Symbolism is using words, places, people, and objects for a meaning that is deeper than its literal meaning. In the novel, “Lord of the Flies,” William Golding uses so much symbolism that the novel could arguably be viewed as an allegory, or a writing with a double meaning. While not all of the symbols are very obvious, the novels title for example, a few of them are, for example, the conch shell, the fire and the parachutist are all very prominent symbols used by Golding. In “Lord of the Flies” there are so many different examples of symbolism that could make the reader believe that the novel actually contains two totally different stories, the literal story, and the symbolic story.
Before the reader even opens the book they are unknowingly presented with a major symbol in the novel; the title. "Lord of the flies" can be translasted to "Ba'alzevuv" (Hebrew,) or "Beelzebub" (Greek). It has been said that the novel's title may have been a mistranslation of a mistransliterated word, which gives those who knows the translation, the idea that the title is about a devil whos main focus is decay, destruction, demoralization, hysteria, and panic, which are all central themes in Lord of the Flies. The devil is obviously not present throughout the course of the novel, but William Golding created his own "devil" figure, his own spin on "Beelzbub," a more modern "devil;" the boys. At first, the boys in the novel were all on the same page, but as the novel progresses the "devil" figure emerges. The boys all split up, due to decay of the civilzation and their democracy that they created, leading to a more anarchist form of government (under Jacks rule,) and a struggle for power between two of the main characters, Jack and Ralph. Alth...
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... very obvious are the conch shell, the fire and the parachutist. "Lord of the Flies" is a novel that can be read multiple times, and be read differently every time, it is up to the reader to differentiate between the literal meaning of the story, and the symbolic meaning of this novel.
Works Cited
Cox, C.B. “A review of ‘Lord of the Flies.’ ” Critical Quarterly 2.2 (Summer 1960): 112-17. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. Vol. 58. Detroit: Gale, 1990. 170-72.
Epstein, E.L. Significant Motifs in Lord of the Flies. New York City: The Putnam Publishing Group, 1954
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York City: The Berkely Publishing Group, 1954. Print.
Michel-Michot, Paulette. “The Myth of Innocence.” Revue des langues vivantes 28.4 (1962): 510-20. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. Vol. 58. Detroit: Gale, 1990. 175-77
Epstein, E. L. Afterword. Lord of the Flies. By William Golding. New York: Berkley, 1954.
Many works of literature inspire new works to be made every day. From things as old as beowulf to the many shakespeare plays, current day writers keep pulling ideas from the classics to create their own stories. Because of this, many older works of literature are still relevant today. The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is more current than ever with allusion from Popular television shows, music that is heard on the radio and the newest blockbuster movie. The many allusions in modern day literature and works of art to lord of the flies are too numerous to count.
Golding, William, The Lord of the Flies, New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, 1954. Print.
In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies there are many examples of symbolism. The conch shell represents order, the appearance of the boys represents savagery, and the fire on top of the mountain represents rescue. These examples are all symbols in the book.
The book Lord of the Flies has changing symbolic values in objects and places. These values reflect humanity's nature to become savage. This is demonstrated by the symbols in their mirroring of the boys. In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, the meaning of symbols evolve throughout the story with the conch standing for civilization and then the breakdown of order in society, Piggy’s specs meaning knowledge then Jack’s power, and the fire first representing hope then ultimately destruction.
In conclusion, the Lord of the Flies is a story that portrays the dark life that results from mankind's inherent capacity for evil. Through the symbols of the conch shell, beast and Piggy's glasses truly shows the comparison between Ralph and
In the Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses characters to convey the main idea of his novel. The story begins with a war, and a plane carrying several young boys, who are being evacuated, is shot down from the sky. There are no adult survivors; however; the boys were brought together by Ralph blowing on the conch shell. They formed a tribe to stay alive. Slowly the stability and the sense of safety in the group started to deteriorate, similar to the downfall of societies during World War II. They are not only hunting animals now, but they are killing each other like savages in order to stay alive. This action of killing is like Hitler during World War II and his persecution of Jews during the Holocaust.
Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding in 1954 about a group of young British boys who have been stranded alone together on an island with no adults. During the novel the diverse group of boys struggle to create structure within a society that they constructed by themselves. Golding uses many unique literary devices including characterization, imagery, symbolism and many more. The three main characters, Ralph, Piggy, and Jack are each representative of the three main literary devices, ethos, logos, and pathos. Beyond the characterization the novel stands out because of Golding’s dramatic use of objective symbolism, throughout the novel he uses symbols like the conch, fire, and Piggy’s glasses to represent how power has evolved and to show how civilized or uncivilized the boys are acting. It is almost inarguable that the entire novel is one big allegory in itself, the way that Golding portrays the development of savagery among the boys is a clear representation of how society was changing during the time the novel was published. Golding is writing during
In the Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses a variety of symbols to represent ideas, or abstract notions or conceptions about people, places, and things. A symbol, according to the Webster's Dictionary, is an object that stands for something in addition to its literal meaning. In the book, there is a continual breakdown of society and civilization on the island. During this breakdown, Golding uses symbolism to further explain the process. Some of the things he symbolizes in the novel are the island itself, the conch, the boys clothing, and the violence.
Works Cited Golding, William. The. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.
It has come to my attention that the book I read, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, has appeared on a number of banned book lists in schools and libraries across the country. Many have also tried to challenge this book, for a number of varying reasons. In this essay, I will talk about what the novel represents, where and why this American classic has been shot down in many schools across the country, and why I believe we should change that.
Imagine a group of young boys who have just crash-landed on a deserted tropical island with no adults or supervision. William Golding showed in his ground breaking novel Lord of the Flies, what may happen in just those circumstances. In his very complicated and diverse novel Golding brings out many ideas and uses many literary devices. Above all others though comes symbolism of three main important objects being the conch, fire, and "Piggy's" eyeglasses. Through each of these three symbols Golding shows how the boys adapt and change throughout the novel. These symbols also help to show each of the boy's ideals on a variety of elements from human nature to society and its controls. All three of these symbols also change and are one of the most important elements of the story.
Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, took place on an isolated tropical island. There were many symbolic items within the story, and their meanings changed as the story developed. The fire was the symbol of hope and civilization at the beginning of the novel, but at the end it had become a fire of destruction. Ralph, in the beginning of the book, stood for leadership and almost perfection, however as the story progresses, he was nothing more than a normal human. The beast, upon its first appearance, symbolized fear, but soon, it represented the savagery within them. The different symbolic figures within the book, such as the fire, Ralph, and the beast, shifted in meaning as the story develops.
William Golding, the author of the novel Lord of the Flies, used symbolism and amplified surroundings around the characters adroitly. It leads the novel to be successful to epitomize the human society. Golding also exposes human natures and savagery through the character developments.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Great Britain: Cox & Wyman Ltd, Reading, Berkshire, 1954. Text.