What symbols are used in Chapter 4 of Lord of the Flies?

Jack's Face Paint: Jack's painted mask is symbolic of his savage nature and allows him to liberate his primitive instincts. Behind the mask, Jack feels unashamed to act like a barbarian as conditions and civility on the island rapidly deteriorate. Golding writes,

He [Jack] capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness (89).

Signal Fire Going Out: Jack convinces Samneric to leave their duties maintaining the signal fire on the top of the mountain in order to join their hunting expedition. The signal fire, which is a symbol of civilization and rescue, goes out and the boys miss their chance at being rescued as a ship passes the island without stopping. The signal fire going out symbolically represents the decline of civilization on the island.

Piggy's broken lens: Towards the end of Chapter 4, Jack slaps Piggy in the face and breaks one of the lenses of his glasses. Piggy's glasses symbolically represent reason, scientific thought, and the ability to think logically. Therefore, the broken lens symbolically represents the deterioration of logic, reason, and the ability to solve problems on the island.

I would want to argue that the biggest symbol that we see in this chapter of this excellent novel is the face paint that Jack puts on his face and how that impacts his character. It is clear that the face paint is symbolic of a descent into savagery that becomes ever more evident and obvious as the novel continues. Note how this section of this chapter is described when Jack looks at his reflection in a coconut shell filled with water:

He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. He spilt the water and leapt to his feet, laughing excitedly. Beside the pool his sinewy body held up a mask that drew their eyes and appalled them. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.

It is highly symbolic that the face paint is described as a mask which has "liberating" effects on Jack. With this mask on he is transformed into an "awesome stranger" who is able to dance with "bloodthirsty snarling." We clearly see the bloody violence and evil into which Jack and his band of hunters descend foreshadowed here, and we can see that the face paint is obviously symbolic of their descent into savagery.

What is the significance of symbols in chapter 4 of Lord of the Flies?

Chapter Four, entitled "Painted Faces and Long Hair," introduces the concept of masks to the story.  The masks become a major symbol that builds in significance throughout the course of the novel.  In this particular chapter, Jack toys with the idea of camouflage, like "dazzle paint" (63).  Upon creating a mask, Jack felt as though he were looking at an "awesome stranger" (63).  The mask becomes a symbol of savagery; wearing one enables Jack to act bolder, fiercer and "liberated from shame and self-conciousness" (64).  Jack originally concocts the idea of the masks and paint as a way to conceal himself from the eyes of the pigs, but quickly the masks become much more than camouflage; they liberate the boys from the confines of civilized rules and expectations. 

What are the symbols in chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies?

While the boys are asleep, an air battle takes place above the island, and a paratrooper is shot out of the sky. The dead paratrooper ends up falling to the island and lands on the top of the mountain. The dead paratrooper's descent onto the island symbolically represents the presence and manifestation of evil on the island. The lifeless paratrooper falling from the sky also allegorically represents Satan's fall from heaven.

Once Samneric return to the base camp, they begin describing the beast. Ralph decides to organize an assembly and holds the conch. The conch symbolically represents civility, democracy, and order. While the majority of boys respect the conch by allowing the person holding the shell to speak without interruption, Jack dismisses the conch's importance by saying,

We don’t need the conch any more. We know who ought to say things...It’s time some people knew they’ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us.

Jack's attitude toward the conch illustrates his affinity for anarchy and chaos. During the assembly, the boys discuss the presence of an enigmatic beast, and Jack suggests that they form a hunting party in order to track down the beast and kill it. However, the beast is not a tangible creature and symbolically represents the inherent evil inside each boy on the island. Only Simon understands the true nature of the beast. Golding writes,

However Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and sick.

During the assembly, Piggy takes off his damaged glasses and begins to clean the remaining lens. Piggy's glasses symbolically represent rational thought, scientific discovery, and innovation. The fact that Piggy's glasses are damaged represents the boys' diminishing rationale and ability to pragmatically solve problems. Ralph also addresses his concerns regarding the signal fire. Ralph insists that they must relight the signal fire, which symbolically represents the hope of being rescued and their connection to the civilized world.

Chapter 6 begins with the sentence: "There was no light save for that of the stars." The darkness here symbolizes the moral degeneration that is taking place on the island as all traces of civilization give way to primitive instincts and savagery. This motif of darkness recurs throughout the chapter. The "sliver of moon" struggles to make an impression upon the uniform darkness of the night, for example, and later the darkness is described as "full of claws, full of the awful unknown and menace."

The dead figure who falls to the island also arguably symbolizes the death (or the impending death) of civilization on the island. The figure falls from the sky and lies "crumpled among…the shattered rocks of the mountain-side." The "shattered rocks" here symbolize the harsh, unforgiving nature of life on the island. The idea that civilization on the island is dead or dying is also emphasized by the fire, which is extinguished and described as a "darker smudge."

Later in the chapter, the fire is re-lit, and eventually it catches the branches of the trees and becomes an unstoppable blaze. The wood of the trees "explod[es]" in the heat, and the forest "roar[s]." In this instance, the fire symbolically foreshadows the dangers and the destruction which will increasingly come to consume the boys.

The most obvious (and perhaps the most significant) symbol in chapter 6 is of course the beast. The beast symbolizes fear and also the savage, primitive instincts which eventually overwhelm the boys. It is their most primitive, animalistic impulses (unchecked by reason) made manifest.

In a parody of the momentous Biblical story of the Magi, a passage of Chapter Six of Lord of the Flies reads,

...a sign came down from the world of grown-ups, though at the time there was no child awake to read it.  There was a sudden bright explosion and corkscrew trail across the sky; then darkness again and stars.

1. A symbol, the dead parachutist looms threateningly, "a figure hung with dangling limbs."  Representative of "a civilization that was in ruins" the British pilot has been shot down by the enemy, and the cadaver symbolizes the evils of war, the inherent evil in man that would kill his own kind.

2. The signal fire is now a "darker smudge," suggesting that the boys now have no connection to civilization and have become themselves "darker," more savage, in their desires and actions.

3.  "Just there was the big rock, and the three stones there, that split rock..."  The rocks and stones are symbolic of the primitive nature of savagery that lasts throughout time.  In Chapter Four, the stone is referred to as "that token of preposterous time."

4. The conch is mentioned in this chapter and is the symbol of order.

5. Piggy's damaged glasses are symbolic of the lack or rationality left as the hunters degenerate to savagery and the others resort to superstitious assumptions about the "beast" in the sky. 

6. Another symbol and Biblical allusion is "the leviathian," the image of a whale breathing dangerously beneath the surface of water, waiting to swallow its victims. The water that is drawn down on the weedy sides of the large flat rock on the other side of the lagoon seems

like the breathing of some stupendous creature.

Golding symbolizes this dangerous fall of the water and its swirling as

the sleeping leviathan [that]breathed out [and] the waters rose, the weed streamed, and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar.

