Lord Of The Flies Fire Symbolism

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a story about a group of English boys that are stranded on an island by a plane crash. These boys attempt to maintain the society they knew before the crash by electing a leader in place of the grown up and maintain certain social rules. A group of hunters break away from the group and set up their own tribe. During one of the feasts after a wild boar is killed the boys also kill the “beast.” This beast turns out to be another boy on the island. Also, when attempting to keep out the four boys that do not agree to join the savage tribe, another boy is killed by a rock that is pushed from above. These boys lose sight of rescue and push their ways upon unwilling members. This book is full of symbolism, from the conch to the island itself. The symbol that is most important is the fire, because the fire represents hope of rescue, a safe society with rules, and also destruction. First, fire is the most important symbol due to the smoke it produces as a signal for rescue. Ralph is adamant that the fire must be going all the time for the chance of a ship to see and rescue them. While the choir is supposed to have people manning the fire, it goes out. Jack demands that the two fire keepers leave with him to help circle the wild boar. During the time that the fire is out, Ralph spots a ship

With the use of fire, the boys can cook, have light in the darkness of the island, and heat on cool nights, all things modern society offers. After the “beast” takes over the mountain, Piggy and Ralph build a fire on the beach. This fire has to be smaller do to the location and the limited number of people that are able to attend it. When Piggy sets the tinder on fire with his glasses, “the littluns … became wildly excited” (130). Once the fire dies down they lose interest and go in search of food under the fruit