Symbolism in Lord of the Flies by William Golding Essay Sample

Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses symbolism in order to portray the different factors that ultimately lead to savagery and the destruction of civilization. Prominent symbols in the novel include, the conch, the signal fire, Piggy’s glasses, and The Lord of the Flies. The conch is a symbol for civility and order and the signal fire symbolizes the connection between the boys and civilization. Piggy’s glasses represent scientific reasoning and intellect. Furthermore, The Lord of the Flies symbolizes the power of evil and the darkness that lies within the boys. Golding successfully uses symbolism in Lord of the Flies to portray the elements that result in the demolition of civility on the island and within the boys along with the power of darkness.

In the novel, the conch symbolizes authority, order, and civilization. When Piggy and Ralph find the conch they “use it to call the others.” (Golding 16) As the boys begin to vote who should be chief some cry out “Him with the shell. Ralph! Ralph! Let him be chief with the trumpet-thing.” (Golding 22) This demonstrates that the conch is a symbol for authority because when the boys see Ralph holding it he gives them the impression of having responsibility and leadership skills. After being elected chief, Ralph states “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking. And he won’t be interrupted. Except by me.” This shows that the conch is a symbol for order because it establishes the right to speak to whomever is holding it. Along with that, the rule about speaking is one of the first rules to be created on the island and presents the idea that the only way order can be maintained is by the establishment of rules. As the desire for civility begins to diminish, Piggy is struck by a rock while holding the conch which “exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” (Golding 181) The destruction of the conch represents the demolition of authority, order, and civilization. Without rules and regulations chaos erupts among the island. Ultimately, once the conch is destroyed the symbols of authority, order, and civilization are demolished as well.

The signal fire created by the boys symbolizes the connection between the boys and civilization. At the beginning of the novel, the boys attempt to build a signal fire so they can “make smoke on top of the mountain.” (Golding 38) “The boys burn the fire on the top of the mountain to attract the attention of any ship.” (Faryyad 9) This shows that the fire represents the connection to civilization because it is their only hope for being rescued. “On the other hand when the boys lose interest in fire burning it causes of destruction at the end.” (Faryyad 9) When the fire dies out, so do their chances of being found and brought back to civilization. Piggy’s glasses are a symbol of the power of science and intellect. Throughout the novel, “Piggy represents intellectual power and insight gained from observation.” (Parry 2) In addition, he is the one who wears the glasses and uses the most rational reasoning among the group of boys.