With such symbols as part of the text of the chapter, it is then portentously that it ends with Jack leading the way down the rock and across the bridge built of rocks as the chapter ends.

In chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies, what is the new symbol of power?

Jack challenges the idea that they even need the conch anymore, so it does lose some of its symbolic power. The new symbol of power is the fort which Jack intends to construct on the small island. The idea of the fort symbolizes power because of fear. The dead parachutist has instilled fear in all the boys and Jack knows this. Always proud of being the hunter, the one who controls violence, Jack plays upon this fear by placing more emphasis on the fort than on the fire. Jack reasons that the fort will protect them from the beast; the fire will not. Certainly by this point, Jack is more concerned with power than being rescued. Therefore, even the power of the fire, like the conch, is diminished for those who eventually consider Jack as their leader. But for the fort to retain its symbolic power, the boys must continue to fear the beast. Therefore, Jack must continue to instill fear in order to maintain this power.

What are two significant symbols in chapter 6 of Lord of the Flies?

1.  The beast makes a dramatic appearance in chapter six in the form of the parachuter who drifted onto the mountainside and consequently scared Samneric.  The beast symbolizes the boys' fear of the unknown on the island.  This entire time they have been debating its existence, worrying if it was a 'snake thing' or something from out of the water, and the bulging silhouette of the parachuter seems to confirm that all of their worst fears have been realized.

2.  Castle Rock-- The boys visit Castle Rock at the end of the chapter, but the rocky fort leaves a strong impression on Jack who sees its great strategic potential.  As the novel progresses, Castle Rock will become a symbol of Jack's power when he declares himself chief, but also one of savagery.  As Jack delights in the easily rolled boulders on their first trip there, one of those boulders will end Piggy's life.  With Jack in charge and the emphasis on hunting instead of rescue, Castle Rock ultimately becomes the boys' new home, symbolizing their complete turn from civilization.

What is the symbolism in chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies?

The text describes Simon's dead body through symbolism, using detail of nature to make him holy and beautiful. Everything glows around his dead body:  "a streak of phosphorescence" shines in the water, and when the water touches the blood stains of his body, "the creatures made a moving patch of light," eventually "dress[ing] Simon's coarse hair with brightness.  The line of his cheek silvered and the turn of his shoulder become sculptured marble." These details of light contrast starkly with the darkness that otherwise pervades the novel, and the details of dirt and grime that characterize the other children. Light, then, is used to symbolize the purity and holiness of Simon's dead body.

The absence of the conch represents the absence of civilization. It's in this chapter that the boys give in to their savagery, culminating in Simon's brutal death. Simon is pure and represents humanity at its best, while Jack is the opposite. Simon's purity allows him to recognize the beast for what it is. Because Jack and his group have allowed their evil sides to overtake them, they are frightened by the beast and don't see it as anything but evil. The Lord of the Flies, the sow's head, symbolizes how powerful evil is, so powerful that the boys, representing society, succumb to evil rather than good. Like Satan, the Lord of the Flies is able to bring the boys to evil. Simon, the only pure soul, is Jesus, trying to save the other boys from themselves.

What are the symbols in chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding?

Chapter Nine of Lord of the Flies opens with an emerging turbulence of nature and a malevolent ominousness as the flies blacken the pig's head which has caused little Simon to lose consciousness. As he grabs creepers with which to pull himself up, certain symbols emerge.

1.  The Lord of the Flies, Beelzebub, symbolizes the devil and evil. 

2.  Like him is the body of the dead parchutist, also covered with flies amd blackened.  The rotting presence of this dead body covered with flies represents the corruption of man as he engages in massive destruction in World War II.

3.  The feast with the roasting pig and the excited boys and the "threat of violence" with Jack sitting before them as an icon is much like those of the Romans orgiastic feasts, symbolizing the boys' descent into savagery.  A chant and a primitive dance ensue as Roger pretends to be the pig.  But as the chanting continues, Roger ceases to be the beast and becomes a hunter, instead, while poor Simon becomes the beast that is bludgeoned to death, a death that ends the spirituality of the boys as it has been represented by Simon alone.

4. Simon's death becomes symbolic of the death of any spirituality in the boys.  Like Saint John the Baptist, his message is not received by the boys. As his body is washed to sea, there is a silvery layer to the water and a brightness to his coarse hair, indicating a holiness to his person that is surrounded by "a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures."

5. The conch loses its meaning in this chapter--"And the conch doesn't count at this end of the island"--Jack says.  He tells Ralph if he blows the conch, "We shan't hear it." This defiance of rule makes the conch no longer significant.

6.  The shrill screaming that rises from Simon as he is bludgeoned, the "battle cry" of the savage boys to "kill the beast," the "wave of restlessness," the "flickering light...and the blows of the thunder" all stand as symbols of the sights and sounds of war.

What is the beast in Lord of the Flies and what does it symbolize?

The Beast is built up to be a physical personification of evil. It is treated as a God-like monster who is given sacrifices and offerings, and it is feared by the boys. What we ultimately come to realize, however, is that there is no beast. At least, the beast does not exist in a literal, physical, living and breathing sense of the word. Instead, the beast represents the potential for evil that exists within all of us. As the boys become more and more savage, as they give in to what Golding presents as natural, basic instincts that have been tamed by civilization, the role of the beast becomes More evident. Essentially, what Golding is telling us is that the more savage we become, the stronger the beast within us becomes because it is a self-created and self-perpetuating evil.

What does the "Lord of the Flies" symbolize?

The Lord of the Flies that provides William Golding's book with its title is a boar's head mounted on a spear, or, as Simon says when he is trying to break the hypnotic hold the object has over him, a "Pig's head on a stick." The phrase "Lord of the Flies" is a mistranslation of the name Beelzebub, Lord of the Flyers, a Philistine god and another name for Satan.

At the most basic level, the head of a boar mounted on a spear is a symbol of success in the hunt. It is Jack who leads the hunt and throws himself into the activity with most vigor, and it is he who later paints his face with boar's blood and encourages his followers to do the same. The Lord of the Flies, therefore, also symbolizes violence and chaos—and the way in which Jack's leadership causes order to break down.

The Lord of the Flies is important enough to furnish the title of the book because it symbolizes what happens to all the boys on the island, but Jack in particular. Jack always wants to be leader, but initially, he grounds his claims in the arguments of civilized authority. He ought to be chief, he says, because of his accomplishments at school and in the choir. In his battle for supremacy with Ralph, he finds that these achievements count for nothing. He must rely on violence and ruthlessness to secure his position. It is these characteristics that the Lord of the Flies ultimately represents.

What does the ocean symbolize in Lord of the Flies?

The ocean is a complex symbol that grows in meaning throughout the story.

