks improper language, but when he says things they are very bright. I believe that Golding is trying to show that intelligence isn’t the best form of leadership, as he is the most mistreated person there.
I think that Golding ended chapter one to show us how the children are still civilised and normal. When Jack couldn’t kill the piglet it showed the audience that there was still something stopping him from doing it. However in not killing the piglet it made Jack bloodthirsty and violent. I believe that this shows a theme of power because he now becomes a hunter and powerful.
Another symbol of power is Piggy’s spectacles; they make him valuable to the group, as the group are unable to start a fire without them. However they are also a weakness to Piggy as without them he is useless. That is why Piggy doesn’t like it when they are snatched from his face. I also believe that Golding uses Piggy’s glasses as a symbol of that they are moving away from being civilised children towards savagery when Jack breaks them. I believe that because only one lens broke it shows that the children are on they’re way towards savagery but not there yet.
I believe that the mask is also a symbol of power, as it takes away Jack’s identity of being an English sophisticated child. It changed him into being a soldier that gives him the power to kill a pig. I believe that Golding has used this to show how much Jack has changed from when he first stepped on the island.
Finally I think that when Jack killed the pig it emphasises that the group of children have power over the island, I also think that the chants that they were shouting, ‘kill the pig, cut her throat, spill her blood’ shows how violent and savage they’d got.
I believe that Golding has enforced a deeper meaning into the novel about leadership and the society we live in, and I think that it is very effective.
