Piggy's Symbolic Themes

Often times, authors use characters in their novels to represent major themes. Characters can often be looked at with a psychological approach to literature in order to better determine or understand their symbolic significance through themes. In addition, themes are an older form of thinking, and it is arguably human nature to seek them out. It is evident that themes are an immense role in the novel. Although Lord of the Flies may be a complex novel, the use of Piggy to portray themes is to catch the reader’s attention and provoke them to think. This is shown through the themes of ambition and leadership, civilization vs. savagery and betrayal.

Piggy, the heavy, nearsighted boy, is often teased and ridiculed, however Golding makes it obvious to the reader that Piggy is indeed the superego. First, Piggy is the character who thinks of and brings forward many beneficial ideas to the group. More specifically, Ralph points to the creamy, valuable shell exposed within the lagoon, instantly causing Piggy decorous excitement. Piggy proposes his very first idea to Ralph declaring, “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us – “ (Golding 12) As this is Piggy’s first idea in the novel, he has already proven to be an intelligent and rational character who tries to unite everyone on the island and bring them together. He is simply the only one who considers gathering all those stranded. He behaves as the brain of the bunch, while Ralph plays the voice of the group; sharing Piggy’s proposals to the other boys since no one is attentive to Piggy. Second, while there are no adults stranded on the island, Piggy undertakes the role of symbolizing an adult figure to the other boys. For example, he refers to t...

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...h and no one but Ralph is bothered by it. They all have betrayed Piggy to his death, which cannot be undone. In closing, betrayal is shown through Ralph’s disloyalty towards Piggy, the theft of Piggy’s glasses and the murder of him by Roger.

To conclude, the themes of leadership, civilization vs. savagery, and betrayal are all evident through Piggy. It is clear that Piggy is linked closely with these themes and has a major impact on the novel. He is a rational and logical character who represents the intellectual aspect of civilization and order and as savagery becomes more intense in the novel, Piggy begins to suffer more injustices and eventually loses his life speaking out against it. His knowledge and the savagery of the boys bring him to his death. In short, Piggy is a very symbolic character, who Golding uses to represent the three major themes in the novel.