One significant nuance to this symbol is the use of the term "ocean" versus "sea". The water surrounding the island is introduced in nearly idyllic terms at the beginning of the story, and the word "sea" is always used to describe it. However, when the boys first encounter the waters on the other side of the island, which lacks a beach and instead has sharp cliffs and rocks, and the water is rough and unforgiving, it is for the first time described as "ocean". The waters on this side of the island, from that point, are always referred to as ocean, and so we might say part of the symbolism is linked to the nature of the waters themselves; they can be nurturing and mysterious, as on the "sea" side of the island, or uncaring and cold as on the "ocean" side.

The ocean represents several facets of the themes of the unknown, the subconscious, and isolation. The sea is what separates the boys from their homes, and is the main reason for their situation. The sea is also suggested to be where the Beast comes from, and Maurice announces that his father claims that "they haven't found all the animals in the sea yet", making it a source of danger and mystery. Finally, on viewing and contemplating the harsh nature of the ocean on the other side of the island, Ralph reflects that its brutality has an emotional impact; "one was clamped down, one was helpless, one was condemned". 

Thus, the ocean has a two-part nature when it comes to symbolism; to the ignorant or liberated person, it represents peace and comfort, but to the destitute, the person closer to savagery and the fine line between life and death, the ocean represents how little nature cares for humans, and how readily they can be swallowed up by the vastness of its power and emptiness; this is demonstrated in the way that it consumes the bodies of Piggy and Simon.

What does the ship symbolize in Lord of the Flies?

On one hand, the ship or any ship symbolizes the same thing. A ship on the horizon represents hope, rescue, and a return to a lawful and civilized world. Readers see this hope very early on in the story.

"And sooner or later a ship will put in here. It might even be Daddy's ship. So you see, sooner or later, we shall be rescued."

This dedication to the idea that seeing a ship and being able to signal it means certain rescue is what causes the boys on the island to so adamantly defend the necessity of a signal fire. At one point in the story, the boys on the island do actually see a ship on the distant horizon. They see the smoke and what could possible be a smokestack. The boys try to quickly get a signal of some kind going because they know that this is the closest that they have gotten—or might ever get— to rescue. Unfortunately, the boys are unable to signal the ship, and it disappears beyond the horizon. The boys are completely deflated. It's as if the ship has sailed away with all of their hope for a return to normal, civilized life.

The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away. Once there was this and that; and now-- and the ship had gone.

The ship that the children see in the William Golding novel Lord of the Flies symbolizes at least two different things. First, it symbolizes survival. A ship would be the boys' only way off the island, so it is important that the boys keep a signal fire burning at all times as a marker in hopes of rescue. Secondly, the ship symbolizes the outside world, the civilized world to which the boys hope to eventually return. It also serves as a reminder of the war that is going on outside the boys' island world.

What are symbols of power in "Lord of the Flies"?

One way to easily identify symbols is to look at each person and object and ask yourself what it represents.  Since Lord of the Flies is allegorical, almost everything and everyone is a symbol.  I will describe some for you here.

The conch

The conch shell is introduced early on.  It is used by Ralph to call the boys together, and it immediately adorns him with leadership qualities in the eyes of the boys. 

The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart. (ch 2)

You can hear the conch “for miles” and Piggy comments that it is valuable—which it is, as a symbol of power.  The boys pass around the conch, and the one who has it talks.

The “specs”

Jack pointed suddenly.

“His specs–use them as burning glasses!” (ch 2)

Piggy’s glasses symbolize his intelligence and his civilization.  When humans conquered fire, it was a huge step forward for our society.  The same is true for the boys when they use the specs to create fire.  However, the ability to harness fire does not necessarily mean that one can completely control its destructive potential.  The boys destroy the island because they open the Pandora’ box of fire but cannot control it.

The island

Ralph is overcome with giddiness once he realizes they are on an island, a romantic notion for sure.

He patted the palm trunk softly, and, forced at last to believe in the reality of the island laughed delightedly again and stood on his head. (ch 2)

The island itself symbolizes the boys’ isolation and regression.  With no vestiges of civilization and no adults, the boys are completely on their own. 

The beast

Although most of them do not realize it, the beast represents their inner-savagery.  The boys are afraid of the beast, but can never quite pin it down. The “beastie” is described as a “snake-thing” (ch 2).  Some of the younger kids insist that the “beastie came in the dark.”  Jack’s reaction to the idea of the beast is to hunt and kill it.

“Ralph’s right of course. There isn’t a snake-thing. But if there was a snake we’d hunt it and kill it. We’re going to hunt pigs to get meat for everybody. And we’ll look for the snake too–” (ch 2)

However, the beast does turn out to be real—it is the boys, when they kill Simon and Piggy.

Characters are also symbolic.  Ralph and Jack have contrasting leadership styles for a reason.  Ralph represents civilization, and Jack savagery.  Simon, the Christ-like figure, represents religion or culture.  Piggy, as already mentioned, represents intelligence and man-kind’s ingenuity.

What does blood symbolize in Lord of the Flies?

Blood in Lord of the Flies has a deep figurative and of course, a literal meaning as blood is shed over and over.

Jack's leadership style is revealed as his wish to be leader is selfishly motivated and his bloodthirsty nature can only lead to trouble. Jack wants to hunt. He is fascinated by the thoughts of killing an animal and ,even though it is for food purposes, Jack's intentions are definitely questionable. He is not disappointed when he makes his first 'kill.'

 smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair.

After that, there is no going back. Jack's lost innocence is revealed by the bloodshed 

Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands

Roger is particularly dangerous, relishing torturing the pig and not seemingly that interested in its use as food. Spilling blood is indicative of the complete transformation from civilized, well-educated, English school boys to savages chanting

kill the beast!

No one is safe from the bloodlust that engulfs all the boys.

We close in and beat and beat and beat

sounds like a good plan to Jack.

Even Ralph and Piggy are swept along. The approaching storm is a good foreboder of what is soon to come.  

Simon, in his excitement to reveal the nature of the beast to the boys, falls victim and his blood is shed, 

the vessel broke in Simon’s nose and the blood gushed out

and far more. His death at the hands of these young boys cements Golding's belief that ultimately it is the innate cruelty and barbarity of humankind that will tiumph.

Which chapter titles in Lord of the Flies by William Golding are symbolic?

Several chapter titles in Lord of the Flies can be taken literally as well as figuratively. Chapter 2, "Fire on the Mountain," refers to the first fire the boys build, but it can also refer symbolically to the raging, out-of-control behavior and emotions of the boys. The boys go crazy trying to build a fire and end up building one that is bigger than they can control, foreshadowing the continuing loss of civilization among the boys and the fully destructive fire at the end. The fire also causes Piggy to go into a fiery rant toward the boys and toward Ralph. 

