Fire In Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Essay

The book Lord of the Flies has changing symbolic values in objects and places. These values reflect humanity's nature to become savage. This is demonstrated by the symbols in their mirroring of the boys. In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, the meaning of symbols evolve throughout the story with the conch standing for civilization and then the breakdown of order in society, Piggy’s specs meaning knowledge then Jack’s power, and the fire first representing hope then ultimately destruction. The meaning behind the conch shifts throughout the story. It begins as a symbol for order and civilization, as exemplified by Piggy when he states, “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us.” , and becoming

Page seventy-one states, “There was a ship out there you said you’d keep the fire going and you let it out!”(Golding). This shows that they believe that the fire will help them escape the island and the boys desperately cling to the hope fire provides. However, as the story concludes the fire takes on a different meaning: “The whole island was shuddering with flame” (Golding 201). This dark and powerful portrayal of the fire describes a weapon of mass destruction. The atomic bomb was used twice just like the fire. The fire’s symbolism, like others’, shifts throughout the story. In the book Lord of the Flies by William Golding the meaning behind symbols pivot throughout the story. The conch first representing civilization and order becomes meaningless and is destroyed, while Piggy’s specs originally standing for the capability of fire and escape shifts into a symbol of power. Finally, the rescue fire began as a beacon of hope for escape, but is molded by Jack into a weapon of mass destruction. These symbolic values all change due to Jack’s manipulation of the boys’ mindset. The boys regress from wanting to return into civilization to embracing