Lord of the Flies Paragraphs Analysis
III. Paragraphs to explain memorable literary devices/ key images/quotations. * Imagery of Wounds (Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory)
From the moment the boys land on the island, we begin to see signs of destruction. Over and over we are told of the “scar” in the scenery left by the plane. The water they bathe in is “warmer than blood.” The boys leave “gashes” in the trees when they travel. The lightning is a “blue-white scar” and the thunder “the blow of a gigantic whip,” later an “explosion”. It makes me think about the big question of whether the boys are violent by nature or were made violent by their surroundings. The story turns out evil because the island is already so steeped in violence (think the thunder and lightning), the boys * Ralph’s growing Hair (Symbolism) What we meant to say was that Ralph’s hair was a symbol for his growing savagery. That shaggy mop eventually has a life of its own. The narrative always makes a point of telling us that it’s in Ralph’s face, that he wishes he could cut it, that it makes him feel dirty and uncivilized. We know the hair has to be a big deal because the very first words of the novel are, “The boy with fair hair lowered himself down…” Getting your haircut is one of the perks of civilization, many of which Ralph and the others have had to give up. It also reminds us that the boys have been on the island for quite a while now; this is no mere weekend getaway. Lastly, there’s something horribly disturbing about his hair just growing, growing, with no way to stop it and the assumption that it will simply go on forever, much like the boys’ growing violence and the increasingly savage occurrences on the island.
* The Pig Hunts (Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory)
The pig hunts are used throughout Lord of the Flies to symbolize not only man’s capacity for destruction and violence, but also the basic idea of bloodlust, mass hysteria, and ritual. In the most important pig hunt scene, we are given a vivid description
From the moment the boys land on the island, we begin to see signs of destruction. Over and over we are told of the “scar” in the scenery left by the plane. The water they bathe in is “warmer than blood.” The boys leave “gashes” in the trees when they travel. The lightning is a “blue-white scar” and the thunder “the blow of a gigantic whip,” later an “explosion”. It makes me think about the big question of whether the boys are violent by nature or were made violent by their surroundings. The story turns out evil because the island is already so steeped in violence (think the thunder and lightning), the boys * Ralph’s growing Hair (Symbolism) What we meant to say was that Ralph’s hair was a symbol for his growing savagery. That shaggy mop eventually has a life of its own. The narrative always makes a point of telling us that it’s in Ralph’s face, that he wishes he could cut it, that it makes him feel dirty and uncivilized. We know the hair has to be a big deal because the very first words of the novel are, “The boy with fair hair lowered himself down…” Getting your haircut is one of the perks of civilization, many of which Ralph and the others have had to give up. It also reminds us that the boys have been on the island for quite a while now; this is no mere weekend getaway. Lastly, there’s something horribly disturbing about his hair just growing, growing, with no way to stop it and the assumption that it will simply go on forever, much like the boys’ growing violence and the increasingly savage occurrences on the island.
* The Pig Hunts (Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory)
The pig hunts are used throughout Lord of the Flies to symbolize not only man’s capacity for destruction and violence, but also the basic idea of bloodlust, mass hysteria, and ritual. In the most important pig hunt scene, we are given a vivid description