Chapters 5 and 6, "Beast from Water" and "Beast from Air," are symbolic of two types of beasts that will destroy the boys and their society. The beast from water represents the fear the boys have. They focus that fear on an imagined beastie that might come onto the island from the ocean, but their fear itself becomes an unmanageable thing that leads to most of the boys abandoning reason in favor of a strongman who promises to protect them. The beast from air represents violence; the dead parachutist is a result of the war raging in the larger world—a direct parallel to the war on the island. Just as the adults in the outside world are in the process of destroying their society through violence, so the boys will destroy their society through violence.

Chapter 9, "A View to a Death," has several meanings, at least one of which is symbolic. In this chapter, Simon climbs the mountain to discover the truth about the beast and views the dead parachutist. As disgusting as this discovery is, it's good news because it is "harmless and horrible," and Simon wants to share the truth with the others as soon as possible. However, he gets killed in the act of trying to deliver the good news, and this "view" of his death is symbolic because Simon is portrayed as a Christ figure. Despite his innocence, he is killed by his own people, the result of a mob who "know not what they do." The final view of Simon's death, the glorification of his body as it washes out to sea, completes the symbolism of Simon as a Christ figure.

The chapter titles in the novel reflect its symbolism in some cases, especially the titles for chapters 2, 5, 6, and 9. 

Chapter Eight, "Gift for the Darkness," is the most symbolic chapter title in Lord of the Flies.  "Gift for the Darkness is imbued with double-meaning and represents one of the larger themes for the entire novel, man's own potential for evil.

 In this chapter, the hunters realize their potential for cruelty and destruction as they kill their first sow, and Jack leaves the head on a stick as a 'gift' or offering to the beast.  That moment is the literal "gift for the darkness, but Simon also speaks to the Lord of the Flies who assures Simon that "I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are? 143)  Simon discovers that the beast on the island is the potential for evil in each of the boys, their own "gift for the darkness."

What symbols does William Golding use to represent themes in Lord of the Flies?

The major idea behind William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies is that evil resides in everyone. The author demonstrates that evil is not an attack from outside forces, but something inside all people that is part of human nature. The only defense to these internal forces is civilization. Governmental societies, political systems, and legislation cannot prevent the intrusion of evil into human life. It is up to each individual to adopt a sense of morality and to bring that moral nature into collective societies.

Golding does not believe that societies are corrupt and in turn corrupt people. Nor does he accept that humans are naturally good and rational beings. Instead, the author suggests that the destructive evil impulses inside people can only be saved by moral civilizations. The romantic ideal of natural human goodness is only an illusion to Golding. He demonstrates throughout the novel that even young children are instinctively driven by aggression and desire for power when forced to survive in nature.

To validate his position, the author creates several powerful symbols to drive home his theory. One important symbol is the conch shell the boys discover at the beginning of the novel:

the shell was no longer a thing seen but not to be touched ... Between the point, worn away into a little hole, and the pink lips of the mouth, lay eighteen inches of shell with a slight spiral twist and covered with a delicate, embossed pattern. Ralph shook sand out of the deep tube. “—mooed like a cow,” he said ... “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—”

By blowing into the conch shell, Ralph is able to make a sound that can be used to assemble the boys for meetings to discuss issues with respect to their situation on the island. Golding offers the shell to symbolize order in a democratic and moral society. The shell unifies the boys under Ralph’s elected authority. Before anyone is permitted to speak at an assembly, the speaker must hold the shell. As the novel progresses and Ralph’s authority dwindles, the shell and the order it symbolizes also diminishes. When the conch is ultimately broken, so is the orderly civilized society broken with it.

The instinctive savagery in the boys begins to take control once their makeshift society crumbles. The author creates the symbol of the “beast” to represent the aptitude for evil in everyone. The boys do not recognize the internal power of the beast. They repeatedly battle what they perceive to be external monsters as the story proceeds. Jungle vines appear to be snakes. The dead parachutist on the mountain appears to be a giant apelike creature. Simon is killed because he is mistaken for the beast. These defenses against evil are all external. The boys do not understand, as the author suggests, that evil lurks inside human beings by nature.

When the boys hunt and kill the pig, they place its head upon sharpened sticks. The fly-covered head is offered to the beast. What the boys do not comprehend is this “Lord of the Flies” represents human evil, decay, and death:

Here, struck down by the heat, the sow fell and the hunters hurled themselves at her. This dreadful eruption from an unknown world made her frantic; she squealed and bucked and the air was full of sweat and noise and blood and terror. Roger ran round the heap, prodding with his spear whenever pigflesh appeared. Jack was on top of the sow, stabbing downward with his knife. Roger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning with his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch and the terrified squealing became a high pitched scream. Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her. The butterflies still danced, preoccupied in the center of the clearing.

The boys have resorted to savagery and barbarism as their internal monster takes over. In the end, Ralph has experienced a loss of innocence and moves closer to maturity. He is better prepared to enter a more moral adult civilization, which is Golding’s answer to combatting the evil residing in everyone.

What symbol of authority do the boys have in their society in Lord of the Flies?

The symbol of authority in Lord of the Flies is the conch. The conch represents order in an uncivilized world. Whoever holds the conch holds the power and is the one that is able to speak. It is able to summon and bring the boys together when it is blown. The conch slowly loses its power as the boys descend deeper and deeper into the pit of savage rule. Once the conch is destroyed with the death of Piggy, so is all order on the island. They are now given over to their savage ways and they cannot go back.

Ralph and Piggy find a conch shell at the beginning of the novel, and the shell quickly becomes a symbol of authority on the island. Ralph blows into the shell and the sound brings all the other boys—who were scattered after surviving a plane wreck—to the sound of its blasts. At that first assembly, a call arises to elect a chief. Ralph wins, mostly because of the conch:

But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out . . . and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart.

Throughout the rest of the novel, the conch grants its holder the right to speak at assemblies. It is blown to summon the boys to group meetings and to silence the boys when they speak out of turn. Even the youngest children come when the conch was blown, "partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority."

Towards the end of the story, when the conch is shattered, Jack shouts at Ralph, "There isn't a tribe for you any more! The conch is gone." The destruction of the shell symbolizes the end of Ralph's leadership. His followers have deserted him, and now the instrument of his power is gone too.

In Lord of The Flies, what does the Lord of the Flies symbolize?

William Golding uses the book's title- Lord of the Flies- symbolically and gives the reader an immediate unpleasant sensation at the thought of flies. Initially it seems a strange title for a novel about a group of schoolboys who are stranded on an island without any adult supervision and adds that sense of apprehension as the story proceeds. There are various symbols including the "pig's head on a stick" (ch 8) as Simon recognizes it to be and the symbols collectively allow the boys to represent a microcosm of society as they struggle with their realization that they do need to do the right and the best thing, but as children they also have a childish need to have fun and act impulsively. 

