Symbolism in Lord of the flies

Piggy = prescription glasses = used for seeing = metaphor for knowledge

Symbolism in lord of the flies

The Beast

"Conch! Conch!" shouted Jack, "we don't need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things " (Golding 110).

Association to the characters/use

"If I blow the conch and they don't come back; then we've had it...We'll be like animals" (Golding 92).

'' That's what this shell's called. I'll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he's speaking" (Golding 33).

Examples/Quotations

Ralph = tool for starting the fire

Examples/Quotations

''His specs - use them as burning glasses!'' (40).

Piggy's glasses

''He was a Chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled piggy's glasses'' (186).

(Beard)

Symbolism

The conch = Changing Symbol

Beginning = fear of the unknown

- Boys start to become savage

- Rule of the conch is ignored

- conch loses its value of civilization

- savagery grows

(cc) photo by medhead on Flickr

The conch

invasion, intrusion

savagery

(cc) photo by medhead on Flickr

The conch

Ralph =

Further on = the evil of man (no physical beast)

Savagery

- uses the conch for his right of speech

- also for protection

(cc) photo by medhead on Flickr

(Graysky813)

Piggy = - has a lot of respect for the conch

The conch

Characters associated

Savagery

- Allows Ralph to keep order on the island and discuss priorities = civilization

Quotes from book

- uses the conch to call all boys for meetings

- Rule of the conch: boy who is holding the conch can speak others cannot

Association to the characters & use

• Simon: First to realize that the beast was themselves
• Piggy: Backs Simon up during assembly, ch. 5.
• Littluns: Scared, worried, making things worse
• Jack: offers pig head to the beast.

• "[...]symbolizes the damaging encroachment of humans in paradise"

(Golding, ch.5).

Simon whispers, "Maybe there is no beast... Maybe it's just us"

"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you

could hunt and kill! You knew, didn’t you?

I’m part of you?"

(Golding, ch.8)

Think- Pair- Share

In your books, please find a quote that relates to the symbol of the beast.

(Hint: look on pgs. 35, 36, 89)

*Remember take 1 minute to work independently. When I say so, you will share with a partner. Then, finally your group will share with the whole class.

Symbolism

Symbolic value :

*Knowledge

*Understanding

Everyone: becomes a normal part of the island for the boys

Characters association

(Golding 8)

"He looked up and down the scar. 'And this is what the

cabin done.'"

The Conch

"The long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat"

the breaking of the lens clearly symbolizes the boys losing sight of what they need to do.

Quotes

Glasses = changing symbol

Law & Order

Authority

Association to the characters/use

Samneric = discover the dead parachutist

Boys on the island = believe he is the beast on the island

Simon visits the parachutist

Symbolic value:

Civilization

Discovers

2 things

Simon

Man is dead

Beast is alive

(Wateridge)

Man becomes evil and savage when circumstances are difficult

The scar

The dead parachutist

(Wa

(which is why they are on the island in the first place)

Symbol of the adult world that cannot properly deal with the war/ circumstances

L.O.T.F scene

Symbolic value :

What is Symbolism?

A symbol is something concrete which represents an abstract idea.

The Lord of the Flies

Symbolism: something that has a hidden meaning... or to represent a different idea.

But what does that mean?

Examples/Quotations

``There was a speck above the island, a figure dropping swiftly beneath a parachute, a figure that hung with dangling limbs`` (Golding 103).

Quotations from the book

Symbolism of the Lord of the Flies

• Evil of man

"You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, Close, Close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?"

-The Lord of the Flies to Simon

Fight between mankind's good side and evil side

• Symbolizes the beasts danger and power

(Golding, ch.8)

"Fancy thinking the beast is something you could hunt and kill..."

(Golding 143)

Characters associated

("Ralph")

• Simon: During Simon's trance, tells him that the beast is actually in side the boys
• Ralph: Seems evil... angry = destroys it = savagery
• Jack: Offers the head to the beast.

Jack and the savages

Offering to the beast

Confirms that they are the beast

The Lord of the Flies

Simon

Different

perspectives

The Fire

Evil, silent, something is off-putting

Ralph

(Golding, 44)

Piggy cries, "You got your small fire alright"

Characters associated

Piggy: Enforces that they need to keep a fire. Use his specs to start fire.

Ralph: His idea to start a fire. Enforces it

Later = hunting is more important = fire less important

Hunters: Beginning = Keep the fire going

Ralph argues, "The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we be rescued except by luck, if we don't keep a fire going?"

Quotes/examples

(Golding, ch.5)

(cc) image by nuonsolarteam on Flickr

• Paradoxically- Rescue & Destruction
• Hope
• Connection to civilization

Symbolism

Jack = - his idea

- use the paint on their face to hide their true identity

- encourages him to kill without guilt

Association with the characters & use

Colors used in the novel

(''color meaning'')

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the representation of the colours varies form item to item throughout the novel

Colours = changing symbols

The boys on the island =

The Painted Faces or "Masks"

(''color meaning'')

The island

Ralph's Hair

Green: represents peace or nature

Black: represents Death, evil and darkness

association / use

black: - darkness on the island

- evil

- death

Jack : uses colors to create hunting mask

the colors = not a changing symbol

Represent a different symbolic meaning from one thing to another

Colors = changing symbol?

Green : - nature

red : - fire

- blood

- painted faces

RED: represents determination and power

Symbolic value :

Symbolic value:

Symbolism

Symbol of Savagery

Character's associated

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Symbolism

• Short, clean hair = Civilized

• Paradise, garden of Eden

• Ralph: in his face, wants to cut it, feels dirty and uncivilized.

Before the boys came

• Long hair = Uncivilized, savage

• Destruction of mankind

After the boys crashed

• Society on a smaller scale

Quotes of the island

"The candle-buds opened their wide white flowers... Their scent spilled out into the air and took possession of the island."

(Golding, ch.3).

"Out there, perhaps a mile away, the white surf flinked on a coral reef, and beyond that the open sea was dark blue. Within the irregular arc of coral the lagoon was still as a mountain lake"

(Golding 29).

• The civilized side
• The savage side
• The littluns

"His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island"

(Golding 224).

Characters associated

Quotes from Lord of the Flies

Examples/Quotations

"He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger" (Golding 66).

"He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling" (Golding 66).

''Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!'' (Golding 125).

"The boy with the fair hair lowered himself down [...]"

'' The chief's blush was hidden by the white and red clay. Into his uncertain silence the tribe spilled their murmur once more" (Golding 178).

(Golding, 1)

'' He'll be painted, ' said Sam, timidly. 'You know how he'll be-'' (Golding 198).

(Burns

(Benn)

"[...]Ralph discovered dirt and decay, understood

how much he disliked perpetually flicking the tangled

hair out his eyes..."

(Golding, Ch.5)

"

Painted faces = changing symbol

-the painted faces = first symbol of savagery

= triggered the savagery into jack

= boys follow jack's idea

= allows the hunters to kill without showing they're true identity

= becomes a habit of the hunters

(savagery grows)