The Analysis of Three Symbols in Lord of the Flies
William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, is one the most chilling and exciting novels ever written because it is an allegory that people in the world see happening. An allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning that is expressed through various symbols. The Lord of the Flies is one big massive allegory where almost everything concrete in the book represents an abstract idea. Only in allegories can the characters be symbols (Fitzgerald).
The setting of the novel takes place on an island; the island represents the world at the time of Adam and Eve, beautiful, prosperous and without sin or savagery (Lorcher). The boys recognize that they need something to signal a passing boat or plane that there is civilization on the island; fire. On page 33 in the novel, Ralph and Piggy kindle a fire with the help of Piggy’s glasses to create a gigantic fire (Golding). To most, the signal fire in the novel symbolizes the connection to civilization with law and order (Lorcher). Through another perspective the fire represents the hope of being rescued. On pages 86-94 of the novel, Piggy and Ralph spot a steam ship in the distance and have a hope of being rescued but their hearts’ sink when Jack has let the fire go out. There is a direct correlation between the hope of the boys’ when the fire is out and when it is lit. Ralph finds out that Jack and Roger have gone off to hunt and retrieve meat for themselves (Golding). This fact also supports that the once civilized society with the fire has become a place of savagery and sin when the fire is extinguished. Later on in the book when Ralph and Jack have officially split up, there is little to no fire existing on the island because all of the boys have lost all sense of security and civil behavior. The island is a scary, dark place at night with no warm fire to stand by when the cold bites the boys’ skin. Since there is no fire, all hope has gone to hell. Nearing the end of the book in
The setting of the novel takes place on an island; the island represents the world at the time of Adam and Eve, beautiful, prosperous and without sin or savagery (Lorcher). The boys recognize that they need something to signal a passing boat or plane that there is civilization on the island; fire. On page 33 in the novel, Ralph and Piggy kindle a fire with the help of Piggy’s glasses to create a gigantic fire (Golding). To most, the signal fire in the novel symbolizes the connection to civilization with law and order (Lorcher). Through another perspective the fire represents the hope of being rescued. On pages 86-94 of the novel, Piggy and Ralph spot a steam ship in the distance and have a hope of being rescued but their hearts’ sink when Jack has let the fire go out. There is a direct correlation between the hope of the boys’ when the fire is out and when it is lit. Ralph finds out that Jack and Roger have gone off to hunt and retrieve meat for themselves (Golding). This fact also supports that the once civilized society with the fire has become a place of savagery and sin when the fire is extinguished. Later on in the book when Ralph and Jack have officially split up, there is little to no fire existing on the island because all of the boys have lost all sense of security and civil behavior. The island is a scary, dark place at night with no warm fire to stand by when the cold bites the boys’ skin. Since there is no fire, all hope has gone to hell. Nearing the end of the book in