 Symbolism!

Symbols in Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies is allegorical. This means that the story and (pretty much) everything in it symbolises something. We’re going to go through these symbols as a class and how you could use these symbols in an essay. If you don’t discuss the allegorical nature of the story and thus the actual meaning of the story then you WILL NOT receive a high mark. You must show your understanding of symbols, motifs and images.

The difference between a motif and a symbol A symbol is anything that represents another thing in a piece of literature While a symbol might occur once in literature to signify an idea or an emotion, a motif can be an element or idea that repeats throughout that piece of literature A motif could be a collection of images or symbols which are repeated. For example, a motif of “light and dark”. This motif could include the symbols of: – moon shadows (shades of darkness) – a candle (a light in the darkness) – storm clouds (temporary darkness) – a ray of sunshine (emerging from darkness) – a tunnel (through the darkness) After noticing a motif, you should consider what that motif represents on the whole. Some possibilities for the motif of light and dark might be: – Love survives death – Life renews itself – Knowledge conquers fear This prezi discusses (with quotes) the motif of fire and what it represents in Lord of the Flies lord-of-the-flies-the-motif-of-fire/ Task: In pairs, think of one motif other than fire which is seen in Lord of the Flies. Remember, this is not a symbol but a repeated idea or collection of images/symbols. (The conch is not a motif)

Motifs in Lord of the Flies Falling Fire Biblical parallels Outward expressions of savagery Outward expressions of civilisation Natural beauty Choose one of these motifs and think of 5 times when it appears in the book and hypothesise what it may be representing as a whole.

Symbols A symbol is anything that represents another thing in a piece of literature. Symbols, unlike motifs may be seen only once, but they are normally referenced through the text. Some symbols in LOTF are: – Piggy (and his glasses) – Jack – Ralph – Simon – Roger – The Signal Fire – The Conch – The Beast – The Scar – The Assemblies – The Lord of the Flies – The Beast – The Island – The little uns

But what they do they all mean? Each of these symbols were placed in the novel for a specific purpose. The little’uns, for instance, aren’t focused on very much in the novel apart from how they react to the leadership struggles. In chapter 4 they are described as living a life “distinct, and at the same time intense, life of their own”. (Golding, pg 74) What might they represent? – Evidence?