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Piggy in the Lord of the Flies

The evil side of human nature is explored in William Golding's novel Lord of the

Flies through the narrative of a group of British schoolboys stranded on an island. In a world

where these ideals are challenged by the violent tendencies of the other characters, Piggy

represents logic, civilization, and scientific thought. However, Piggy is equally affected by

his feelings of satisfaction and regret, which are vital in shaping his actions. Throughout the

novel, Piggy's sense of joy and pride in intellectual prowess is balanced by his feelings of

regret and inadequacy that drive him to assert rationality with the other boys on the island.

Golding explores the characters' complex psychological development and the interplay with

emotions, particularly feelings of satisfaction and regret in Piggy.

At the novel's outset, Piggy is portrayed as an outcast who is frequently mocked and

rejected but manages to preserve a sense of satisfaction in his intelligence and rationality,

which he views as his source of strength. In a statement to Ralph, "I got the conch… That's

what you'll say, you'll see," Piggy flexes his sense of pride and satisfaction in possession of

the island's symbolic rationality and order, the conch (Golding 17). On the other hand, Piggy

laments his regrets and inadequacy, particularly his physical weakness and lack of social

skills. Piggy's poor eyesight and asthma prevent him from physical activities and are sources

of vulnerability to ridicule from the other characters. As a result, Piggy continues to yearn for

respect and acceptance from the other island boys, who do not take him seriously, and his

awkward social manner. At the same time, these emotions increase his vulnerability to
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destructive impulses that ultimately lead to his tragic demise in the face of violence and

chaos.

Consequently, Piggy's actions and emotions intertwine as he becomes more assertive

in establishing order and rationality on the island. Piggy desperation to develop a sense of

rationality and order in the boys leads him to state, "That's what I said… and I said we gotta

stay here till we die" (Golding 59). However, Piggy's sorrow and inadequacy still impact his

behavior; hence, his loneliness and marginalization grow as he is more irritated by the other

lads' rejection of his views. Despite Piggy's efforts, his feelings finally get mixed up with the

folks' aggressive tendencies, and his comprehension and rationality can no longer defend him

as a target of their assault. As a result, Piggy suffers isolation and betrayal, deepening his

desperation to find belonging across the island.

Ultimately, Piggy is powerless to stop the island's slide toward barbarism despite his

best attempts. Piggy's tragic murder at the hands of Jack's tribe emphasizes the deadly effects

of unbridled emotion. Thus, his rationality and brilliance are no match for the emotional

triggers of fear, anger, and hostility that drive the other guys. Besides, it is significant that the

destruction of the conch led to the tragic demise of Piggy and the impossibility of

establishing a coherent system of governance. Piggy's death underscores the fragility of

civilization despite his intellectual ability to confirm the order on the island. In this sense,

Piggy's demise serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of allowing emotions to rule

without respect for reason and logic. By highlighting the conch's significance as a

representation of reason and order, Golding argues that only expect to defeat the destructive

force of emotions by working as a group.

In conclusion, the complicated psychological growth of the characters and the

emotional dynamics that exist are explored by Golding, which presents mixed sentiments of

satisfaction and remorse. Piggy's terrible end in Lord of the Flies is a heartbreaking reminder
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of the harm that unchecked emotion may do. The feelings of sorrow and inadequacy that

Piggy experiences in contradiction to his sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in his

intelligence and logic motivate him to stand up for his rationality in the face of resistance

from the other boys. However, these feelings also leave Piggy open to the other guys'

destructive tendencies, resulting in his terrible death.

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Work Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. 1954. Penguin Books, 1954.