Two separate illustrations of an animal head and a fire on a mountain

Lord of the Flies

by William Golding

Start Free Trial

Discussion Topic

Symbolism of Piggy's glasses, the conch, and the fire in Lord of the Flies

Summary:

In Lord of the Flies, Piggy's glasses symbolize knowledge and the ability to see clearly, both literally and metaphorically. The conch represents order, authority, and civilization, as it is used to call meetings and establish rules. The fire signifies hope and rescue, as well as the boys' connection to human civilization and their desire to return to it.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What do Piggy's glasses symbolize in Lord of the Flies?

Piggy's glasses symbolize the struggle of the law and intelligence vs the chaos, lawlessness and anarchy.  The glasses represent status and level in a social structure.  After the glasses were broken the breakdown of the society the boys had created continued to break down even further.  Piggy's status in the group continued to get lower and lower until it ended with his death. 

The question concerning the symbol of the glasses has already been answered.  You can read more in the following link.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The glasses are often associated with ideas of civilization or society.

Piggy certainly relies on this product of the scientific, civilized world to get by and this reliance is resonant with this attitude, which prefers the adult, civilized world to the chaotic and animalistic world of children. The glasses represent a physical symbol of this attitude and reliance. 

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

I believe that...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

Piggy's glasses symbolize science.  They also symbolize rational thought, which goes along with science.

One of the themes of this work is that human nature ends up taking over and makes human beings violent and selfish.  Piggy's glasses show us that this evil side of human nature even ends up overcoming rationality and science.  This makes sense when we think about it in the real world.  Science is supposed to help us have better lives and yet it ends up being used in ways that hurt us (with nuclear weapons being the clearest example of this).  

Piggy's glasses are used in just this way.  They are stolen and used to make fires that are uncontrolled and harmful.  The ability to steal them helps show that Jack is the leader of the evil faction in the book:

He was a chief now in truth; and made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses.

Thus, the glasses are a symbol for science and rationality, showing how those are overtaken by the more evil aspects of our nature.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Glasses are a remnant of the old, modernized society.  They are also a useful tool, not just for Piggy to see but for the boys to start the fire.  The glasses have more than one significance.  On a global level, they symbolize technology.  They can also symbolize man’s ascent into civilization because they allow the boys to take the first step into civilization by starting a fire.

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

The glasses make Piggy useful.  Although he has good ideas, the boys generally ignore him because he is fat.  However the glasses make him actually useful to the rest society, because now they can start fires.  However, Piggy is dependent on his glasses and cannot see without them, so once they have them he is helpless.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

How do Piggy's glasses, the conch, and the fire symbolically relate in Lord of the Flies?

From a symbolic standpoint, the conch, fire and glasses are all representations of civilization, order and rational thought. A more nuanced interpretation is that they are representative of different types of mastery.

Mastery can be difficult to define succinctly because it's such a complicated and abstract concept, but you might say that it involves the use of knowledge to improve one's ability to exert their will over themselves, others, and nature. The three items match this definition well because each corresponds to a particular target of mastery.

The glasses represent mastery over the self; human technology that conquers one's own physical shortcomings, which would be crippling in the uncivilized world. This is clearly demonstrated through Piggy's death, as well as the fact that the glasses become more valuable than their owner once their true purpose is forgotten by Jack's group. Without their primary identity as a way for Piggy to control his own body, they become just another tool.

The conch represents mastery over others, as demonstrated when Ralph is able to call assemblies with it, and restrict who is allowed to speak. It is also telling that Piggy places more value in it than anyone else, and that he and Ralph place the most faith and insistence in its power. Its destruction represents the end of rule by moral authority and the beginning of Jack's rule by force.

The fire represents mastery over nature, as it is created and controlled by humans and given a specific purpose. However, the fire almost immediately goes out of their control, foreshadowing its future "corruption" and perhaps implying not only that human control over nature is tenuous, but that the boys were not "men" and had not, nor could they, earn the mastery of fire without control of themselves first. 

Approved by eNotes Editorial