Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis

Words: 1619
Pages: 7
Open Document
Almost every novel ever written has many different symbols and meanings blended within it. Lord of the Flies goes beyond that, with intriguing symbols throughout and countless unique ways of interpreting each. A symbol can sometimes be difficult to understand; however, the most basic definition of a symbol is “a person, place, or thing that represents something more than its literal meaning” (“Lord of the Flies” 183). From the very first page of this novel to the last, symbols are being introduced, explained, and often completely left open to the reader’s interpretation. These symbols revolve around the ideas of “War, society, and civilization” (Labriola and Loy 289). Often, authors try to portray one specific, overarching idea through each …show more content…
For example, the island is a symbol for the Garden of Eden; the island pure and without corruption. Also, just as Adam and Eve were given an opportunity to create the perfect society, the boys were given an opportunity to do the same. However, both of the two different groups failed to do so, and as a consequence, they lost the purity that they once had. The group of boys can be seen as a direct comparison to Eve; just as “Eve disobeys God, breaks His law and is expelled from Eden, the boys start to break the rules they have made and thus ruin their own paradise-like island” (Mirjana). This connection is made even more clear by the fact that the group of boys, especially the boys choir, is made out to be as innocent as possible from the very beginning of the novel. This is similar to Adam and Eve’s innocence, which is very prominent in the Bible. However, Adam and Eve’s fall away from God occurred because of one evil action, while the boys on the island had a much more gradual fall away from civilization. Throughout the novel, Simon can often be seen going through experiences similar to Jesus. As a result, he is a Biblical symbol for Jesus. For example, when the “Lord of the Flies” appears to Simon, it is similar to Jesus’ temptations in the desert. Just as Jesus conversed with Satan, Simon conversed with the “Lord of the Flies”. Also, just after this encounter, Simon went to the other boys to tell them about the truth of the beast, and he was killed because of it. This is similar to Jesus, because Jesus’ mission on Earth was to spread the good news of God’s kingdom throughout the world, and he was killed because of it. If the other boys had just listened to Simon, then they might have been saved from their own savage natures. However, they did not listen, and as a result, they faced severe consequences. This is similar to the teachings of Christ; he
Show More

Related Documents: Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Analysis

Lord Of The Flies Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis of Lord Of The Flies On an island covered with young school boys, is it possible to control and maintain any assembly of order? William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies is a political and moral fable about a group of schoolboys stranded, alone, on a tropical island. They are trying to maintain order, while awaiting their rescue. In this novel, Ralph, the leader of the boys, is elected chief of the island. He chooses to appoint Jack as the lead hunter. Though, they assign titles…

Words 1843 - Pages 8

Fahrenheit 451 Symbolism Essay

the Lord of the Flies is the deep fear. The Lord of the Flies provokes Simon “There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the beast“ (Golding 143). The Lord of the Flies daunts Simon by stating that he is completely alone, which means he is the only sane person left on the island. The one way Simon can be relieved from his frightened sub-conscious, is the acceptance of the Lord of the Flies (being fear). By realizing that he was afraid the whole confrontation with the Lord of the Flies. Once…

Words 1147 - Pages 5

Lord Of The Flies Character Analysis Essay

Character Analysis Essay: Lord of the Flies Characters are very significant in stories for they build the plot and create a central focus to analyze the heart of the story and any change or development that takes place. Analyzing characters’ qualities, conflicts, actions, decisions etc. aids the reader in understanding the story to a greater extent and what is happening and why it is happening around the character. The book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, is a story about the survival of…

Words 667 - Pages 3

Lord Of The Flies Literary Analysis Essay

Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay The novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding crashes a group of boys, trying to flee from a war on an uninhabited island without any adults. This emphasizes the purpose of the novel, which is to expose the human condition, and a major principle in Goulding’s belief of the human condition that beasts “[are] only [humans]”(Goulding 89). The author goes about this exposure with many examples of symbolism and allusions to religion. The arguably most prominent…

Words 1159 - Pages 5

Essay on Dance and Boys

Simon’s mangled corpse into the ocean, where it drifts away, surrounded by glowing fish. At the same time, the wind blows the body of the parachutist off the side of the mountain and onto the beach, sending the boys screaming into the darkness. Analysis With the brutal, animalistic murder of Simon, the last vestige of civilized order on the island is stripped away, and brutality and chaos take over. By this point, the boys in Jack’s camp are all but inhuman savages, and Ralph’s few remaining…

Words 420 - Pages 2

TKam vs LOf Essay

David Atri! Honors Literature! Mr. Moseley ! October 13, 2014! ! To Kill a Mockingbird Vs. Lord of The Flies! ! ! ! Thousands of years of human history, and we still know next to nothing about the nature of human behavior. People have attempted to describe their own views on the subject, deeply affected by their own experiences in life, through a myriad of mediums including art, music, and literature; the latter being the most prominent and widely employed. Spanning from the…

Words 2593 - Pages 11

Fiction and Topic Sentence Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Overview Review your literary analysis packet, the sample essay I gave you (Lord of the Flies), the powerpoint which includes more examples, and any other handout you received on lit. analysis writing. Most of these are on the website. Grammar: 1. “Empty” language Examples a. “The use of literary devices reveals the deeper meaning of the story and highlights the theme.” State the theme and the deeper meaning you have uncovered! b. “Themes play a powerful role…

Words 2045 - Pages 9

Point Of View Speech Guide Essays

or fight the Ultimate Battle. ● Will Beauty kiss the Beast and save his life? (Beauty and the Beast) ● Will Neo realize—and accept—his role as The One before it’s too late? (The Matrix) ● Will Frodo destroy the Ring and save Middle Earth? (Lord of the Rings) Outcome/New Status Quo The result. Questions to ask yourself? What was the plot of the film and who were the main characters? How was the plot structured (chronological, flashbacks, non­linear)? What was the central conflict of the film…

Words 4087 - Pages 17