The conch shell represents the closest thing to democracy and is used to call the boys to order, have meetings, make decisions and hear anyone who needs to speak. It gives Ralph confidence as leader and as its power diminishes so too does Ralph's confidence in himself as leader. Piggy's glasses add to the boys' perception of good decision making as they are used to start the fire and, when they are misused by Jack, not only Piggy but the whole group is affected. The signal fire is the boys' hope for rescue and a reason to keep trying to survive because as Jack ironically states in chapter 2, "we're not savages." 

The Lord of the Flies itself then is a sharp contrast to all the boys' best efforts and defies everything childlike, innocent and good. Literally, it is the head of the pig which Jack killed so that they can have a feast and invite everyone to it.  Symbolically for Jack, it proves his ability to embrace his compulsive side and gain some measure of control. It effectively gives him permission to behave erratically, irresponsibly and brutally. On Jack's instructions the boys sharpen a stick and he impales the head on the stick and leaves the head as a gift for the personified beast which the boys are convinced that they have seen.

For Simon, the Lord of the Flies is the image which he encounters and discredits. Simon is not easily fooled and the pig's head is threatened by Simon's attempts to warn the others about the beast. It reminds Simon that the island is for fun and that he cannot stop the fun. It is clear that the Lord of the Flies version of "fun" is not at all childlike and is violent, vindictive and merciless. 

What items could symbolize Jack in Lord of the Flies?

A sharpened stick at both ends would be an appropriate item to represent Jack, which can be interpreted to represent his violent, manipulative tactics as the leader of his tribe. In chapter eight, Jack and his savages brutally murder a pregnant sow, and Jack instructs his followers to sharpen a stick at both ends. He then places the severed pig's head on top of the stake as a sacrifice to the beast. Later on, Jack orders his savages to hunt and kill Ralph. Samneric then warn Ralph that Jack has ordered a stick to be sharpened at both ends: they are implying that Jack plans on decapitating Ralph and placing his head on the stake. The sharpened stick symbolically represents Jack's brutal nature and his ability to manipulate his followers.

Colored clay and charcoal would also be appropriate items to symbolically represent Jack. One of Jack's primary features is his face paint, which makes him resemble a bloodthirsty savage. Jack uses the white and red clay along with a stick of charcoal to create his mask. Behind his mask, Jack feels liberated to act like a complete savage and engage in violent behaviors. The clay and charcoal symbolically represent Jack's violent nature and initially strikes fear into the other boys.

The first suggestion might be something representative of Jack as a bully. Iron knuckles or some other type of weapon/implement that could be used to intimidate others and force them into submission would certainly reflect Jack's relationship with Ralph, Piggy and some of the other older boys.

Another possibility might be a compass. Jack obviously did have some valid leadership abilities. He was recognized by the others as being able to give them directions that they were willing to follow; he led them in searching for the beast and for the pigs that allowed them to have meat to eat.

Blinders, like those used on horses, could be interpreted as indicating that Jack was not open to differing opinions. He knew what he thought was important, developed his ideas about how things should be done, and wasn't willing to give much weight to any suggestions of other approaches or concerns.

How is absolute power portrayed in Lord of the Flies?

The novel Lord of the Flies does a brilliant job of showcasing issues of power that often occur on a global scale in the hyper-focused instance of young boys left without any governing authority figure. The general statement that the novel makes about absolute power is that, with very few exceptions, it will almost always corrupt the one who holds it.

Ralph is reluctant to take power in the first place. He has a kind of wisdom that is extremely uncommon for his age. He even works to create a system of balances for himself even though the boys have elected him to be their leader. Most notably, he creates the system of allowing equal voice through the conch, having realized that intelligent but diminutive boys, like Piggy, while necessary to survival, will always be preyed upon by stronger and more base boys.

Jack, on the other hand, is far less concerned with a sense of order on the island and in fact seems to forget the prospect of being rescued. The idea of being free of societal constraints corrupts him completely, along with other boys who show psychopathic tendencies. They begin to follow the code of leadership by strength, and after Jack and the choir boys separate from the rest, the strongest lead, and any dissent is punished gravely. This corrupt rule leads to the gruesome deaths of Simon and Piggy, and may have been the end of Ralph had it not been for the intervention of a rescue team.

William Golding portrays absolute power as being corrupt, dangerous, and harmful. Throughout Jack's tyrannical rule, he uses violence, intimidation, and psychological manipulation to control his tribe of savages. He not only encourages violence but perpetuates the belief in a "beast" which consumes the members of his tribe with fear. He uses their fear to enhance his position as chief, allowing him to give commands without having to explain his decisions. His directives only serve to benefit himself, and he refuses to take into consideration how his choices affect the members of his tribe. Unlike Ralph's democratic group where each individual is given an opportunity to voice their opinion, Jack is the only person whose thoughts and ideas matter. His authoritarian rule results in the deaths of Simon and Piggy, and he even orders his band of savages to hunt Ralph like a pig.

The members of Jack's tribe cannot disobey him because they will be severely punished. In Chapter 10, Jack orders Wilfred to be tied up and beaten. When Robert asks Roger why Wilfred is being punished, Robert says, "I don’t know. He didn’t say" (Golding 159). In addition to physically abusing his subjects, Jack's priorities are backward. He doesn't care about shelter or being rescued, and focuses all of his attention on hunting and controlling his tribe. Jack's terrible decision making, lack of empathy, and unanswerable authority are accurate depictions of William Golding's views on absolute power. Absolute sovereignty only benefits the individual in charge, and this unfair balance in power negatively affects the people subjected to the rule of one person.

What symbols in Lord of the Flies represent "civilization"?

I have three things that I think symbolize civilization.

The first one is kind of obvious -- it's the conch.  The conch symbolizes civilization because it is the thing that is associated with rules.  It shows who is allowed to talk and it calls people to meetings.

The second one is Piggy's glasses.  I think this symbolizes scientific knowledge.  That is a major part of civilization.

Finally, I would say that the signal fire is a symbol.  It symbolizes how civilized people think ahead and plan ways to keep themselves safe.  The hunters do not maintain the signal fire and, as time goes by, neither does anyone else.

What symbols, besides the pig's head and pig-hunt, represent evil in Lord of the Flies?

Throughout Golding's Lord of the Flies, there are natural forces that signify evil, especially as the boys' behavior degenerates.  This parallelism between the descent of the boys and the portentous forces of the island involve the creepers, the sea, and the pink granite that abounds throughout the island.

THE CREEPERS

One sinister element of nature is the creepers, snake-like vines, that cover the island, impeding their progress everywhere.  Symbolic of their inescapable inherent evil, the boys constantly become entangled in these vines.

FLAMES AND SMOKE 

While the fire is a signal to civilization and the hope of rescue, it also presents ominous symbols of moving from civilization in the smoke of the fire that gets out of control and burns the island: 

Acres of black and yellow [a symbol of evil] rolled steadily toward the sea....The flames, as though they were a kind of wild life, crept as a jaguar creeps on its belly toward a line of birch...Beneath the capering boys a quarter of a mile square of forest was savage with smoke and flame. (Ch.2)

 ROCK

There is a recurring and ominous mention of rock.  As the boys explore, the pink granite of the island abounds,

a great platform of pink granite thrust up uncompromisingly through forest and terrance and sand and lagoon to make a raised jetty four feet high (Ch.1). 

