Essay/Term paper: Lord of the flies

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Cliff Notes

Symbols Imagine a bunch of young children's lives changed

by being trapped on a island with no civilization around.

William Golding shows how terrifying it can be in Lord Of

The Flies, the novel that brings symbolism above all to the

emotions of all that read it. The symbols that bring out the

meaning the best are the leadership skills, the fire and the

conch. First, are the leadership skills, as are shown in the

book, Ralph has. Ralph in the novel has many ideas,

leadership skills, and has the force he needs to create a

better place and try to get them all home. There are three

major quotes that prove that Ralph has what it takes. This

first one shows he has good ideas and can enforce what he

thinks should happen. "Shut up," said Ralph absently. He

lifted the conch. "Seem to me we ought to have a cheif to

decide things(#22)." He also shows he can be a good cheif

and make them listen with a wave of a hand. "Ralph smiled

and held up the conch for silence(#23)." Lastly, when

Ralph blows the conch, as though a force is pulling them

nearer, the children go to him. "By the time Ralph had

finished blowing the conch the platform was

crowded(#32)." Next, one of the bigger symbols is the fire.

Enforcing the rules is one thing, but the children would

rather play than keep the fire going. Ralph gives the idea for

the fire, but can they keep it going? " There's another thing.

We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island

they might not notice us. We must make a fire(#38)." Jack

has a great idea to use Piggy's glasses to light the fire." Jack

pointed suddenly. "His specs-use them as burning glasses

(#40)!" Jack has a obsession of hunting and it turns to the

choir as well. They have the responsibility to keep the fire

going, but they get side tracked, go hunting and the fire

goes out. "There was a ship. Out there. You said you'd

keep the fire going and you let it out!" He took a step

towards Jack who turned and faced him. "They might have

seen us. We might have gone home(#70)." As you can see

a bunch of children are not ready for that kind of

responsibility. Finally is the conch, it shows the start of a

civilization and rules, but the chjildren can't make a

civialized place without orderness which they don't have.

Piggy knew what the conch was at first and knew they

should blow on it but all was taken credit for by Ralph.

When they first found it Ralph thought it was a stone in the

water but Piggy saw it as the shell and explained what he

knew about it. "A stone." "No. A shell." Suddenly Piggy

was a-bubble with decorous excitement. " S'right. It's a

shell! I seen one like that before. On someone's back wall.

A conch he called it. He used to blow it and then his mum

would come. It's ever so valuble-(#15)." The shell emites a

deep harsh note boomed. Ralph was amazed at the sound.

"Gosh!(#17)." He was amazed at the sound. It was a

calling of the islands children. Later in the story, everyone

would be talking at the same time so Ralph said he would

give it to a person and they were the only ones to speak.

"Conch?" "That's what this shell's called. I'll give the conch

to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he's

speaking (#33)." Golding does a magnificent job of

symbolism in his novel. Already proven are three of the

main symbols. Golding brings emotion, thought, and

symbolism together in Lord Of The Flies. Those kid's lives

were severed, some lives perished, others dreaded by the

nightmares of their memories.