Text Analysis Response
Lord Of The Flies
Yeo-Re Lee/Jack Holland
In the “Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding, the central idea of exploring the nature of civilization versus savagery in the root of humans was developed through several devices in the allegory. Notably, Piggy’s glasses held significant importance as it was the fuel to the fire (another significant device), and a representation for clarity and the kids’ hope for survival. As the novel progresses, Golding uses this device to mark the loss of innocence in children as many turned to barbarity and portrays the struggle between civilization and savagery.
Throughout the story William Golding creates the symbolic meaning of Piggy’s glasses by developing their meaning differently through the beginning, middle, and end. Early on in the story when the boys are still civilized, Piggy’s glasses were first used to start the first fire. By doing this the boys are shown their first glimpse of hope of survival and returning home. “The flame, near invisible at first in that bright sunlight, enveloped a small twig, grew, was enriched with color and reached up to a branch which exploded with a sharp crack. The flame flapped higher and the boys broke into a cheer.” (Golding 41). Allegorically, the start of the fire is representing the development of technology and intellect. The glasses are used to supply the foreground to advance their society and civilization on the island. Similarly, to the scientific and enlightenment periods in history, intellect and advancement is used to create a better society and stable living. As the story progresses and the island begins to shift in Jack’s favor, a major event occurs in which the glass’s meaning is altered. When one of the lense of the glasses, the symbol of intellect/technology, and hope for rescue is broken, this is the start of the end of civilization. “You didn’t ought to have let the fire go out. You said you would keep the fire going-”. […] Jack smacked Piggy’s head. Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks. Piggy cried in terror.” (Golding p.71). When these values which the glasses possess are half broken, it marks the beginning of the shift to savagery in the boys. Furthermore, when put into context this turning point in the story happens as Ralph, Piggy, and Simon (who are three figures that advocate civilization and thought) discover that they lost the one ship that they see while on the island due to the fact that Jack (savagery) and his party leave the fire unattended. When intellect is destroyed and instinctive, power hungry leaders are left to rule by themselves civilization ceases to exist. As the novel comes toward its ending, Jack rules over the overwhelming majority of the boys, and Ralph finds companionship only in Piggy along with SamnEric after the death of Simon. Savagery rules over civilization. But while the majority, because civilization still possessed the hope of being rescued, savagery was not yet victorious. ““You all right Piggy?” “I thought they wanted the conch.” […] “Ralph, what am i going to do?” […] He was a chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy’s glasses.” (Golding 168). When a resource, one which provides such benefits like the glasses is scarce, war breaks out. The obsession of Piggy’s glasses, and the fighting over it is portrayed similarly to the obsession over oil in many nations. Near the time the novel was published in 1954, “oil wars” like the Pacific War and Stalingrad were fought, and of course in the whole of WW2 all participating nations scrambled to capture petroleum to supply their armies and navies. The fighting between the boys sets the glasses as the core piece, the key which would determine the outcome of who would win between the savages or the civilized.
The central idea of civilization vs savagery was presented with trends very much familiar to readers today. While many separate parts in history can be connected to the different parts in the novel (as stated above), the event which stood with the theme as a whole was the Cold War. When Golding was writing this novel in 1954, the Cold War was a current event in history. Although the struggle between democracy vs communism can not be set exactly as civilization vs savagery, many elements such as the battle between the Soviet Union and the US as the figureheads like Jack and Ralph, and the obsession over the possession of nuclear weapons are present using various symbols in “The Lord of The Flies”. It is true that with the various devices implemented by Golding like the conch, the fire, and of course Piggy’s glasses allow the reader to understand the depth in meaning of each specific part in the text, but with the use of history and an understanding of the writers background one can achieve an awareness of the situation as a whole.