Degradation in Lord of the Flies (Book Analysis)

“‘You’re talking too much,’ said Jack Merridew. ‘Shut up, Fatty’” (Golding 21). This quotation comes from the book Lord of the Flies by William Golding where Jack is making Piggy feel bitter as well as downgrading him. What Golding wants the reader to understand is that people cause other people to feel lousy to cause themselves to feel better. Golding uses symbolic techniques throughout the book. Golding uses Jack and Piggy to expose them that people will degrade others to improve their own security and their self-image so that readers can understand what it is like being the person degrading others and being the person being degraded.

Golding uses Jack and Piggy to show that kids are mean to other kids in stressful situations in order to cause themselves to feel better. Earlier in the chapter the children are talking about how they need to explore the island so that they can figure out if it is even an island or not. “‘We don’t want you,’ said Jack, flatly. ‘Three’s enough’” (Golding 24). Jack is telling Piggy that he can’t join for the reason that they only want a few people. Moreover, three is enough. Even though this is what Jack says there is probably a different reason he doesn’t want Piggy to leave. It might be as simple as Jack doesn’t like how he looks or acts. A few pages before the kids take Piggy’s specs by attacking him so that they can produce a fire. Then they need to bring logs but by the cause of Piggy’s asthma he doesn’t grab a great deal of wood. “Piggy had settled himself in a space between two rocks, and sat with the conch on his knees. ‘We haven’t made a fire,’ he said, ‘what’s any use. We couldn’t keep a fire like that going, no if we tried.’ ‘A fat lot you tried,’ said Jack contemptuously. ‘You just sat’” (Golding 42). Jack is making Piggy feel awful as a result of he wasn’t doing anything to help with the fire although he is complaining about it. Jack is much too likely angry at the fire and everyone for not being able to keep it up, nevertheless, Piggy is an easy target so he yells at him. 

Golding uses Jack and Piggy to show that mean nicknames can hurt people as well as be effective in poor ways. Part of the island is on fire, furthermore, no one knows what to do about it. By the cause of this everyone is scared. “‘There ain’t nothing we can do. We ought to be more careful. I’m scared--’ Jack dragged his eyes away from the fire. ‘You’re always scared. Yah-Fatty! (Golding 45) Jack is making fun of Piggy for being scared. There are a few reasons why he would do this, conversely, the greatest reason is that he doesn’t like Piggy, furthermore, he likes to degrade him. He also is probably scared himself and doesn’t want to admit it. A boat has gone by and Ralph is hollering at Jack since instead of keeping the fire going he was out hunting.  “‘You didn't let that fire out. You said you'd keep the smoke going--’... ‘You would, would you? Fatty!’” (Golding 71) Jack likes to blame things on Piggy seeing that he is an easy target. Piggy is joining Ralph and shouting at Jack about how he should have kept the fire going, accordingly, Jack made a snarky remark back to obtain the rough attention back on Piggy and off of him. He also used that nickname that Piggy doesn’t like. 

Golding is using Jack and Piggy to show that words along with facial expressions can cause people to be scared. They are talking about how they need a fire to generate smoke in case a ship comes and Jack is arguing with them. Piggy is trying to put things in order by saying he should speak because he has the conch.  “‘I got the conch--’ Jack turned fiercely, ‘ You shut up!’ Piggy wilted” (Golding 42). In this quote Jack is shouting down Piggy, Piggy is scared which is why he wilted. In this way Jack is downgrading Piggy as well as scaring him. The littluns think they have seen the beast and Piggy is scared just like almost everyone else.  “Jack broke in contemptuously. “You’re always scared” (Golding 101). Jack is using Piggy’s fear against him. It causes Piggy to be bitter. Jack is taking out his anger on Piggy and he is probably scared too but too proud to admit it.  

Using Jack and Piggy, Golding exposes the theme that people will degrade others to improve their own security and self-image so that readers can understand what it is like being the person degrading others along with being the person being degraded. Golding is trying to have us understand that people will degrade others in order to secure themselves even if there are consequences. Overall Golding is a great writer along with using a simple but mere unique writing style that can expose different themes in creative ways.