Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis

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Almost every novel ever written has many different symbols and meanings blended within it. Lord of the Flies goes beyond that, with intriguing symbols throughout and countless unique ways of interpreting each. A symbol can sometimes be difficult to understand; however, the most basic definition of a symbol is “a person, place, or thing that represents something more than its literal meaning” (“Lord of the Flies” 183). From the very first page of this novel to the last, symbols are being introduced, explained, and often completely left open to the reader’s interpretation. These symbols revolve around the ideas of “War, society, and civilization” (Labriola and Loy 289). Often, authors try to portray one specific, overarching idea through each …show more content…
For example, the island is a symbol for the Garden of Eden; the island pure and without corruption. Also, just as Adam and Eve were given an opportunity to create the perfect society, the boys were given an opportunity to do the same. However, both of the two different groups failed to do so, and as a consequence, they lost the purity that they once had. The group of boys can be seen as a direct comparison to Eve; just as “Eve disobeys God, breaks His law and is expelled from Eden, the boys start to break the rules they have made and thus ruin their own paradise-like island” (Mirjana). This connection is made even more clear by the fact that the group of boys, especially the boys choir, is made out to be as innocent as possible from the very beginning of the novel. This is similar to Adam and Eve’s innocence, which is very prominent in the Bible. However, Adam and Eve’s fall away from God occurred because of one evil action, while the boys on the island had a much more gradual fall away from civilization. Throughout the novel, Simon can often be seen going through experiences similar to Jesus. As a result, he is a Biblical symbol for Jesus. For example, when the “Lord of the Flies” appears to Simon, it is similar to Jesus’ temptations in the desert. Just as Jesus conversed with Satan, Simon conversed with the “Lord of the Flies”. Also, just after this encounter, Simon went to the other boys to tell them about the truth of the beast, and he was killed because of it. This is similar to Jesus, because Jesus’ mission on Earth was to spread the good news of God’s kingdom throughout the world, and he was killed because of it. If the other boys had just listened to Simon, then they might have been saved from their own savage natures. However, they did not listen, and as a result, they faced severe consequences. This is similar to the teachings of Christ; he
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