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Fire as a symbol in Lord of the Flies
Fire as a symbol in Lord of the Flies
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Jaqueline Frode 20.09.2015 Lord of the Flies: William Golding English The Symbol of Fire In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses fire as a very important symbol that we see repetitively used throughout the story. The different fires kindled each time represent both death and hope,power and control, and the rivalry between ralph and Jack. However, also the demand for food and the link they still have to civilization is supported by the fire. Within the second Chapter of the story introduces the reader to the fire representing death and defeat. The first signal fire the boys light on Castle Rock symbolizes the death of one of the “little’uns,” the “one with the mark …show more content…
on his face.” Throughout the building process of the bonfire the boys had lost all sense and forgotten about the “little’uns” playing alone in the forest below. Therefore, once they lost control and their situation started to break into chaos, whole trees started to “explode” in the “flash of fire,” and burned the small children alive. Simon's death was also the result of yet another fire. After Jack’s feast on the beach, the boys were dancing and chanting around their bonfire. Screaming loud and clear, the boys chanted, “kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood.” Throughout all the excitement the young men had mistaken Simon for the beast and viciously murdered him. Piggy was indirectly killed by a fire because of the desire the hunters had for his glasses. The final fireset, was kindled in the attempt to “smoke Ralph out” of hiding. So that Jack’s tribe could find and eliminate him for good. Ironically, these fires also represent rescue and hope for the boys to be able to return to civilization. Every time a fire is lit it gives them the chance to attract the attention of a passing ship or aircraft through the rising smoke.Therefore, since the fire is linked so closely with the boys it is also an indicator of the connection the boys have with civilization. Furthermore, the fire also symbolizes the power shared between Ralph and Jack.
Within the first few chapters of the story Ralph gained his leadership position and gave the instruction to light the first fire on top of Castle Rock. Once the fire was built Piggy says “you build a bonfire that isn’t no use...now you been and set the whole island on fire,” this suggests that much like power if the fire’s capability is abused or isn’t used effectively it can cause chaos and destruction. As the story continues, the boys slowly begin to dismiss Ralph’s rule of business, and the various fires lit decrease in size. For example the Signal fire is no longer on top of the mountain but only a small flame on the beach. Eventually, when Jack and his Hunters disobey Ralph and “let the fire out,” Ralph’s control is diminished for good. Once Piggy’s glasses are stolen by Jack and his Savages they automatically obtain fire. Towards the end of the story, Jack orders to kindle an enormous bush fire which suggest that he was at the tip of his power and Ralph was …show more content…
hopeless. Moreover, sometimes the fire reaches out of control which suggests it is symbolic of the boys themselves. On many occasions a fire was present at a death or the cause itself. For example the fire burned out of control within chapter 2 of the story and as a result of it a little boy died. Towards the end of the story a “wildfire” also reached out of control and burned down the whole island in the attempt of killing Ralp. Furthermore, every time the fire burns low the boys inch a little further aways from civilization and are beginning to accept their barbaric lifestyles on the island. The fire stops being a priority halfway through the story and the boy prefer the heat of the hunt which suggests they are losing control and a sense of civilization. Equally Important, is the rivalry between Jack and Ralph.
Ralph’s main priority is to maintain the signal fire to that they are all enabled to have a chance at being rescued while Jack is more focused on Hunting and using the fire for other purposes. For example, Ralph never abused the fire’s power, but rather used it as an aid to attract attention, keep warm, and cook food. Jack on the other hand,used fire to kill and cause chaos rather than order. As the story continues there is yet another instance where the tension between the boys grows as they fight for authority. When discussing what to do about the beast and whether to hunt it or stay within their shelters Ralph puts Jack in his rightful place. He does this through answering that the fire needed to be rekindled, he then added the remark “ "You never thought of that, Jack, did you?”. This suggests that unlike Jack the thrill of the hunt did not get him carried away and that he was obviously the smarter
leader. Without fire there is no food to eat which gives the fire the ultimate power needed for survival. Uncooked meats that the boys obtain from killing the pigs running around freely on the island cannot be eaten raw. They may carry diseases, or parasites that could eventually even be the result of their death. Therefore, the fire is essential for survival, not only to keep them healthy and well fed but also to supply warmth. In conclusion, Golding efficiently used fire to symbolize the many different ideas to help support the main theme of the story. He mainly focused on death and hope, power and control, civilization, food and the rivalry between the boys to convey the different messages suggested by the fire.
