symbolism

Simple objects that appear in our lives may hold much more meaning than they appear to have. The reason certain objects possess more meaning is because as humans, we imbue significance upon that object. Just as crowns symbolize power to many, they hold no actual power over us. We see it as a symbol of power because we place that meaning upon that object. In William Golding’s novel, The Lord of the Flies, Golding depicts the transition from civilization to savagery in a group of stranded boys through symbols such as the conch shell which represents order, Piggy’s glasses which portray intelligence, and the signal fire which symbolizes civilization; as these symbols degrade over time, so do the characters’ civilized morals. As the novel progresses, so do the symbols. The meanings of these symbols are constantly changing, along with the contrasting interpretation of these symbols.

The conch shell ultimately symbolizes unity and order, but slowly denatures as the boys lose their sense of organization. It represents order and authority by its use of calling meetings and allowing the possessor the privilege of speaking. Although all these rules were put in place, the boys fail to acknowledge them as their innate savagery begins to overpower their civilized instincts. The conch is a reminder of how tools that are seem to hold power do not actual represent any real power. At first the boys all respect the conch, but as time progresses, they begin to ignore the conch and reveal their transition from civilization to savagery. Similar to the way a physical object such as a crown does not possess any actual power, their value increases as people believe in these symbols. The conch shell was no more significant than anything else in the novel...

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...ignal fire symbolize the boys’ transition from civilization to savagery. These symbols initially represent order, intelligence, and civilization, but as the novel continues, so does the degradation of these symbols, which exemplifies the boys’ shift towards savagery. The conch shell is able to depict order and authority by initiating meetings and gives the boy who holds it the right to speak. Piggys’ glasses displays both figurative and literal clarity when they are able to use the glasses to create the signal fire. The signal fire measures the boys’ desire to return to society. When they maintain the fire, they are also maintaining their desire to return to civilization and as the fire dies down, the boys’ savage side is able to consume them. Although these objects can be seen as irrelevant in real life, they are vital to the story’s theme and help develop the plot.