Mistreatment Of Piggy

In this passage, we see Ralph, the chief of the island, wishing that he is able to think like Piggy because, as chief, he needs to be able make smart decisions, like Piggy is able to do. In the beginning of the novel, Piggy’s glasses represent intelligence. However, later in the novel, after they are broken, they represent how power has the ability to corrupt people, especially Jack Merridew. The glasses also symbolize power because they have the ability to create fire which represents life and independence. Therefore, whoever wields the power of the glasses also has the ability to survive without anyone's help. This power is something that Jack desires and seeks throughout the novel. For example, when Prometheus gave fire to the humans in Greek Mythology, he was tortured and had his liver pecked out every day by a crow for doing so because fire symbolized light and independence from the gods. This passage takes place right after the brutal attack by Jack and his hunters on Ralph’s crew, “Piggy drew his legs. ‘You

Piggy doesn't want the conch just to speak, but to have a voice. The conch is like a microphone for Piggy because it helps him raise his voice so everyone can listen to him. Even if he didn't have anything to say he still would've wanted the conch because he wants everyone to listen to whatever he has to say, whether it's important or not. Piggy want to speak up for himself when he gets bullied, but he doesn't know how to. Thinking the conch might help him he asks for it.

Piggy is shown throughout the book with glasses. Glasses can be used as a symbol for being smart. Piggy shows many times that he is logical in his thinking. When the boys are fighting Piggy states, “Which is better -- to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is? Which is better -- to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill? Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?” (180) By stating this Piggy shows that he has reasoning. Piggy states this near the end of the book in chapter 11. By this point Jack and some of the other boys have killed and become more savage. Piggy realized that there were better ways to live and act than that. By stating his opinion we see Piggy is unlike the other boys because he is using reasoning outside of himself while the other boys are more focused on doing what they want. This excludes Piggy from the others. Another time Piggy’s intellect may have outcasted him was when he spoke of the beast and of

Piggy’s glasses is the most powerful item on the island, which symbolize the knowledge and intelligence. In addition, it is also an important

Piggy stays somewhat static as a good and civilized boy, like some others (e.g. Simon). However, Piggy’s character change involves his entitlement of civility and his specific separation from the rest of the boys. “‘Like kids!’ he said scornfully. ‘Acting like a crowd of kids!’” (38). This quote exhibits Piggy’s nature of judgment over the other boys’ rashness and establishes his entitlement over the other boys early on. This creates a barrier of sorts, as Piggy might not feel tempted to interact the same way because he is “better than that.” Piggy is also directly characterized as the outsider of the group: “There had grown up tacitly among the biguns the opinion that Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and a certain disinclination for manual labor” (65). In a sense, Piggy is separated from the overall group of boys by his physical and character traits. Piggy also has this emphasized character trait of being myopic. Once Piggy’s specs are destroyed, not only is Piggy literally blind but symbolically as well. This, in turn, means the group is also blind, as Piggy was the only character that seemed to provide a substantial amount of rational thinking and ideas. This leads to irrational thoughts to flow free, like Jack’s ideology of madness and

His character is related to a great part of the symbolism used by Golding and has a very important role in preventing the descent from civilization to savagery, however, he sadly he witnesses the turnover. Piggy's glasses represent many different ideas. The initial importance of the specs is that they represent the ability to make fire, which they hoped would provide the rescue they needed. Piggy’s glasses also signify Piggy's ability to see literally and figuratively. Without them, he is helpless and blind.  He is unable to serve as well as Ralph's right-hand man and voice of logic. When Piggy is "blinded" it symbolizes the blindness of the Jack's tribe to the evil to which they are succumbing.  Piggy's murder completes the boys’ lost of sight (figuratively speaking) and forces them into total darkness, which leads to the hunting of Ralph.

Sometimes in society, the people with the most outreach and knowledge get shoved to the side and ignored. Piggy often values his conch shell, gets ignored, and silently leads the group. When a situation gets tough or controversial, Piggy usually takes to talking about the conch and what it represents for him. In his eyes, the conch is a “white, magic shell” and is important to the well being of the boys (11.200). Piggy values the conch so much because it gives the boys a little bit of order, and Piggy himself represents knowledge and order through his actions. Even though Piggy represents all these things, he still gets ignored by the group based on his appearance and the way he talks. As an assertive member of the group early in the book,

When someone is using the conch, everyone knows to stop talking and listen to what the others are saying. This evidence really shows how much power and authority the Conch has taken over the boys on the island. But in the middle of the book, many of the boys think the conch will change for the worse. Towards the middle of the book, Jack has lost interest in using the conch, but Piggy will not let that happen, so Jack starts to make fights and moves towards Piggy. Jack's actions really showed when “And the conch doesn't count at the end of the island.

Piggy is a intellectual and logical boy who wants to remain civilized no matter where he is. Both Jack and Piggy represent opposing sides of human nature. That is why they are irreconcilable on the island. Humans are born with an impulsive and audacious nature but with the help of society humans’ develop their intellect. Because Piggy is physically weak, he relies on his intelligence to survive.

Golding then describes, “Piggy sought in his mind for words to convey his passionate willingness to carry the conch against all odds” (Golding 172). With good intentions, Piggy is trying to maintain a society while there is dreadful things going on. Which Piggy knows carrying the conch, instead of giving it to Jack, is meaningful because it is a representation of power and war against all

He has a disagreeable attitude toward them and uses Piggy’s glasses to his advantage. “Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks.” (71, Golding)  When Jack slapped Piggy and broke them, that resembled the full disorder and chaos experienced on the island. It showed how far the group has come from orderly civilization when the glasses are misused and not being used for smarts or reason anymore. The glasses are also one of the last remaining tools from the outside world. The boys use this tool, instead of more primitive means, to light the signal fire which shows the initial desire for order. But the glasses, like the conch shell, are broken by savagery. When the glasses break, the last link the boys had to their past society is broken.

This is extraordinary as the boys are able to control the other boys through the conch. How the conch is used and what the use of it is, all depends on their mind-set. Piggy and Ralph find the conch along the beach, and Piggy is the one who recognizes it, becoming the one to suggest its use. He is the only one who knows how to use it, so he teaches Ralph how to use the conch, to call the boys for a meeting. Piggy continues to return to the power of the conch, he stands by it and believes that it should be used thoroughly for power and believes it gives whomever holds it the power to speak.

One day, after Jack and his group steals Piggy’s glasses, Piggy tries to convince the other tribe to give

From the moment the boys gather on the island, it is evident that Piggy is an outsider. He has glasses and is fat, and not to mention the fact that he as asthma. All of these physical disabilities set him apart immediately, and when he starts acting like a know-it-all, the group ostracizes him even more. Jack looks for any opportunity to stomp on Piggy’s pride. While lighting the very first fire while up on the mountain Golding writes, “I got the conch,” Piggy said indignantly.

Even thought Piggy is physically blind without his glasses he has insight as to his surroundings. Jack shows dislike towards Piggy by ridiculing his physique by saying , “Better Piggy the Fatty”. (40) His intelligence is undermined by the fact that Jack makes fun of him.