What Are The Similarities Between Lord Of The Flies And Animal Farm

What happens when a person is viewed as an asset to those around them, and what happens when the asset is no longer valuable? In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies Piggy is an intelligent, overweight boy who suffers from asthma. Piggy also wore glasses, which also have the ability to focus sunlight to make fire. Boxer is a horse in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Boxer is a diligent worker and the strongest animal on the farm, but he is illiterate. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Piggy and Boxer prove themselves invaluable to the community, with their abilities, which causes them to be exploited. Boxer and Piggy both demonstrate loyalty to their respective leaders who use them to further their own ends.

Once both characters are no longer useful for their skills they are disposed of.
Boxer and Piggy first demonstrate their similarities by proving themselves valuable to the community and being exploited for their value. Boxer is described by the other animals as being “as strong as any two horses put together… he was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendous powers of work” (Orwell 5). Since Boxer is the strongest animal on the farm he becomes a large asset to his community since he is able to accomplish work that other animals physically are incapable of doing. Piggy, in the same way, is displayed to be a resource to the other when Jack stated: “‘His specs-use them as burning glasses’” (Golding 40). Piggy had the capability to create a fire which is the key to cooking food and making a signal fire. In view of the fact that Piggy holds the key to rescue and food, he is “surrounded before he could back away… His voice rose to a shriek of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face” (Golding 40). Once Piggy is realized to be a large asset to the community he is immediately physically assaulted by members of his group. Similarly, Boxer is exploited by the others in his group for their personal gain. Boxer worked from morning to night, always where the work was the hardest, and would begin work half an hour before the others, when a problem would arise Boxer’s response would always be “I will work harder” (Orwell 29). By allowing Boxer to work harder, the other animals exploited Boxer’s strength since there would then be less work for themselves to accomplish. By being a resource to their community and being exploited, Piggy and Boxer are first proven to be similar.
Even though Boxer and Piggy are of different species, their loyalty to their leaders exhibits their similarity. During the battle of cowshed Boxer fought along with Snowball, but when Napoleon later states that Snowball fought against Animal farm and Boxer, Boxer simply states “if Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be true” (Orwell 80-82). Out of loyalty Boxer disregards his own experiences but believes what Napoleon has stated as fact. Piggy in a similar way displayed loyalty to Ralph when he is being expected as the leader. When Jack and other boys leave Ralph's group to form their own tribe, Ralph believed that they would return, Piggy Does not agree but does not leave himself (Golding 140). Piggy like Boxer disregards his own thoughts out of loyalty to his chosen leader and accepts what Ralph states and continued to follow Ralph. On the farm, Boxer accepted the pigs as his teacher and learned everything he could form them, and then passed on the information to the other animals with simple arguments (Orwell 18). The pigs are using Boxer as an instrument of instruction to the other animals, they are aware that Boxer will take what they say as fact and also tell the other animals. Since Boxer is very loyal to Napoleon and respected by the other animals, Napoleon used Boxer to spread his messages which assist in Napoleon’s political ambitions. During one of Ralph’s speeches, Piggy reminds Ralph to talk about the importance of the fire and how it ultimately leads to rescue, during a time when the other boys were doubting Ralph (Golding 156). Piggy is given no acknowledgment during the course of Ralph’s speech, displaying that Ralph used Piggy as an advisor to further his own political pursuits, much like how Boxer is exploited by Napoleon by. Boxer and Piggy both demonstrate loyalty to people who take advantage of them to champion their own agendas.
Once Piggy and Boxer are no longer prove useful to the community, they are both murdered.

When working on the windmill Boxer fell and stated “‘It is my lung,’ said Boxer in a weak voice ‘It does not matter. I think you will be able to finish the windmill without me… I only had another munt to go in any case’” (Orwell 119). After Boxer’s hard work ethic being exploited by the others, he is injured in a way so that he will no longer be able to continue working on the farm. Similarly, Piggy is once again physically assaulted by Jack during a night raid, who then steals Piggy’s glasses and with them the way to make fire on the island (Golding 185). By stealing Piggy’s glasses Jack knowingly blinded Piggy and stole his contribution to the community which was his ability to make fire. Piggy guided by Ralph went to Jack and his tribe to attempt to recover the stolen glasses. When Piggy was speaking with Jack a rock strikes “a glancing blow from chin to knee… Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across that square, red rock in the sea. His head opened and stuff came out and turned red” (Golding 201). Since Piggy was viewed by others as a tool for making fire, when he was no longer able to make fire he became expendable. Piggy is depend on the others to provide for him and guild him and no longer possess his ability to make fire, when his is killed. Boxer as well becomes expendable, because he no longer retained his strength after his accident. Napoleon arranges for Boxer to be taken to the slaughterhouse in return for money following Boxer’s mishap and loss of ability to work (Orwell 120 - 122). Following Boxer’s injury he would no longer prove useful to Napoleon but would instead be dependent on him, Napoleon kills Boxer so he will not be a burden to him. Both Piggy and Boxer become a burden to those whom they were previously viewed as an asset by, and they are both disposed of through

death.
Both Boxer and Piggy are viewed as resources by the other characters in the novels. Piggy with glasses has the ability to make fire, whereas Boxer is the strongest animal on the farm and a diligent worker. Once Piggy is discovered to be the key to building fire he is immediately physically assaulted and his glasses are stolen, though they are later returned. Boxer exploits himself by working much harder than the other animals, which creates expectations of him from the other animals. Piggy displays loyalty to Ralph by staying with him even when the majority of others desert Ralph. Piggy is than used by Ralph as an advisor to further his own political campaign. Boxer proves his loyalty to Napoleon by believing Napoleon’s recall of events instead of what he himself witnessed. Napoleon than used Boxer to spread his own messages and propaganda to the other animals. When Boxer’s strength fails and Piggy no longer possesses his glasses they are both disposed of by the others. Piggy and Boxer are similar characters since they are valued for their abilities and loyalty, but when they no longer proved useful they are killed.