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 “Lord of the Flies” Ralph has the goal of getting himself and the rest of the tribe off the island. His plan to execute it is by making a signal fire that a passing ship or boat will see to rescue them. Ralph realizes that maintaining order within their tribe is crucial to their survival and chance of being saved. As chief of their group, he assigns Jack the leader of the hunters. He then puts them in charge of keeping the signal fire lit. During this process, Jack and his boys get distracted from keeping it lit as they attempt to kill a pig. After a couple of hunts, Jack and his boys finally kill a pig and return in cheers. As they get back, Ralph gets mad at Jack saying “You and your blood Jack Merridew! You and your hunting! We might have gone home” (70). Ralph is angry with Jack because he realizes as leader that he has to make sure everyone understands their main goal, and are able to focus on that by blocking out distractions. These actions that Ralph show display why he is successful as a leader and why they accomplish the goal of getting
However, as the plot progresses, Ralph faces both internal and external conflicts; from those conflicts he greatly matures. Ralph always has the strong belief that all the children will be saved from the island sooner or later; he is so sure that he even insists that they should have fire at all times to signal. However, when the boys abandon the fire which is symbolic of Ralph’s hope of getting saved, Ralph faces an internal conflict that makes him fear about their future; perhaps they will not be rescued at all. By insisting that the children should keep the fire going, he creates an external conflict with Jack whose values are different. Jack is enjoying life as a leader of the savages, and he fears that fire will possibly end his authoritarian rule over the savages. Both conflicts are resolved when Ralph finally meets the naval officer.
Upon the arrival of the boys to the island Jack immediately found himself in the center of a power struggle. Although the conflict was brief, there was still a very obvious confrontation between Jack and Ralph. Once the boys had assembled themselves there was an election to see who was to be chief. Despite the fact that Ralph was voted leader, the desire to be in command never left Jack. Jack already had some leadership skills, being head choirboy at his old school, and he continuously challenged Ralph. The greatest source of conflict between Jack and Ralph was the debate over the necessity of maintaining a fire. Ralph felt that it was necessary to keep it burning at all times while Jack believed that hunting pigs and getting meat was much more essential.
Imagine a group of young boys who have just crash-landed on a deserted tropical island with no adults or supervision. William Golding showed in his ground breaking novel Lord of the Flies, what may happen in just those circumstances. In his very complicated and diverse novel Golding brings out many ideas and uses many literary devices. Above all others though comes symbolism of three main important objects being the conch, fire, and "Piggy's" eyeglasses. Through each of these three symbols Golding shows how the boys adapt and change throughout the novel. These symbols also help to show each of the boy's ideals on a variety of elements from human nature to society and its controls. All three of these symbols also change and are one of the most important elements of the story.
Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, took place on an isolated tropical island. There were many symbolic items within the story, and their meanings changed as the story developed. The fire was the symbol of hope and civilization at the beginning of the novel, but at the end it had become a fire of destruction. Ralph, in the beginning of the book, stood for leadership and almost perfection, however as the story progresses, he was nothing more than a normal human. The beast, upon its first appearance, symbolized fear, but soon, it represented the savagery within them. The different symbolic figures within the book, such as the fire, Ralph, and the beast, shifted in meaning as the story develops.
Symbols: we see them on the street, on the walls, and in our homes, plastered on backpacks, jackets, and even fast food receipts. From the generic images that guide us through our daily lives to the shapes we see on television screens, these symbols are everywhere—and their importance as guides that tell us how to live, what to do and whom to believe is undeniable. Of all of these symbols, perhaps some of the most important are the symbols found in literature. In using simplistic symbols to represent profound ideas, authors construct a kind of “key”: one that allows readers to look past the surface of a story and reflect on the deeper messages beneath. Such is the nature of the symbols found in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. As a group of boys stranded on an island struggle to survive without adult supervision to maintain order, Golding uses a variety of objects to convey their descent from civilization into brutality, violence, and savagery. Of these objects, three hold particular significance. In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the conch, the signal fire, and the Lord of the Flies to symbolize civilization, hope for rescue, and inner evil while conveying an overall theme of innate human evil.
