Symbols in Lord Of The Flies
Discuss The Symbols Golding Introduces in the Lord of the Flies
Golding presents a number of key symbols in the opening chapters of the Lord of the Flies, providing a number of hints as he does as to the characteristics of the boys on the island, of possible issues and conflicts which will occur as the narrative develops. Symbols are of great importance to Golding’s book, an example being the conch, representing authority and leadership, as well as Piggy’s glasses to symbolise his marginalisation and the piglet which demonstrates decreasing civilisation as the novel unfolds, to name a few. The symbolic element of the Lord of the Flies entices readers as they explore the text.
Perhaps the most intriguing of the symbols explored in the first chapters of the novel is the island itself. Introduced as a symbol of the unspoilt, uncivilised world ‘scar[ed]’ by the crashed airplane, the arrival of the surviving young boys, has definitely not gone unnoticed by the island. The merging of the two cultures on this seemingly uninhabited place is initially seen as paradise ‘the imagined but never fully realised place leaping into real life’, however this idea is rapidly suggested not to be as positive. The island itself could be thought of as a character, often personified by Golding as it ‘minutely vibrated’ signifying the island breathing. This personification reveals its power, ‘the forest stirred, roared, flailed’ has particular effect; presenting the evil spirit of the island. It is also compared to a monster, as ‘the forest shook as with the passage of an enraged monster’ further showing the islands malevolence. This also suggests a sense of animosity from the island, fighting back to the boys. This could be compared the Bible story of the Fall of Adam and Eve, cast out of Paradise as a punishment for disobeying God. The island punishes the boys for destroying the peace found there before they arrived.
The most significant symbol in the Lord of the Flies is of
Golding presents a number of key symbols in the opening chapters of the Lord of the Flies, providing a number of hints as he does as to the characteristics of the boys on the island, of possible issues and conflicts which will occur as the narrative develops. Symbols are of great importance to Golding’s book, an example being the conch, representing authority and leadership, as well as Piggy’s glasses to symbolise his marginalisation and the piglet which demonstrates decreasing civilisation as the novel unfolds, to name a few. The symbolic element of the Lord of the Flies entices readers as they explore the text.
Perhaps the most intriguing of the symbols explored in the first chapters of the novel is the island itself. Introduced as a symbol of the unspoilt, uncivilised world ‘scar[ed]’ by the crashed airplane, the arrival of the surviving young boys, has definitely not gone unnoticed by the island. The merging of the two cultures on this seemingly uninhabited place is initially seen as paradise ‘the imagined but never fully realised place leaping into real life’, however this idea is rapidly suggested not to be as positive. The island itself could be thought of as a character, often personified by Golding as it ‘minutely vibrated’ signifying the island breathing. This personification reveals its power, ‘the forest stirred, roared, flailed’ has particular effect; presenting the evil spirit of the island. It is also compared to a monster, as ‘the forest shook as with the passage of an enraged monster’ further showing the islands malevolence. This also suggests a sense of animosity from the island, fighting back to the boys. This could be compared the Bible story of the Fall of Adam and Eve, cast out of Paradise as a punishment for disobeying God. The island punishes the boys for destroying the peace found there before they arrived.
The most significant symbol in the Lord of the Flies is of