Piggy's Glasses: Symbolism in Golding's Lord of Flies Essay

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Seeing Through a Different Lense People usually make assumptions about people by what they have. Sometimes it’s true but other times there’s more to it. In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses a symbol to impact the overall meaning of his work. He uses the universal theme of civilization vs. savagery, and how the intelligence of the boys is trumped by the power and the need for civilization. Golding uses Piggy’s glasses throughout the story to represent intelligence, touch the boys back to civilization, and power, by connecting them to Piggy and the signal fire.
Piggy, throughout the story, is categorized by his glasses. Piggy’s glasses emphasize how he is a “nerd” but being a nerd also means that you’re smart. Golding connects the glasses and Piggy to show that not only is Piggy smart but the glasses also represent intelligence. “He wiped his glasses and adjusted them on his button nose. The frame had made a deep V on the bridge” (Golding 11). Golding uses this description to show how his glasses are a part of him and to display his characteristics. His glasses portray the intelligence that makes Piggy who he is. Golding applies the glasses in the story to contrast the boys, who act savage, and Piggy who is intelligent and rational.The glasses mean there is still intelligence surrounding the boys. It might sound silly to use glasses as a way to get rescued, but that is exactly what the boys did. They wanted to get back home so badly, they used the glasses to create a signal fire. If someone saw the signal fire they could come to rescue them. “‘We’ve got to start the fire again.’ ‘You haven’t got Piggy’s specs,’ said Jack ‘ so you can’t’” (Golding 115) Jack uses the glasses in a way to irritate Ralph since he no longer can use them for the fire. Jack has been against the high priority of rescue, unlike Ralph, who believes they can’t be rescued without the fire. Piggy’s glasses have a big impact on whether or not the boys will get rescued. The boys would have no way of getting back home without the glasses. With the glasses the boys the boys have a way to be connected to civilization because of the fire. Goldings final use of
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