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Introduction

Iris Cheung Y10 Peace Topic: as a political allegory, Lord of the Flies is highly dependent upon the use of symbols for its success. Discuss. "Allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance" ("Allegory", 2002). William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies as a political allegory, the groups of boys represent humanity, the two tribes formed represent government and the mess on the island is like a war. Golden uses allegory and symbolism to elevate the adventure of the boys. Lord of the Flies shows the world at the brink of atomic destruction. They were trying to escape from the atomic bombs threats but then landed on the island. This allegory struggle between good and evil human nature, by how easily the society can collapse and how self- destructive human nature is. This allegory is a warning to the leaders of the world. There are numerous instances of political allegory in the novel by different characters and symbols throughout the novel represent many political systems, techniques and devices. The political symbols related to Second World War (Cold War), which when William Golding is the soldier. ...read more.

Middle

The assembly is totally unlike the ones? before Jack and some littluns became savage. When Piggy and Ralph go to the castle rock all for assembly, ?I?m calling an assembly.? Silence.? (page 158) none of the boys respond, they are all being silence. The boys ignore Ralph and throw stones at him when he attempts to blow the conch in their camp. Just is not satisfied with his position and wants to dominate all the boys. Ralph uses the conch to maintain order on the island, Roger rolls onto Piggy also crushes the conch, signifying the demise of the civilized instinct among almost all the boys on the island but when disorder consumes the boys, the conch is destroyed. As the conch being destroyed, it represents that the tiny community of the boys are already in a dictatorship status, and the order in the society is already broken down. The justice and equality become blurred. As the novel is written to reflect the cold War as mention, it represents the hammer and sickle was the emblem on the Soviet Union?s flag, used to make the people feel that government worked for them. ________________ Jack is the antagonist and being savage in the novel. He is the symbol of a totalitarian society that eventually descends into anarchy. ...read more.

Conclusion

Jack can be related to the dictator Joseph Stalin, who is a Bolshevik revolutionary who brought the October Revolution in Russia in 1917. In the Cold War, Jack represents the fall of the Soviet Union was the end of their totalitarian government. Although it did not descend into complete anarchy, there were many instances of power struggles and civil war. ________________ William Golding wrote the novel Lord of the Flies during his time as a Royal Navy soldier in Second World War. Throughout the novel, he brings out the message that there are good and evil sides of human being. ________________ ________________ [1] Juan Javier Herraiz Pujante. "Lord of the Flies Analysis, Themes and Symbolism." Lord of the Flies Analysis, Themes and Symbolism. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://mural.uv.es/juanhepu/willcon.html>. [2] Garrath Williams. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Hobbes: Moral and Political Philosophy []. 5 July 2005. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://www.iep.utm.edu/hobmoral/>. ________________ ________________ He refers to the famous political theorist Thomas Hobbes of the human being says that people’s loyalty to the leader is because they are able to protect them. Golding uses the conch to represent the democratic system by law, orders and equality. He uses Jack to represent dictatorship, by the power of fear since Jack promises the boys he gives them protection and food. Golding created an effective allegory to present the struggle between democracy and dictatorship. ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ...read more.

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