As the boys first explore the island, they see many rocks that are like stacks and chimney. One particularly large one moves "with a grating sound when pushed."  The boys decide to push it off the summit.  They heave the rock, and it

loitered, poised on one toe, decided not to return, moved through the air, fell, struck, turned over, leapt droning though the air and smashed a deep hole in the canopy of the forest [that] further down shook as with the passage of an enraged monster.

This scene of the rock being hurled presages the evil deed of the boys as they send the rock crashing down upon Piggy in a later chapter.  This "token of preposterous time," in a smaller form, is thrown at Henry by the sadistic Roger in Chapter Four. 

Further in the narrative,

in the darkness of early morning there were noises by a rock a little way down the side of the mountain (Ch.6)

As the boys explore the part of the island that they have not yet seen in search for the beast, they encounter rocks piled, and others that form bridges. Climbing to the top on narrow ledges of rock, they discover "the bastion they had seen from the mountain-top:

The rock of the cliff was split and the top littered with great lumps that seemed to totter.

Looking down, Ralph views another portentous sight:  a swell of the ocean seems "like the breathing of some stupendous creature:

Slowly the water sank among the rocks, revealing pink tables of granite, strange growths of coral, polyp, and weed....There was one flat rock there, spread like a tale, and the water sucking down on the four weedy sides made them seem like cliffs.  Then the sleeping leviathan breathed out, the water rose, the weed streamed, and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar.  There was no sense of the passage of waves; only this minute-long fall and rise and fall.

And, again later in this chapter, mention is made of a "thunderous plume of spray leapt half-way up the cliff" that is like the spouting of a whale.  The natural forces of the rock and the sea are extremely threatening.  For, it is the rock that destroy the conch, the symbol of civilization, and Piggy's glasses, the symbol of reason, and, finally Piggy's head is dashed against them.  It is the sea that swallows the blood and the head of Piggy.  It is the "leviathian" of the swell that washes away Simon's body; the whale, the all-consuming evil takes the intuitive Simon.

Fire, rock, and entangling vines all are destructive and sinister forces in Golding's Lord of the Flies.  Along with these, enotes states,

Throughout the narrative, the noises of the surf, the crackling fire, the boulders running down hills, and trees exploding from the fire's heat are often compared to the boom of cannons and drum rolls. In this way, Golding reminds us that the entire story is intended to repeat and symbolize the atomic war that preceded it. 

What does the Beastie symbolize in Lord of the Flies?

The Beastie represents the boys’ fears of the unknown. 

When the little boys first discuss the Beastie, no one wants to take it seriously.  It is just a joke, something that the small boys are afraid of.  It comes up at an assembly meeting. 

“He wants to know what you’re going to do about the snake-thing.”

Ralph laughed, and the other boys laughed with him. The small boy twisted further into himself.

“Tell us about the snake-thing.”

“Now he says it was a beastie.” (Ch. 2)

Ralph tries to explain to the boys that a snake thing could not exist on an island of that size.  The older boys try to dismiss the littleuns’ fears as a bad dream or the fears of young children away from home.  They do not want to admit any fears themselves.

Jack uses this as yet another opportunity to undermine Ralph.  As Ralph tries to assure the little boys that there is no Beastie, Jack takes the conch and tells them that if there is one he would take care of it for them.

Jack seized the conch.

“Ralph’s right of course. There isn’t a snake-thing. But if there was a snake we’d hunt it and kill it. We’re going to hunt pigs to get meat for everybody. And we’ll look for the snake too–” (Ch. 2) 

Ralph is annoyed because Jack contradicted him and also implied that he could take care of something that Ralph could not.  It is another example of the difference between the two of them and the constant struggle for leadership.  Their styles are different, and Jack is always trying to be theatrical while Ralph is always trying to be practical. 

The Beastie comes to represent the fear of the unknown, not just for the littleuns, but for all of the boys.  Jack meets the unknown head-on, while Ralph makes plans.  The Beastie never goes away.  It is always in the back of everyone's minds.

“They talk and scream. The littluns. Even some of the others. As if—”

“As if it wasn’t a good island.”

Astonished at the interruption, they looked up at Simon’s serious face.

“As if,” said Simon, “the beastie, the beastie or the snake-thing, was real. Remember?”

The two older boys flinched when they heard the shameful syllable. Snakes were not mentioned now, were not mentionable. (Ch. 3)

When the children attack the Beastie, it turns out not to be the beast after all.  It is Simon, coming to warn them about the parachutist he saw that frightened him.  Beasts are everywhere, but they are all manifestations of the boys' fear.  

How does Lord of the Flies depict the power of symbols to control a group?

William Golding uses Lord of The Flies to send a stark message about the potential for evil which, he suggests, exists in everyone. The first symbol, other than the title, which will only be revealed later, is the conch shell. Piggy is, significantly, the first person to recognize its value and how it can be used to call others. Piggy does not, however, want to blow the conch himself and is happy to explain the technique to Ralph. There is no mistaking its power as the air is "full of bird-clamor and echoes ringing" after Ralph manages to blow it successfully. The sound of the conch brings other boys out from the forest, including Jack and the choir boys "hidden by black cloaks."

In their discussions, Ralph recognizes the need for a "chief to decide things," and a vote soon nominates Ralph, "with the trumpet-thing," as chief. The unsaid influence of the conch, "most obscurely, yet most powerfully," cannot be denied. The conch, therefore, ensures a sense of order and allows the boys to maintain some sense of the civilization they intend to emulate. it is the conch which allows the boys to speak in turn and it is the conch which, when smashed to pieces as Piggy falls to his death, symbolizes the end of any form of civilization on the island. The conch begins to lose its power as Jack shows no respect for it and, once the conch is gone, Ralph has no hope of regaining a position of power. 

Piggy's glasses are also a symbol as they are used to start the fire which will hopefully bring rescuers to their aid. At first Piggy willingly uses his glasses but, later, Jack cruelly seizes what's left of the glasses and shows his power over the group as he is able to reduce Ralph's effectiveness and reveal Piggy's weaknesses. Jack's position is strengthened when he is in possession of the glasses.    

Fire is a symbol of hope but, when out of control, it brings destruction. At first the fire is a way for Ralph to show his domination and the importance of rescue. It is important to note that he says, in chapter five, "smoke is more important than the pig." However, this will change when Jack, having killed a pig, feels powerful and intends to "raid them and take fire." He is able to lure the boys with the promise of real food, not just fruit, to the point that even Piggy and Ralph go along. 

