Piggy Lord Of The Flies Character Analysis

William James, a revered philosopher, once observed, “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” This truthful statement has been proven numerous times in literature from both modern and ancient times as spirited heroes seek glory against all odds. This search is further illustrated in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, as each character’s desperate search for power causes tension in the order of his society. Before the boys change, however, their society is changed and ultimately destroyed. With the destruction of civilization, Piggy changes into a braver and ultimately wiser character. In spite of Piggy’s positive change, Jack changes for the worse and he becomes a demented dictator. With the breakdown
However, in the beginning of the novel, he basks in the sun while others are hard at work. The narrator observes, “Piggy was lying flat, looking down into the brilliant water” (54). Though the other three major characters have found some way to help on the island, Piggy can think of nothing more to do than mope by the lagoon. He is understandably hurt by the rejection he faced from all of the other boys – along with Ralph’s insistence on telling the other boys his old nickname – but their situation was dire and he was not there to offer assistance. His incessant whining makes it nearly impossible to trust him, even with his sage wisdom. Despite his childishness, Piggy changes after order crumbles. After Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric are ransacked by the savages, Piggy steps up to confront Jack. Piggy proclaims, “‘What can [Jack] do more than he has? I’ll tell him what’s what. You let me carry the conch, Ralph. I’ll show him the one thing he hasn’t got’” (171). For the first time, Piggy takes initiative and leads instead of just giving his ideas to someone else. For a single fugacious moment the reader sees the kind of person that Piggy really is. No longer is he a whining, helpless child; instead, he chooses to be the one to step up to Jack, who has already proven how comfortable he is with killing. He is brave and dignified, even in his blind march to his death. The change that Piggy
Due to mankind’s “craving to be appreciated” as observed by James, the characters of Lord of the Flies change while striving to be a different person, and do it easily without anything to stop them. The novel Lord of the Flies substantiates the philosophy that without order there can be no peace. Golding shows that everyone is capable of good and evil, while their actions are purely circumstantial. With the conflicting emotions in every individual it is simple to see how that person could drastically change under similar circumstances. Golding leaves his readers with the question of whether they would take Piggy’s path down the road of good, or Jack’s path down the road of