Warm up- Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? When the institutions of law and order slip away or are ignored, human beings revert (go back) to a more primitive (animal) part of their nature. In other words, if people didn’t have laws, they would be more animal like.

Warm up What is a symbol? Give two examples of symbols that we as a society recognize.

Symbolism, Imagery, and Allegory This story is packed!!! Lord of the Flies Symbolism, Imagery, and Allegory This story is packed!!!

Today I will analyze symbolism in Lord of the Flies. Learning Objective Today I will analyze symbolism in Lord of the Flies.

The Fire-#1 The fire is compared to the snakes and it kills one of the little ‘uns, the boy with the mulberry colored birthmark. The snake is the devil in the garden of Eden. However, fire is a symbol in Greek mythology for knowledge. Similar to fire, how can knowledge be two-edged? Interestingly , the Snake/Devil in Eden tempts Adam and Eve with a fruit from the tree of knowledge. Remember that knowledge has brought us healing medicine and also the nuclear bomb!

Who/What is the beastie? #2 Collective Fear Snake Boys’ Vulnerability Unknown dangers Shadows

Boy with the birthmark #3 Things to consider… How old is he? How do we typically view kids of this age? What about his birthmark? How do young kids view a boy with that kind of birthmark? Anyone hear of Darwin? Survival of the fittest?

The Conch The conch is used in many scenes in Lord of the Flies to call the boys to order. No boy may speak unless he is holding the conch and once he is holding it, he cannot be interrupted. They boys have imposed this “rule of the conch” on themselves, and thus the conch represents society’s rules, politics, and speech. The conch is a big part of the boys choosing to vote for a chief, and it also allows anyone to speak when they hold it.

Your Turn- What do you think Piggy’s glasses symbolize? Think-Pair-Share

Piggy’s Glasses While the boys on the island revert to primitive ways with their hunting, nakedness, and face painting, there is still one symbol of advancement, of innovation and discovery. Yes, that’s right, we’re talking about Piggy’s glasses. The boys find themselves at an utter loss for a way to start the fire. Jack mumbles something about rubbing two sticks together, but the fact is the boys just aren’t wilderness-savvy enough to do this. Because they aren’t equipped for roughin’ it for real, they have to rely on some remaining relics of their old world.

The Simpsons imitating LOTF lol!

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS? There is more to come!