Jack has already used his power by hiding behind face paint and he knows that he can manipulate the boys which is especially important to him after Ralph is voted as chief and not him. He also knows how scared the boys are of the so-called Beast or Beastie. He likes to dismiss the boys' fears but at the same time intensify them and, in chapter eight, he makes a significant move in sharpening a stick and defining his power in the form of a "gift" by placing the head of the pig he has slaughtered onto a stick. The flies it will attract are the inspiration behind the title; Jack brings out the worst in himself and Roger, and even Maurice, as they "furtively" admire the "skewered" carcass. The pig's head is the start of the frenzy which takes over the boys after Simon, also affected by the pig's head, realizes the evil in everyone but is, ironically, mistaken for the beast in the chaos that follows. 

What image could represent the first two chapters of Lord of the Flies?

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the cast of boys that are stranded on the island.  The reader first meets Ralph and Piggy.  It's clear right away that Piggy is quite intelligent.  He suggests to Ralph that he blow on the conch shell as a signalling device.  That brings Jack, the choir boys, Simon, and the Litluns.  An election is held to nominate a leader, and Ralph barely edges out Jack.  Jack is made into the lead hunter.  Ralph, Jack, and Simon leave to explore the island.  

My picture recommendation for chapter 1 is a picture of a conch shell.  It plays an important role in chapter 1, and it continues to be a symbolic image of leadership and rule throughout the rest of the story.  Image linked below. 

Chapter 2 begins with Ralph blowing the conch shell.  Ralph and Jack inform everybody of their dire situation.  It is decided that at group meetings, whoever holds the conch shell gets to talk.  One of the boys mentions that he saw a "beastie" on the island.  Everybody freaks out.  The older boys calm everyone back down. Ralph suggests that the boys need to make a big signal fire. Being teenage boys, the thought of lighting stuff on fire sparks everybody's interest (pun intended). Piggy uses his glasses to light the fire, which again shows his intelligent value (but nobody recognizes it).  The fire gets out of control, and a boy goes missing. 

My picture recommendation is either a pair of glasses or a picture of fire.  Piggy's glasses would be my first choice.  They are symbolic of Piggy and his potential, and they later become a tool of power in the book.  

What is the symbolic significance of Lord of the Flies?

There are differing viewpoints expressed as to why William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies. Many believed it explores the most fundamental religious issues  of the nature of good and evil and the Christian teachings of Original Sin.

Evil is everywhere and the title 'Lord of the Flies' has been interpreted to be a reference to the Devil, himself. The eNotes study guide provides insight into the different symbolic meanings. Navigate to the Overview to get a better understanding. The title of the book and therefore the central symbol  - the pig's head that is mounted on a stick

 is a translation of the Hebrew Ba’alzevuv (Beelzebub in Greek).... whose name suggests that he (the devil) is devoted to decay, destruction, demoralization

Simon is the symbolic 'sacrifice' as he represents spirituality. He has been called a prophet. Simon (by name)was one of the disciples from the Bible. Simon is aware throughout the novel of the potential for evil within everyone  - even himself. Unfortunately, he is unable to 'save' the others although his capacity for not giving up does contribute to the ending of the novel and the rescue of the boys  whose innocence is lost. Adam and Eve were sent from the Garden of Eden  - with their lost innocence - to face the perils and challenges and temptations of the world.

This is a good question. There are many symbols in the book, Lord of the Flies. In light of this, let me give you a few of them. 

First, the most obvious symbol in the book is the conch. When the conch is found and more importantly blown, it brings the boys together. It is a symbol of civilization. This is why it is also significant when the conch in broken. When the conch is broken (as Piggy dies), it is a sign that civility is now gone as well. 

Second, the glasses of Piggy are also a symbol of technology and science. It would be good to remember that the boys use the glasses to make fire. It is also no wonder that Jack seeks to steal it. 

Third, on a more abstract level, Simon is also a symbol. I would say that he is the Christ symbol as he dies, as a sacrifice. He is also the most religious boy in the group. 

These symbols should get you started. 

When thinking about the overall significance of this amazing story you will want to think of how quotes reveal what Golding is trying to say about humanity. Of course Golding is writing about opposition. The central opposition in the novel is that between the forces of civilisation and savagery, or order and chaos. Golding explores the competing instincts that dwell within us all: to live by rules, obey morals and act for the greater good of society, and then the opposite side, which is the desire to dominate, enforce one's will and act immediately to gratify desires.

This conflict is explored throughout the novel through examining the boys' gradual slide into lawlessness as they adapt to life in a barbaric jungle away from the normal controls on their behaviour (law, parents, school etc). These two forces are represented by the two characters Ralph (civilisation) and Jack (savagery).

Golding's conclusion is that the instinct for savagery wins out in the end. It is far more primal and fundamental to us than the instinct of civilisation, which he sees as a result of social conditioning rather than any moral goodness within humanity. We can see this through the example of the boys: when left to their own devices without any external forces of control, the instincts for savagery win out, even in the defender of civilisation, Ralph. The concept of the innate evil within all of us is central to understanding this novel, and is symbolised by the beast and the sow's head on the stake. This is the realisation that causes Ralph and the other boys to weep at the end of the novel, ironically when they should have been most happy: "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of teh true, wise friend called Piggy." So the "darkness of man's heart" is therefore the central moral of this story.

Another key quote comes from Simon when the boys are discussing The Beast and if it is real or not: "There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast . . . Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! . . . 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 the way they are?” Simon is the first boy to realise that the evil summed up in the beast isn't actually external - but internal, based in themselves. This is something that he further realises when he confronts the Lord of the Flies later on in the novel.

Lastly, when Jack has killed his first pig, Golding writes: "His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink." This quote clearly establishes that Jack is attracted to the killing of pigs not because of the need to feed the boys but because of the joy of letting his primal instincts loose and the desire to impose his will and strength upon another creature.

So, there you have it - according to Golding, we are savage, evil creatures, only barely kept in check by civilisation. When those restraining influences are removed - well, you have read the book, so you know what can happen!

In Lord of the Flies, what does the beast symbolize?

The beast signifies different things to different people: both characters in the book and readers. At its most basic level, the beast is associated with the dead airman who parachutes over the island in the Chapter Beast from the Air. Sam and Eric make this association. Symboloically, therefore, the war that wages outside the island, which ahd also caused the boys to be stranded initially, can be viewed as the beast.

The beast also symbolises the boys' fear and fear of the unknown. In Beast from the Water, the multiplying theories about the beast indicate the mass panic and terror taking the group. The various descriptions of the beast also connect it to the jungle which may symbolise its connection with the boys' increasing savagery and barbarism.

Simon may come closest to describing the beast as "us": an inherent and internal 'evil' or savagery which all humanity carries around and which becomes explicit in characters like Jack and Roger. It is highly ironic and appropriate that Simon identifies the 'true' nature of the beast and is killed as the beast.