So, in the beginning of the story, the fire symbolized civilization and hope. However, this was changed when Jack confiscated the fire from Ralph's tribe and used it to help them do more wrongdoings. He set the jungle into fire so that Ralph can burn out. This changed the symbolism of the fire from civilization and hope to evil, savagery, and calamity. However, soon something ironic happened.
Ralph first takes on the position as leader at the beginning of the story, when the rest of the boys vote him in as chief. He carries this position until Jack and his fellow hunters break away from the group. Ralph makes it his job to set out the rules to organize a society. Ralph always thinks of what is best for everyone and how they will all benefit from his decisions. Rules and standards are set when Ralph is the chief. He orders the group to build the basic necessities of civilization, shelters, and most importantly to keep the fire going, in hope that they will be rescued and return to humanity. "But I tell you that smoke is more important than the pig, however often you kill one" (Golding 75). Jack, on the other hand, takes on the idea of every man for himself. He does not care about making homes, only about hunting. When Jack is the leader, evil takes over and all good is destroyed. Under Jack's power both Simon and Piggy are killed.
Throughout the novel fire is used to symbolise hope. Fire helps the reader understand hope on the island, without the fire hope dies out. When the signal fire turns into a forest fire, irony comes into play. A fire that was once used to represent luck was turned into a fire that represented savagery because it was used in an attempt to kill everyone on the island. This is ironic because the forest fire that represents savagery was actually what ended up
An author named Sam Shepard once said, “Words are tools of imagery in motion.” In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding does just that. William creates a whole new world with his words, and brings the readers into the world along with him. For example the book states, “The ground beneath them was a bank covered with sparse grass, torn everywhere by the upheavals of fallen trees, scattered with decaying coconuts and palm saplings.” This gives the reader a vivid image on what the land they were seeing was like.
If the fire is burning then there will be smoke and people will be able to see. So the fire is a symbol of hope. Some people may argue that fire isn’t a symbol it's just a thing to get them rescued. But in Lord of the Flies, when the boys have a fire going they feel they have accomplished their tasks and it gives them hope to be
William Golding is essentially the king of symbolism and covert delineation. The Lord of the Flies is a novel based around a large handful of English schoolboys becoming stranded on an island that will later become a sadistic dystopia. The boys are left unsupervised with only their ill experienced wits to survive and rule. A power struggle breaks out between two of the main characters, Jack and Ralph, Jack being the antagonist and Ralph being the protagonist of the story. In modern pop culture, Jack and Ralph would compare to an event like North Korea versus South Korea. Lord of the Flies is home to many forms of symbolism, including the importance of Piggy 's glasses, the fire on the island, the sow 's head, the beast and the conch shell; all of these items play a huge role in shaping the story, tone and the mood.
(Golding, 86) With the intention of helping himself and the others, Ralph believes that a fire will help keep them warm and provide a possible signal to their location. Even without the support of the other boys, Ralph’s ambition powers him to continue acting in a manner that will help everyone. For instance, Ralph displays his commitment when he says, "Been working for days now. And look!... And they keep running off.
The fire, once signifying rescue and later used for destruction, becomes both. The novel ends in the adult perspective. The officer is uncomfortable thinking about the savagery of the boys, and looks off to his cruiser in the distance while Ralph weeps for "the end of innocence, and the darkness of man's heart." Golding is making a point about the hypocrisy of the civilization. In reality, the world is just a larger version of the island. The officer's comment on "the Coral Island" is also ironically significant in elevating The Lord of the Flies from a book about a group of lost boys on an island to a beautifully symbolic work of social commentary. The view presented is dark and pessimistic, making its readers look deep inside their own human nature and at the structure of society in a frighteningly different light.