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Symbolism In Lord Of The Flies

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Symbolism in the Lord of the Flies In everyday life, different objects, places, and people symbolize various meanings. In the major motion picture and best selling novel, The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, the main character, Katniss Everdeen wears a mockingjay pin as a representation of bravery and courage. The mockingjay is an example of a symbol, which according to Random House Webster’s college dictionary is “something used for or regarded as something else.” William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, tells a story about a group of stranded boys on an island and the use of many symbolic items that affect their stay and character. Golding’s use and representation of the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses, and the Beast/Lord of Flies …show more content…
When suspicions of the beasts appear the boys’ main focus on getting saved changes, Jack acknowledges there scared feelings, “‘We’ve got to talk about this fear... nonsense!”’(82). As their fear about the mysterious figure grows, the boys continue to ignore their attempt at rescue, but put all their attention towards the beast. During a conversation trying to identify what the beast may be, Simon inputs, “...’Maybe there is a beast... maybe it's only us!”(89). Implying regardless of what's on the island, the true evil that the Beast/Lord of Flies, possess is in the boys themselves. Later in the novel the boys’ atavistic ways become more apparent as their fear and curiosity regarding the Beast increases, when they chant, “‘Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood’” (152). When hunting for the beast, the group get’s excited and mankind’s natural instinct to feel power over killing something as significant as the beast. The fear which unveils the inner evil in the boys distract from the focus of getting rescued. The presence of the Beast inflicts violence and presents ways of savagery, Ralph experiences “a sick fear and rage [that] swept him. Fiercely he hit out at the filthy thing…”(185). The meaning of the Beast/Lord of the Flies impacts the group of boys as the need for order soon disappears and fear’s relationship with evil contributes to the unstable civilization

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