To a religious reader, the concept of the beast is readily associated with both Satan and the concept of original sin. In this interpretation, the island becomes a second garden of eden, the boys' descent into savagery a second Fall.

To characters like Jack, the beast becomes a method of control through fear and intimidation. In many ways, Jack is the embodiment of the beast.

Describe the symbolic significance of the Beast in Lord of the Flies.

The Beast in The Lord of the Flies represents the boy's fear.

The adult-less island is unknown and the boys fear the unknown.  Coming from England, they have no experiences with what they find on the island.  In the fire light and in the dark, ordinary things take on new and mysterious forms.

As children, we fear the dark because it hides, in our childlike minds, all the monsters that disappear in the light of day.

Whether he recognises this or not, Jack gets the upper hand.  He appeals to the boy's fears and uses this to control them.

Ralph and Piggy understand that the beast exists in their minds but are unable to get the others to understand.

The boys give into these fears, offering sacrifices to the "Beast".  They believe that if they give the Beast sacrifices, that the Beast will not harm them.  At first they sacrifice the head of the wild boar but eventually Simon and Piggy are sacrificed.  Ralph would also be the next victim if Jack and his tribe have their way.

For each boy the Beast is different.  It is whatever they fear the most.

What is a key symbol in the novel Lord of the Flies?

*Per eNotes policy, I edited down your question to focus on one key symbol in the novel.

The conch appears throughout Lord of the Flies as a symbol of power and authority.  Discovered in the first chapter, the conch's call summons the other boys for their first meeting on the island, and because Ralph is the possessor of the shell, the boys elect him for chief  over Jack.  As the novel progresses, mention of the conch appears in chapters 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 11.  Throughout all of these chapters, the conch reinforces Ralph's position as chief and instills order in the tribal meetings as the boys must take turns speaking while holding the conch.  In Chapter Eleven, Golding emphasizes the conch's symbolic power as  both it and Piggy are crushed by Roger's boulder:

"the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist" (181).

The destruction of the conch signals the end of Ralph's authority and the last vestiges of civilization on the island.

What are some minor symbols in Lord of the Flies?

The boys, Ralph, Jack, Simon and Roger are symbols in the book as well. 

Ralph symbolizes order, and leadership

Piggy symbolizes intelligence and the orderliness of society

Jack symbolizes the savagery and primal behavior that humanity is capable of exhibiting given the right circumstances

Simon represents the natural goodness of humanity

Roger represents brutality and violence to an extreme in society 

"Lord of the Flies" has many symbols.

One symbol is the conch shell. The boys use it to call meetings and to keep themselves in order. The shell represents the democratic process that the boys try to use to govern themselves.

Piggy's glasses are another symbol. Because Piggy is intelligent, the glasses represent science and innovation on the island.

The signal fire symbolizes how connected the boys on the island are to the rest of civilization. The fire is constantly being moved, going out, or having to be maintained.

The beast represents the savagery of humanity.

Where is the theme of power evident in Lord of the Flies?

Where isn't it found? 

You'll find it in the book when Ralph is elected leader by the group.  You'll find it when Ralph puts Jack in charge of the hunters.  You'll find it when Jack moves off the beach and into the cliff dwellings.  You'll find it when they're talking about the beast and how Jack uses that fear to manipulate the boys into coming with "his" tribe for safety.  You'll find it when Piggy is brutally murdered and the conch is destroyed.  You'll find it when they are hunting Ralph by setting the island on fire in order to "stick" him like the pigs they've been hunting and have control over.

The theme of "power" is all through the book.  Look up these spots in the book and choose the quote you think will be most effective for your purpose.

Good Luck!

Which symbols best enrich the themes of Lord of the Flies?

The Conch Shell: The conch shell symbolizes civility and democracy throughout the novel. Ralph initially blows the conch to call the boys together and is elected chief, partly because he is holding the conch. During assemblies, the person holding the conch gets to speak. Whenever the boys begin talking over each other or become sidetracked during the meetings, the conch is lifted, and the boys become silent. Towards the end of the novel, Piggy is killed, and the conch is broken. When the conch breaks, it symbolizes that all hope for order and humanity on the island is lost.

The Lord of the Flies: The rotting pig's head symbolizes the manifestation of evil on the island. The Lord of the Flies is the literal translation of Beelzebub, which is another name for the devil. The Lord of the Flies speaks to Simon and tells him that the evil on the island is actually "inside" each one of the boys. Golding suggests that humans are inherently evil, and the Lord of the Flies reflects this belief. Simon's meeting with the Lord of the Flies has been said to symbolize Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.

Signal Fire: The signal fire symbolizes hope and rescue. Ralph's commitment to maintaining the signal fire reflects his desire to return to civilization. Jack's decision to dismiss the signal fire reflects his desire to live as a savage.

Which three symbols best enrich the themes in Lord of the Flies?

Conch: The conch symbolizes democracy, order, and civility throughout the novel. During the assemblies, the person holding the conch has the right to speak. This represents the democratic process of granting equal voice to any individual on the island, even a littlun. When someone is holding the conch, they are the only person allowed to talk. If any of the boys attempts to interrupt the person speaking, the conch is held in the air, and everyone becomes silent. As Ralph says, it's the same as "Hands Up" in school. Whenever an assembly is called, the conch is blown. The conch signals the boys to come to the assembly. Piggy and Ralph value the conch which represents their affinity for civilization while Jack dismisses the significance of the conch.

Ralph's Hair: His hair symbolizes savagery and barbarism on the island. The longer Ralph's hair gets, the further he grows apart from civilization. Ralph's hair is a daily reminder that he is on an abandoned island surrounded by boys who are slowly descending into savagery. Ralph is continually pushing his hair back out of his face, which represents his growing angst with the immorality on the island and his departure from civilization.

The Beast: The boys fear the unknown beast throughout the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, the littlun with a mulberry birthmark comments that he saw a snake like "beastie." The image of a snake alludes to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. As the novel progresses, the boys debate on the existence of the beast and discuss its actual identity. The beast symbolizes the inherent evil individuals possess on the island. Only Simon realizes the true nature of the beast. Golding suggests that humans are inherently evil and without restrictions and regulations, primitive savage nature reigns.

What significant symbolism surrounds Ralph in Lord of the Flies?

One of the most significant pieces of symbolism in connection to Ralph in Lord of the Flies is the conch shell.  Found early on in the novel by Ralph and Piggy, the conch shell comes to symbolize law and order, the rules of the tribe, and ultimately civilization.  Ralph, as the original chief of the tribe institutes the conch as a symbol of order in their first tribal meeting, advising the other boys to use it as a sign of whose turn it is to speak during the meeting.  Ralph and the conch remain linked throughout the book as symbols of power and order, up until the fateful chapter when Jack takes control as chief at Castle Rock and the conch is shattered when Piggy is killed by Roger's carefully aimed boulder.