Piggy Allegory Essay

In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, an allegory is represented by several characters symbolizing various qualities of a successful society, but the absence of one or more of these beneficial traits leads to some of the characters and the society to become defective. Piggy is a character that has many qualities of a good society member, but he lacks in some areas that are crucial for survival. Piggy is insightful, decent, speaks out, and organized, but he does not show much bravery. Those who do, like Jack, can easily dominate him. When some names are first being introduced, Jack immediately picks a fight at Piggy saying, “ ‘Shut up, Fatty’ ” (21), Piggy then, “went very pink, bowed his head, and cleaned his glasses again” (21). Piggy

His lack of such further empowers Jack’s ego, for Piggy is an easy target, and Jack later takes over the group, destroying all civilization. Ralph is another example of one character with the deficiency of a trait after he first calls a meeting of all who survived the crash. He shows his defect when Jack is able to create his own tribe. Ralph has a weakness of organization in his handling of the survivors. Most of the survivors agree that Ralph is the suitable leader over Jack, but Jack and his choir members do not. Ralph’s incapability of keeping everyone organized and under his control allows Jack to undermine Ralph. Jack does not have devotion, but envy toward Ralph, which leads Jack to, with the aid of Ralph’s weakness, pull away from the group and influence others to do the same. Ralph is not organized enough to control the group and as a result the society falls. Simon also exhibits many positive traits that lead to a successful being in society, but unfortunately is not perfect, which leads to his gruesome end. When the boys are arguing about what the beast from water could possibly be, Simon felt “a