Lord Of The Flies Symbolism

Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies”, William Golding

In “Lord of the Flies” William Golding reflects abstract ideas or concepts via characters, objects, figures or colours. These are known as symbols. Some of the symbols in this book refer to positive thoughts or ideas; others reflect the inner darkness of the boys. Each symbol represents different concepts. This does not mean that the symbol can’t refer to more than one idea or concept. The boys are left stranded on an island without any supplies or adults. Therefore, from the beginning of the book the boys know they will have to learn to live as a society or community together. Though at the beginning everything seems to go well, soon the boys’ start to lose their common sense and start to

Ralph, Piggy, Simon, Roger and Jack were, in my opinion, the most effective and remarkable symbols of all of the boys. Ralph represents order, leadership, democracy and civilization. Piggy, like his glasses, represents common sense, maturity and the intelligence within civilization. Simon represents goodness, kindness, and sometimes his behaviour links him to Christ. Jack represents savagery and dictatorship, in his point of view, only he should lead. Roger represents Satan as throughout the book his character is based on an evil behaviour. The characters are the key to the civilization they build and destroy. Piggy and Ralph try to find a stable position for everyone to be in to be able to create the political environment they think is needed to survive until they are rescued. Jack and Roger, try to build a dictatorship using the littler kids to serve them. They use their power to fulfil their desires. As the boys fight their way into building a society, they end up destroying the island and transforming a possible civilization into a total

The symbols that represented good, hope or order were all destroyed. At the end of the book the only representative of common sense was Ralph, who would have also been destroyed if the infernal fire hadn’t been seen by the marines that rescued them. Once they were rescued, they all ended up crying, noticing, slowly what they had done and who they had become. No longer recognized as English boys, the boys were taken towards the ship, the ship that saved their