Piggy's Glasses In Lord Of The Flies By William Golding

In William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies, Piggy is an intellectual boy with poor eyesight, weight problems, and asthma. Because he is less physically able than the other boys he quickly becomes the laughing stock of the group. Piggy’s glasses have two roles in Lord of the Flies. The first being that they show his emotions and how he is feeling, the second being that they are the only way the boys know how to light the fire. “Piggy’s glasses were misted again – this time with humiliation” (Golding 26). Piggy is very self-conscious about himself because he is not like the other boys. Piggy is physically unable to perform simple tasks to help the tribe or to be of any benefit. Piggy’s glasses are the only way that he is able to contribute to

In the beginning of Lord of the Flies, the boys live in harmony and peace. Piggy realizes that their chance of survival depends on the smoke of the fire. Jack discovered that the boys could “use them as burning glasses” (Golding 49). At this point in the book, only Piggy saw how important the fire really is. “The chief led them, trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement. He was a chief now in truth, and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses” (Golding 236). The glasses have a similar power to the conch shell. Jack and his newly formed tribe of savages stole Piggy’s glasses. With the power of the fire, Jack is able to determine the fate of Ralph’s community. Because Jack is able to control Ralph’s community’s fire he is able to determine if they get rescued. Jack was so excited that he finally got the fire from Piggy that as he walked away from the shelters he triumphantly stabbed the air with his spear. With Jack controlling the fire, Piggy is becoming concerned that Jack’s savages are not putting off enough smoke to create a

“Ralph – remember what we came for. The fire. My specs” (Golding 249). Ralph and Piggy went to Jacks tribe to try and talk them into giving Piggy his specs back. Jack and his savages played a dirty trick” (Golding 248), by stealing Piggy’s specs. Ralph and Piggy were not going for a fight but to take back Piggy’s glasses so he could see once more. Ralph had lost his temper and was becoming madder by the second, soon he was even yelling at Jack that he “came sneaking up like a thief and stole Piggy’s glasses” (Golding 248). Piggy was becoming embarrassed that Ralph was making such a scene about his glasses, at one point Piggy even yelled. The argument ended with Roger pushing a rock onto Piggy, killing him. Piggy’s glasses had become so powerful that Piggy was killed attempting to get them back. Piggy’s glasses became a very powerful symbol over the course of the story. In the beginning of the Lord of the Flies, his glasses symbolized the idea of hope and innovation, by the end of the story Piggy’s glasses were a symbol of power. The glasses had become such a symbol of power that Jack’s savages killed