What Does The Fire Symbolize In Lord Of The Flies

In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, it is evident from the start that symbolism is going to be a major theme in the text. The most important symbols include The Conch, The Beast and The Signal Fire. These symbols demonstrate the movement from order to chaos which I will show individually. Golding tries to show that savagery is more of a basic instinct in humans than we would like to think. His choice of young schoolboys, which includes choirboys, sets the scene with innocence personified in Ralph “the boy with the fair hair” (Golding, 1954, p. 1). Whereas, The Conch shell shows civilisation and order as it symbolises meetings and respect throughout the group. The aim of this essay is to investigate the different symbols used to demonstrate

the movement from order to chaos.

The symbols I am using are always important that either Ralph or Jack use intentionally or unintentionally. Symbolism is crucial throughout the novel as Golding shows that an item is more powerful than first shown.

The main symbol from the beginning of the novel is the Conch shell. It is Piggy who first notices it. The Conch gives him the idea to give it more purpose than just a sound machine. Ralph decides that whoever has the handling of the Conch has the responsibility of speaking and everyone should accept it. The power of The Conch is made clear by Golding when describes the situation after the election of Ralph as the main leader “Most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch” (Golding, 1954, p. 19). This rule is made by Ralph through Piggy and shows that the conch stands for law and order since everyone has the right to free speech with the conch. The conch becomes a symbol of parliamentary order as Piggy together

with Ralph turns it into a tool of civilisation. The conch’s power is completely dependent on the recognition by the boys. When the power shifts over to Jack the conch slowly loses its influence. Towards the end of the novel the chaos has begun by the destruction of the conch “the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” (Golding, 1954, p. 200). With the conch gone, chaos begins. The shattered conch symbolises the end of reason. After authority is destroyed on the island the boys succumb to savagery. In this case, the conch is the last thing that is holding the democracy together, with the conch shattered; all that Ralph and Piggy have fought for is destroyed and gone forever on the island. So, we can see that the conch is a major symbol of both order and chaos. It assembles the group and the only person holding it may talk whereas towards the end there is chaos when it is shattered. Jack run screaming that he can now be leader where there is no conch to represent power.

An extra symbol of order and chaos is The Beast, which embodies the power of the boy’s fears. All the boys are frightened of something that does not even exist. When Jack converts this fright into a creature the boys call it The Beast. The little ones are afraid and Jack uses this fear to make him stronger dictatorially. After the boys find the dead parachutist their fear of a Beast from the air makes them even more afraid. Jack uses its existence to make the other boys followers of his commands where fear is the source of Jacks power. Most of the boys join Jacks new found tribe to find safety from the Beast which he promises. Jack thinks that he can win their hearts over by hunting the beast down. Yet, he is the one being the Beast by building up a reign of terror. Jack himself is afraid. He can convince the boys there are no beast but can’t persuade himself that there’s not. Deep inside he is afraid but never wants to tell anyone of his fears with him wanting to be leader. Hence, why Ralph always goes first in line when Jack thinks the Beast might be near. Simon is the only one to know the truth about the beast, “what I mean is… maybe it’s only us” (Golding, 1954, p. 96). The Beast which was only dreamt by the little ones has always been in their minds but never witnessed. Therefore, the Beast represents chaos of the boys and all mankind. Even though the Beast was not true as nobody had witnessed it, it caused mayhem with the little ones not sleeping and dreaming about it constantly and referring it to a giant snake and a dead parachutist.

A different major symbol of order and chaos is the Signal Fire.

It is a symbol used for the boy’s connection to civilisation. The fire itself, after being created by Piggy’s glasses is a very important symbol for both order and chaos. The signal fire has to be lit at all times so that passing ships can pick up the boys. “The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever re rescued by luck, if we don’t keep a fire going?” (Golding, 1954, p. 86) The boys find it hard to keep the fire burning which is the start of the chaos. The boys do not understand the importance of the Fire so choose to ignore it. Jack is not too interested on the fire but after the ship misses them as the fire was out he apologises to Ralph’s for the mistake. Ralph tries to talk sense into Jack that the fire is the main symbol, for rescue and is upset how Jack feels about it. “I said before, the fire is the main thing. Now the first must be out… hasn’t anyone got any sense?” (Golding, 1954, p. 111). When the fire is lit it gives the group a sense of hope and saves them from being attacked by the beast or any other creatures. The fire provides a place of safety and sense of being home but Jack thinks otherwise, he uses it as a weapon for his gang as part of his quest to hunt and kill Ralph, and after Jack steals the specs from Piggy he uses them for his own tribe’s interests. From then on, the fire represents for Jack and his tribes camp, the place where Jack and his followers meet to

discuss their work. We can see that even the fire shows the movement from order to chaos. From the beginning of the novel the fire is used to seek the attention of the ship to rescue them off the island but nobody sees that apart from Ralph. When the fire burns we can sense that the group have accepted their lives on the island. The chaos begins when Jacks and his gang begin a quest on the killing of Ralph which signifies the savage behaviour of Jack from the whole novel.

To conclude many of the symbols are tied to both order and chaos. The conch is the most powerful symbol for both order and chaos. At the start it is used to signify meetings and who is able to talk and come the end it is used for end of the reason after it is shattered. Ralph’s group uses the fire as signal while Jack’s tribe uses it as a centre of food and dance. Ralph’s effort to keep the fire lit is unsuccessful just like his effort to restore order throughout the camp. With the beast it represents inner savagery of the boys and all mankind. The boys think of it as a dead parachutist or a giant snake which gives them bad thoughts and dreams. (Ollie Hanna-Murtagh, 2014) These symbols of order and chaos are important throughout the novel as it shows that it starts with law and order and finishes with full time chaos.