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Symbolism. “A symbol is a person, place, or object that represents something beyond itself. Symbols can succinctly communicate complicated, emotionally rich ideas.” (The Language of Literature, 1236) The characters themselves serve more as symbols than individuals. Symbolism.
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Symbolism • “A symbol is a person, place, or object that represents something beyond itself. Symbols can succinctly communicate complicated, emotionally rich ideas.” (The Language of Literature, 1236) • The characters themselves serve more as symbols than individuals
Symbolism • Piggy & his Glasses • Signify man’s ability to perceive, to think • Clear-sightedness, intelligence. • Their condition represents the status of social order. • This quality separates man from the animal world. • Brain power can be misused for destructive purposes. • In the end, they are used to smoke Ralph out.
Symbolism • Ralph & The Conch • Democracy • Order • The conch shell– power • Law & Order • Represents Ralph’s parliamentary type of government. • As anarchy grows, the conch fades in color and its power diminishes • The frailty of the civilization is suggested by the fragile shell
Symbolism • Simon • Pure Goodness • Christ-like Figure • Purity
Symbolism • Roger • Evil • Satan-like figure
Symbolism • Jack • Savagery • Anarchy • Face Paint/ Masks • Masks / Can change into another person • Is the other person free from moral obligations? • Superheroes & villians • Do the characters start to change after they paint their faces?
Symbolism • The Island • A microcosm (small world) representing the world • Micro=Small • Cosmos=World • The boys plane crash landed on the island after they were escaping the war. • The ended up creating their own war on the island
Symbolism • The Scar • The plane crashed into the jungle and ended up in the lagoon leaving behind a scar • Once the boys landed on the island they made their mark (or scar) • Represents: Man's destruction, destructive forces
Symbolism • The Beast • Represents the evil residing within everyone • Represents the dark side of human nature.
Symbolism • Lord of the Flies • Represents the “rotting” of the social order • Represents a great danger or evil • Translation from Greek: “Beelzebub” prince of demons. • Shown as the head of the pig, covered with Flies. • The LOTF “talks” to Simon
Lord of the Flies • “The theme is the central idea or message in a work of literature. …theme is a perception about life or human nature shared with the reader.” (The Language of Literature, 1236)
Themes Apparent in Lord of the Flies • Humanity’s problem stems from a lack of awareness of “the beast within.” People remain trapped inside themselves, too self absorbed to look at the world.
Themes Continued • One cannot change basic human nature, but can recognize and understand it. • Individuals choose to suppress the savagery beneath their humanity. • “The beast” is an individual’s lack of integrity or lack of ethical/moral fiber.
Theme: Words of Golding • “The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature.”
Basic Conflict • Shows what can and what does occur when individuals fail to see themselves as part of the whole.