What Does The Pig's Head Symbolize In Lord Of The Flies

Stranded on the island, the boys in William Golding's Lord of the Flies are exposed to unique elements that symbolize the author’s demonstration that humans, when taken away from society's values, allow themselves to be caught between the evils of the world.
One of the most significant representation of evil comes from the title itself. The description of the pig’s head is ever so frightening. The meaning of this word unveils over the course of the novel, showing a sense of gore when given names like “dim-eyed, grinning faintly, blood blackening between the teeth”(Golding 137). Even though the pig’s head can’t do much itself; Golding incorporates the imagery to show savagery among the boys, mainly when Simon comes into contact with the Lord

of the Flies in his sense of right and wrong and it claims, “There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast…You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?” (Golding 130). Irony posits here as Simon is the character, who confronts the true beast, making an impression on the readers that he is the least evil of the boys. Moreover, this makes the readers aware of the true source of wickedness in the beast. Even though these little conversations might have been hallucinations, Simon finally learns that the beast is not an external force. In fact, it says, "’Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill!...You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?" (Golding 143). This disenchants him seeing that the wicked is only an excuse for the boy's to think that the population on the island is not decreasing due to savagery. At the end of this scene, it is pedant towards the readers that the immense evil has a powerful impact as seen once again when Simon faints after seeing "blackness within, a blackness that spread" (Golding 144).
Furthermore, the evil comes to sight when the boys start their journey on the island being in an isolation from the rest of the people.

This is seen through Piggy's glasses. He represents civilization by being circumspect of the rules, which causes the boys to recant from each other very quickly. After a couple of days, Piggy’s broken glasses prohibit him from seeing, causing the other boys to look the other way when it comes to doing what’s right. In a meeting, the boys make a decision that they "can't have everybody talking at once" and that they "have to have ‘Hands up' like at school" (Golding 33). Therefore, this shows that their innocence has not been lost yet. However, in a blink of an eye, the hunters start to consider slaughtering a pig to be far more beneficial than being rescued. After a successful hunt, they return chanting "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood’" (Golding 69). Although Ralph and Piggy attempt to elucidate that having a signal fire burning is more important than having meat for their meals, they fail to explain themselves properly as the hunters return to savagery once again. Meanwhile, as Jack and his tribe ambush Ralph and his men, Piggy’s specs are stolen. That leaves him blind and even then Jack returns to Castle Rock, "trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement," relinquishing upon a civilized life (Golding

168).
In addition, these savages imagine the beast as a resonant yet a true source of evil on the island. However, in reality, Golding introduces the beast to show the evil present among the boys, which is responsible for their inhumane behavior. Simon comes to realize this before even meeting with the Lord of the Flies. It comes into sight when he shares his theory on the beast. Fearfully, Simon conjures, “‘What I mean is... maybe it's only us’" (Golding 89). Consequently, in response to Simon's statement, the other boys---who believe in strategizing their meetings with an agenda---instantly start to bicker. The crowd is in excitement to hear: “‘Bollocks to the rules! We're strong---we hunt! If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down! We'll close in and beat and beat and beat---!’" (Golding 91). The boys' fear of encountering the beast and their ambition to kill it shows that without supervision, the society’s rules, which once held them together, have been unbinded during their journey on the island.
In conclusion, Lord of the Flies portrays a life that comes from an existing conflict of the evil. It has the ability to control those that are free from the commands of society. Some of the symbols that Golding works into his writing might be insignificant and taken for granted in real life; however, throughout this piece of literature, each of the symbols demonstrate a vital point in proving the theme of the book.