One of the most significant symbols in Lord of the Flies is the namesake of the novel. The Lord of the Flies is the severed head of a sow that is transfixed upon a two-pointed spear by Jack. This intricate symbol becomes most notable when it “speaks” to him in the glade consisting of creepers. Golding uses intricate wordplay to conjure up an image within the reader’s head. The reader feels that a great evil is represented through the Lord of the Flies and it quickly becomes the most defining symbol of the novel. Simon, converses with the beast and learns that the beast is not an external force. Believe it or not, the Lord of the Flies says, "Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill! O’ you knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?" The evil that is inherently within mankind is what is causing the decline of the society on the island. At the conclusion of the scene where he talks to the sow’s head, the immense evil that is manifested by this symbol is seen once again as Simon faints after staring into the gaping mouth of the pig. The name the Lord of the Flies is a literal translation of the being Beelzebub, who is considered to synonymous with Satan. Another noteworthy symbol is the beast. In the imaginations of the children, the beast is a tangible and palpable being, and that it is the provenance of evil on that island. However, it exemplifies the evil that subsists within us all. The beast could be viewed as strictly an unembellished belief that the children possess however, it truly delineates the fact that man tries to convince himself that he is not the source of true evil and that a different genesis is the cause of evil. Jack uses the boys’ preposterous fear of the beast to manipulate them. He implores contrastive demeanors of the beast to achieve a variety of goals. He uses the fear of the beast to vindicate his immutable treatment and dominance of the other boys. By offering the head of the sow to the beast, he starts to portray it as some sort of sadistic entity and concretizes the belief of the boys in this devilish being. This leads to the boys to relinquish their aspiration and inclination towards society and to descend into pandemonium.
Golding uses Piggy’s specs to represent intelligence, rationality, and common sense; which are all traits attributed to a civilized human being who thrives in a society that is bound by rules and laws. The glasses evidently render Piggy as the most civilized child on the island as he has the ability to rationalize prior to his actions and evaluate the major conflicts on the island. Because the glasses denote judgment, intuition, and perception, the wearer is also depicted as such. As the boys start to disregard Piggy and exclude him from activities, they are also ostracizing the cogent sense that they have until now, been accustomed to. Throughout the novel, the specs are tainted by dirt, which is a metaphor for the sins of the children and how Piggy is attempting to wipe that away. Jack and the hunters use the specs to start a fire atop Castle Rock which is ironic because, the item that symbolizes intelligence is being used to start the descent into savagery. The deterioration of the glasses is a parallel for their archaic society.
After Jack slaps Piggy and shatters one of the lenses, Piggy’s vision diminishes and he becomes “bind”, the boys metaphorically become blinded to the concepts of rationality and intellectualism. After Piggy is killed, the island no longer retains any sense of civilization and rationality. The conch is a symbol of democracy, deference, and lawfulness. Golding shows the conch as symbol of democracy and order through the system of rules fabricated by the boys. The rules a made in the form of laws, therefore, he conch is used as a symbol of authority because, in a structural society, the rules are enforced by sovereignty. When one wishes to speak at a meeting, they must hold the conch and all of those in attendance may not interrupt him. As the boys descend into savagery, the boys’ respect for the conch is abolished and this loss of respect shows the movement from order to chaos, as the fabrics of order dissipates. The respect that the children possess for the conch attracts the boys to a society characterized by authority and respect. Later, after most of the boys have joined Jack’s tribe, Ralph blows the conch and “silence” falls upon the boys. This demonstrates that the conch still retains influence over the children. When the conch shatters, the significance of the conch ceases to exist. The shattered conch symbolizes the extermination of a civilized society and all the values that pertained to it. All democracy and authority is forfeited to a society commanded by dictatorship and savagery. The boys have turned away from civilized society and all that is entailed within it.
The paramount theme encompassed within the book is that of the conflict between human temptation and compulsion towards savagery and the regulations of society that are designed to suppress this inclination. This conflict is demonstrated through the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization and savagery. These contrasting boys express themselves through their different doctrines in regard to authority. Ralph uses the authority presented to him to establish rules, laws, and he tries to reinforce the social regulations in which they were raised. Jack is interested in gaining power over the others in order to satisfy his own sadistic urges. When Jack expropriates control of his tribe, he demands that the others be obsequious. In the early pages of the book, Golding insinuates that an obligation of society is to allow members to retain an outlet for their savagery. Jack initially wishes to kill the sow is so that he can demonstrate his bravery to the other boys and this negativity is put forth into the hunt which provides food for the group. As long as he lives within the boundaries of civilization, he is not a savage and his instincts are being used productively. When Jack refuses to adhere to the system of laws devised by Ralph, is when Jack has allowed his true personality to surface. Golding shows that whilst humans may never escape their savageness, civilization can palliate their impulses.
Evil is often defined as an intention to create discomfort or unease among others on purpose, which stems from negativity. William Golding incorporates this idea into his novel to portray the idea that all people are inherently evil. Golding’s argument was that humans have a source of innate evil within themselves and this is depicted through is novel. The cruel and sadistic side of man is represented through Jack, who attempts to dispose of Ralph’s civilized rule in order to enforce his own, through violence. In the book, the children’s savagery is displayed through their futile endeavor to kill Ralph and their hunt of the animals. Through this, Golding tries to imply that rules and order are forced upon humans by society and that when the rules of society are removed, then the barbaric nature within, resurfaces. This is an idea that could be related to events that were occurring at the time period this book was written: the atrocious acts committed by the Germans and Japanese, which resulted in the deaths of millions. However, they were not the only evil people during the war; Americans also killed millions of innocents through the droppings of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Throughout the novel, Golding exhibits his belief that human nature is the reason for the corruption of society. This notion is illustrated trough his use of a variety of symbols. He uses these to symbols too delineate the novel as an allegory; a book that has a literal and an underlying meaning. He intended for people to see through the plot and truly understand the message that he was trying to convey. His idea of innate evil is central to the book and is displayed most prominently by the beast, and the head of the sow.
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sgballsta (student)
