Symbolism In Lord Of The Flies

The Significance of Symbolism in Lord of the Flies

In William Golding 's, Lord of the Flies, a group of young, British boys become stranded on a island after their plane crashes. When a boy named Ralph becomes the chief to govern the boys in order for them to be rescued, it ends up becoming disastrous because of little control and the absence of adults. Throughout the novel, Golding uses symbolism to convey his message that evil lies within everyone. Although there are various symbols that Golding uses to convey his message, there are three that show the transformation from good at the beginning the novel to evil as the plot evolves. The readers start to see a break down of democracy as the boys become more savage. The three symbols that he uses are the conch, Piggy 's glasses, and the fire. At the beginning Golding 's symbols give an impression of safety, democracy, and hope. Then as the boys journey progresses, so does there fear and the readers start to see a change as they gain more knowledge on what is really happening.

The first symbol that is introduced is the conch. The readers are given the impression at the beginning of the novel that the conch symbolizes leadership and democracy but then they can start to notice a break down of this as the

He uses many different symbols, such as the conch, Piggy 's glasses, and the fire to show the theme that evil lies within everyone. The readers notice, throughout the novel, a change in the way the boys act. At the beginning of the novel they are well civilized boys but as their fear grows and without guidance their savagery begins to grow also. The use of symbols help show this change in the boys. Golding writes, “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man 's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy”(225). Every person is capable of