The Lord Of The Flies: Piggy Character Analysis
In the Lord of the Flies, Golding explores the relationship between savagery and civilization. A group of boys are stranded on an island, and the book tells the story of two factions of boys that form, one with Ralph that is more similar to a democracy and one with Jack that is more of a dictatorship and displays more violence. One of the characters in this book is Piggy, who is an intelligent boy that has glasses and asthma. Golding uses Piggy to explore the relationship between civilization and savagery and examines how genuine the constructs of society are compared to primal instinct.
Piggy represents civilization and society against the backdrop of savagery taking place in this book. In the beginning, Piggy suggests ideas of creating civilization …show more content…
Piggy represents civilization, and he was killed by Jack and his group of savages, who represent primal instinct. He is crushed by a rock, which is a very wild and savage act. When he dies, Golding writes, “Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed.” (pg. 181) Piggy is crushed by this savage act, and Golding describes him as a pig, like his nickname. He becomes nothing more than an animal, and he loses his civilized part of himself. In the end, Golding chooses to have Jack and his tribe have victory over Piggy, showing how human instinct conquers the instilled constructs of society. Also, the reason Piggy died was because he had gone to Jack’s camp with Ralph and Samneric to ask for his glasses back. His glasses are man-made objects that come from the innovations of civilization; however, they are more literally valuable rather than symbolically valuable like the conch. The transformation of Piggy’s glasses from a symbol of intelligence in society, to a fire-lighter that is essential for the primal survival of Jack and his followers. The glasses are another part of Piggy that was once part of civilization, but ended in
Piggy represents civilization and society against the backdrop of savagery taking place in this book. In the beginning, Piggy suggests ideas of creating civilization …show more content…
Piggy represents civilization, and he was killed by Jack and his group of savages, who represent primal instinct. He is crushed by a rock, which is a very wild and savage act. When he dies, Golding writes, “Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed.” (pg. 181) Piggy is crushed by this savage act, and Golding describes him as a pig, like his nickname. He becomes nothing more than an animal, and he loses his civilized part of himself. In the end, Golding chooses to have Jack and his tribe have victory over Piggy, showing how human instinct conquers the instilled constructs of society. Also, the reason Piggy died was because he had gone to Jack’s camp with Ralph and Samneric to ask for his glasses back. His glasses are man-made objects that come from the innovations of civilization; however, they are more literally valuable rather than symbolically valuable like the conch. The transformation of Piggy’s glasses from a symbol of intelligence in society, to a fire-lighter that is essential for the primal survival of Jack and his followers. The glasses are another part of Piggy that was once part of civilization, but ended in