<p>A novel would not be as powerful without metaphor. It allows mankind to use their imagination more efficiently, and it makes the novel more enjoyable as a whole. William Golding seems to realize this in his first and most successful novel, Lord of the Flies. The fact that the story is filled with symbols makes it one of the most well-written books of all time. In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses metaphor and symbolism effectively to reveal the theme of the novel.</p>
<pre><code>The first symbol that Golding introduces in Lord of the Flies is the conch. This object symbolizes the civilization and order of the entire island. Early in the novel, Ralph is chosen leader of the group of boys. Piggy suggests that by blowing the conch, he and Ralph can call meetings. "We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. Theyll come when they hear us" (pg.10). Also, Ralph says that in order to be able to speak during meetings, the boys must raise their hands first, and they will be handed the conch to do so. This makes the process much more organized. Ralphs idea is very effective throughout a good part of the novel, but the conchs importance starts declining when most of the boys join Jacks tribe. Jack brainwashes a lot of littluns and bigguns by saying that he will protect them from the so-called beast. What they do not realize is that they are the beast. Because of Jacks idiocy, they eventually turn into blood-thirsty savages. At this point, obviously, the order of the island becomes almost non-existent. The conch basically means nothing to most of the children anymore. At one point, Simon realizes that the beast they have been fearing all along is actually a parachutist. Simon cannot wait to tell the group the good news. But as he is on his way to inform them, the savages think that he is the beast and run to attack him. Simon screams his lungs out, but he is killed in a ferocious manner. His body is washed out to the sea. This becomes the death of innocence, and the birth of absolute chaos. When Ralph starts thinking about his involvement in the death of the only naturally kind character in the novel, he starts trembling and holds the conch tightly. He feels a sense of guilt. Piggy tries to contradict Ralphs beliefs by saying that it was an accident, but deep inside he knows that what happened was wrong. Later in the novel, Ralph tries to blow the conch in Jacks area to try to restore any kind of order, only to be thrown rocks at. Ralph then realizes that the effectiveness of the conch no longer exists. Because of the sudden disobedience towards the conch, civilization has disappeared and disorder has begun. The symbol of the conch is very unique because it is not one-dimensional. Not only does it symbolize the order of the island, but it symbolizes the exact opposite, the demise of it.
There are many ways to symbolize wisdom and intelligence in literature. In this novel, William Golding chooses Piggys glasses to represent his underrated mind. Piggy may not be the most popular person in the island because of his physical appearance, but he is by far the smartest and most reasonable. His rational and clever thoughts are never appreciated by the rest of the group. If his ideas were considered, there would have been a quicker and much different ending to the story. The importance of Piggys specs is realized early in the novel. They are used to focus sunlight and create signal fires so that somehow the group could be miraculously rescued. When Jack and his hunters decide to steal Piggys specs to make fire of their own, it foreshadows some kind of catastrophe. "They blinded me. See? That's Jack Merridew (Pg. 169). The glasses being stolen is basically like knowledge being taken away. Not so long after the robbery, Roger kills Piggy by rolling a boulder onto him. Because of the loss of the specs and the death of Piggy, there is no longer much wisdom that Jack can utilize to prevent his near-death experience. Oddly enough, after Piggys death, an unintentional fire is what rescues Ralph and the boys at the end of the novel.
The most important symbol in the novel is the feared beast. It all starts early in the book when one of the littluns frightens everyone on the island, including the older children, by saying that he saw a beastie. Strangely enough, this character is the first one to disappear, and was most likely killed by fire. Later in the novel, it is suggested that the beast hides in the ocean during the day, and only comes out at night. This theory is extremely frightening to the boys. Sadly, after this moment, the group is never the same again. Simon becomes the first character in Lord of the Flies to realize that there is no actual beast, and that maybe the beast are the boys themselves. What I mean is . . . Maybe its only us . . . (pg. 89). This is difficult for him to explain, and the boys giggle at his correct assumption. As the boys become savages, they start believing even more that there is a beast. This is Goldings best use of symbolism in the novel. The reader would think that this would cause the boys to realize that the creature is within themselves, but the more savage and wild they become, the more realistic the beast seems.
It is unclear whether Golding uses all of these devices intentionally, or whether it is just an instinct. Either way, the symbolism by itself makes Lord of the Flies an instant classic. Whether he is linking two obvious things together, like glasses and intelligence, or whether he is linking two unlike things, like a conch and civilization, he does it beautifully. William Golding uses symbolism effectively to reveal the theme of the novel, and it has been exemplary to many other authors for over half a century.
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