Symbols in Lord of the Flies

The Conch
1. democracy, social order, respect, power
2. "magic shell"
3. R: "Whoever holds the conch gets to speak"
4. "The conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist."
5. Conch is destroyed: end of order
The Fire
1. fire destroys island but is also only hope of rescue: paradoxically symbol of hope of rescue and destruction of island
2. "A fire, make a fire!" - recognize that fire is essential for survival
3. R: "The fire is the most important thing on the island"
4. R: "Can't you see we ought to die before we let the fire out!"
5. last connection to civilization
6. loss of fire: loss of desire to be rescued
Rules
1. R: "Rules are the only things we've got!"
2. Roger: "Rules! We'll have lots of rules! And if anyone breaks em-!"
3. Jack: "We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages, we're English."
Piggy's glasses
1. last connection to civilization
2. power: fire
3. Piggy's intelligence/Piggy's physical weakness
4. glasses break: social order breaks down
5. "Piggy's glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks"
6. "He was a chief now in truth.. from his left hand dangled Piggy's glasses"
Ralph's hair
1. descent into savagery
2. time spent on island
3. Ralph's obsession
Painted Faces
1. "The mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-conciousness"
2. reveals boys' true nature
3. paint "liberates" boys into savagery
4. loss of humanity
5. loss of identity: boys become tribe
Pig Hunts
1. foreshadows violence & death on island

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Symbols in Lord of the Flies

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