Symbols Emerging in Lord of the Flies

What symbols are merging in the novel? How are they changing in meaning? Think of how much Piggy is changing, or the conch, the island, etc.

Piggy is really starting to buckle down on his intelligence. At the beginning of the novel, he was a pure, raw form of intelligence. Now that he sees how stupid everybody else can be, it’s really starting to annoy him. At first, he was afraid to speak up and went along with everything Ralph says. Now, however, when an unreasonable idea is suggested, he makes sure to voice his opinion. Also, the conch started out as a vessel of democratic power and legitimacy. Now at meetings the boys don’t always wait for their turn with the conch to speak. This is foreshadowing how hell might break loose in the near future. The boys have been on the island for a good couple months, maybe, and they are getting more and more separated from the idea of civilization.

To College and Beyond

Last week, the counselors came into our classroom and had us tap into the back of our memories for our Naviance password. Once that was taken care of, we got into the good stuff. Thinking about college is scary for some kids. For me, it's really the one thing I am looking forward to in my life right now. As cliché as it sounds, I crave the freedom college grants you. I'm looking to go somewhere on the coast, whether that be the West or East Coast, I have not decided. Of course, I still have time to worry about all that good stuff. Being the eldest child in my family, I am the first one to experience just about everything in life. Sometimes this is good, but the majority of the time it can get a little rough. Learning how to be independent will likely be an extremely satisfying thing for myself. I feel like when it comes to applying for colleges, it is going to be a major step forward. I cannot wait to be able to meet so many new people, create lovely friendships, visit new places, and expand my mind all on my own. I cannot wait for college.

Piggy!

In Chapter 1 of Lord of the Flies, the character of Piggy really stood out. “An expression of pain and inward concentration altered the pale contours of his face” (Golding 7).  Piggy had asthma, and also his mom and dad both are dead. To the average person, these are most definitely factors that make up a difficult life. That is the deeper meaning of the word “pain” in this sentence. Piggy also seems to be the most intelligent of the bunch of boy survivors, as he is the first to become aware of the significance of not having an adult to take care of them, while Ralph is ecstatic over the idea of “no adults”. “’We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—‘“ (Golding 15). Piggy is an innovator, as his attentiveness comes to use right away in the beginning of the novel. Piggy represents the scientific and rational side of civilization in this novel. He is also the more feminine of the bunch, as he takes care of speaking for the little children and attempting to take roll of how many there are. While he is being made fun of for being indirectly motherly and intelligent, without Piggy Ralph probably wouldn't know what to do in order to keep the peace.