Lord of the Flies
Symbolism
The Conch Shell
• Symbolizes law and order of the adult
world
• Piggy tries to protect it
• Represents the authority the boys are so
used to obeying
• When Jack destroys it, anarchy takes over
because any hope of strong, central
leadership has been abandoned.
• The island society collapses in chaos!
Piggy’s Specs
• They symbolize the voice of reason and
logic among the boys.
• Notice how Piggy defends his glasses even
more than the conch.
• Piggy uses his glasses to find solutions to
the boys’ problems.
What’s the most important solution the
glasses find?.....
The most important solution…
This is the boys’ best chance of getting rescued.
**notice how Piggy is constantly cleaning his glasses; this shows his
need for clear sightedness.
Why an Island?
The Island
• Because an island is isolated from the rest of society, it
was purposefully picked to be the landing place of the
crashed plane.
• The boys have no contact with the outside world.
• They must look to one another to solve the problems of
their own micro-society.
• The island symbolizes “isolation” and serves as the
perfect backdrop for the frailties of human nature
which eventually surface.
The Scar
• The scar is where the plane crashed; it symbolizes
destruction.
• Time spent on the island also leaves a scar.
• The boys destroy themselves and others leaving
internal scars.
The Beast
• The beast is seen as a real object on the island which frightens the
boys.
• In reality the beast is only their own internal fear.
• It is located in the soul and mind of the boys, leading them to the
natural chaos of a society with no adults.
*Who is the only boy to understand what the real beast is?
The only boy to recognize the true
beast is…..
Simon!
*Only Simon recognizes what the real beast is, but he is killed when he tries
to tell the boys about it.
The Lord of the Flies
• The severed sow’s head that Jack impales on a stake in the
forest as an offering to the beast
•It symbolizes the power of evil and the evilness in the boys
(and in humanity)
Face Paint
• The face paint is the excuse many of the boys use for
living as savages, instead of civilized English citizens.
• It serves as a mask that allows the boys to become
someone they are not.
• The paint symbolizes the smoke screen the beast uses to
infiltrate the boys’ souls.
• **What masks do we wear?
The Signal Fire
• The smoke of the signal fire symbolizes the best hope of
the boys being rescued.
• To Piggy and Ralph, the fire represents the moral
influence of their old life in England.
The Parachute Man
• The dead body flying in the parachute symbolizes the
end of adult supervision.
• While the law and order of the adult world is waning,
childish chaos is growing under Jack’s control.
• Simon has a special connection with the parachute man
when he climbs the mountain to determine if the
parachute man is still alive.
• Simon realizes that the man is dead, and the beast is
still alive.
Ralph (the protagonist)
Physical Descriptions:
• Twelve years old
• Built like a boxer
• Blonde hair
Character Traits:
• Charismatic• Leader
• Logical thought
• Sense and order
Jack (the antagonist)
Physical Descriptions
• Twelve years old
• Red hair
• Tall and thin
• “Ugly without silliness”
Character Traits
• Persuasive
• Represents anarchy
and savagery
• Develops a love for
hunting
Piggy
Physical Descriptions
• Short
• Overweight
• Wears glasses
Character Traits
• Represents order and
democracy
• Intellectual power and insight
gained
from observation
• Clings to civilization
Simon
Physical Descriptions
• Thin and frail
• Younger than Ralph, Jack, and
Piggy but older than the
littluns.
Character Traits
• Pure-natural goodness
• Positive outlook
• Loner and an outsider
• Peaceful-travels to tranquil
spots in the jungle
Roger
Physical Descriptions
• Dark hair
• Angry face
Character Traits
• Evil
• Sadistic
• Cruel
Sam and Eric (Samneric)
Physical Descriptions
• Identical twins
Character Traits
• They do everything together
• Easily excitable
• Allies with Ralph