Helena Romanoski

Mr. Owain Phillips

English 9B
19 March 2014
Symbolism Within The Lord of the Flies
It is argued in the well-known novel by William Golding, The Lord of the Flies,
whether the author uses symbolism to unravel hidden meanings within certain sections
of the story, or that it should be understood only in its literal meaning. This method of
writing makes the book more interesting, and keeps readers wondering as they read.
Symbolism is the practice of investing things or characters that have a symbolic
background. This is used in order to express the invisible or intangible meaning of these
things or characters. In the book and movie, The Book Thief, it can be said that Adolf
Hitler, being the dictator of Germany at the time of the Holocaust, symbolizes power
and leadership for those who follow him, and a symbol of horror and terror for his
targets(Markus Zusak)
The most visible sign of symbolism is Ralph representing civilization, and Jack
representing savagery. When Ralph says, You voted me for chief. Now you do what I
say (81), we notice that he has assumed leadership and wants the boys to be
organized and follow his instructions. On the other hand, Jack rebels against Ralphs
group and teaches his followers to be savages. We see this quality when the boys
chant, Kill the pig, cut her throat, bash her in (75). In order to be rescued, the young
men need to have order and be civilized; but they are overwhelmed by the obstacles the
island throws at them, so they turn to violence and savagery instead.
One point that readers usually dont perceive while reading the part where the
hunters kill a mother sow, is that this scene closely resembles an Oedipal wedding
night. In other words, the killing of the sow can be interpreted as a vivid episode of
sexual intercourse. We can distinguish the sexual imagery in various fragments of the
text, for example The sow collapsed under [the hunters] and they were heavy and
fulfilled upon her (135). Seeing that the young boys felt these strong, overpowering
emotions by killing a female pig, we can connect it to feeling a certain pleasure that
comes along with sexual desires. Not only this, but we can see phallic imagery brought
through the knife which was used to kill the animal.
The most thought-provoking point of symbolism in this book is the use of the
dead pigs head as the Lord of the flies, in other words, the Devil. This devils name
implies that it is devoted to destruction and demoralization, which suits the authors way
of writing. But, what readers dont normally grasp is that the real devil of the story is the
Id, which is the psychological term used to describe a humans first instinct. An
illustration of this so-called devil would be when Roger, with a sense of delirious
abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever(180), causing Piggys death towards
the end of the novel. The Id is what causes the boys to be impulsed to do things that
they wouldnt normally do, such as use violence over reason, only to guarantee their
own survival.
After reading the book, some may say that there is no hidden meaning behind
the events that occur throughout the story. Being a book recommended primarily for
young adults, some say that it is only to be understood for its literal meaning: a group of
boys stuck on a deserted island who need to find a way out. This saves readers from
having to process the unseen connections as they are reading.
Even though using the factual meaning of the novel may seem easier, taking a
deeper look at the symbolic interpretation can allow readers to obtain a better
understanding of the overall story. Using the symbolism given, we can also discover the
meaning behind the story, or what past events lead up to the ones that take place. In
the analysis of The Lord of the Flies, it states that when World War II broke out,
[William Golding] joined the Royal Navy(204), which connects to the background of the
book. By looking at the authors life, we see that he has transmitted some of this past
into the novel.
Not only is symbolism a writing technique, but it is also utilized to create a
captivating storyline. It leaves the reader wondering, and opens up space for a more
complex interpretation of the text. Also, it is helpful to analyze after reading the book,
that way it can be understood in its literal and profound meaning. The Lord of the Flies,
being an allegory, is not only an interesting read, but also incorporates a stronger moral
behind it.











Works Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.