Lord of the Flies Symbolism

The Conch Shell Symbolizes law and order of the adult world Piggy tries to protect it Represents the authority the boys are so used to obeying Without it, the island society will collapse in chaos!

Piggy’s Specs They symbolize the voice of reason and logic among the boys. Notice how Piggy defends his glasses even more than the conch. Piggy uses his glasses to find solutions to the boys’ problems. What’s the most important solution the glasses find?.....

The most important solution… Lighting the fire! This is the boys’ best chance of getting rescued. **notice how Piggy is constantly cleaning his glasses; this shows his need for clear sightedness.

Why an Island?

The Island Because an island is isolated from the rest of society, it was purposefully picked to be the landing place of the crashed plane. The boys have no contact with the outside world. They must look to one another to solve the problems of their own micro-society. The island symbolizes “isolation” and serves as the perfect backdrop for the frailties of human nature which eventually surface.

The Scar The scar is where the plane crashed; it symbolizes destruction. Time spent on the island also leaves a scar. The boys destroy themselves and others leaving internal scars.

The Beast The beast is seen as a real object on the island which frightens the boys. In reality the beast is only their own internal fear. It is located in the soul and mind of the boys, leading them to the natural chaos of a society with no adults. *Who is the only boy to understand what the real beast is?

Face Paint The face paint is the excuse many of the boys use for living as hunting savages, instead of civilized English citizens. It serves as a mask that allows the boys to become someone they are not. The paint symbolizes the smoke screen the beast uses to infiltrate the boys’ souls. **What masks do we wear?

The Signal Fire The smoke of the signal fire symbolizes the best hope of the boys being rescued. To Piggy and Ralph, the fire represents the moral influence of their old life in England.