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

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In Golding’s The Lord of the Flies, he effectively uses many symbols to enrich his message about human behavior. He uses one specific symbol the pigs head as a symbol of the inner beast that lurks within all humans to expound his main idea that humans are fundamentally evil. He argues that human are savage by nature as seen through the boys who revert to barbarism when left to their own devices. Through Golding’s use of the of pig's head he is able to deepen his argument that humans have an innate darker side. This is seen throughout the novel such as when Simon has a confrontation with the pig's head on the stake that says, “ Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill… I’m part of you? Close, close, close!” (Golding 143). …show more content…

so that he lashed and cried out in loathing” because of the fear and rage emitted from the Lord of the Flies (Golding 185). Through this quote it shows the natural desire for violence. Even Ralph, who is seen as the embodiment of law and order cannot withstand these natural instincts. This reveals that the savage instincts are more primal and fundamental to the human psyche than the instinct of civilization. Ralph as seen through this scene allows his inner beast instincts to awake that expounds that the evil in humans exists in all. Previously where Ralph was able to withstand these impulses is now compelled to act on it through the pig's head. Thus, this symbol helps shed light that savage instincts within humans are not only existing, but more prominent since they are the pure forms of human mentality. To conclude, in the Lord of the Flies, Golding portrays his view on human behavior. He expounds that humans have the innate ability of being savages and evil that is enriched through the pig’s head. This symbol represents the violence and bloodlust in the boys- in short the antithesis of civilization that cause the boys to disregard order for

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