Symbolism%20in%20the%20Lord%20of%20the%20Flies

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Symbolism in the Lord of the Flies And some
background knowledge
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About the Author

• Biographical Information on William Golding
• Born in England 1911 to an average middle-class
  family
• Went to school at Oxford University
• Started teaching English at an all boys prep
  school in 1939
• Joined the British Navy and entered WWII in 1940
• After war, went back to teaching until 1963 and
  wrote LOTF in 1954, winning Nobel Prize for
  Literature in 1983
• Died in 1993.
• Which events may have had the largest impact on
  his life? Which may have influenced LOTF the
  most?

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His Experiences in Relation to the Text

• While serving in WWII
• He saw the atrocities of war first hand,
  including torture, death, bloodshed, etc.
• He was shocked by the horrors of Hitlers
  Holocaust, torturing of p.o.w.s by the Japanese,
  and by the U.S. dropping the atomic bomb.

4
Goldings Experience Teaching

• While teaching at an all boys schoolHe observed
  how boys and young men acted toward each other
  and learned some of the psychological tendencies
  of boys
• Boys have a need for competition
• Boys have a desire for games and play as opposed
  to work
• Boys have a tendency to act up when adults are
  not around
• Boys tend to be cruel and physically aggressive
  toward others

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Thinking Critically About Lord of the Flies

• While many simple readers will see it as an
  adventure story involving young boys on a
  deserted island, it is much more.
• We will look for clues in the text that indicate
  a deeper meaning. We will be aware of how
  characters and objects can be used to represent
  ideals, beliefs, and themes.
• This will allow us to examine our stance on
  humans and the world in which we live.

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What is Symbolism?

• The practice of representing deeper meaning
  (themes, ideas, concepts) with symbols (through
  objects or characters).
• Often times, writers speak to their readers in
  very creative ways. One such way is through the
  use of symbols. These symbols go beyond a
  literal meaning to figuratively deliver messages
  to readers

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What is the meaning of these conventional symbols?
The color red
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Why is Symbolism Important?

• Symbolism is used to convey meaning in a text,
  and authors frequently use symbolism as a means
  of delivering an intentional message.
• Symbolism can be used to engage in a literary
  analysis. Analyzing symbols helps the reader to
  create a deeper understanding of the text.
• Literary analysis is a discussion (argument)
  about a text that focuses on literary concepts
  and uses ones own insights coupled with specific
  evidence to explore ideas in depth.

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The Island

• The island is a microcosm of human society. It
  represents (symbolizes) society.

10
The Conch

• Ralph and Piggy find the conch shortly after
  landing on the island. It soon becomes the symbol
  of authority and law and order.
• Ralph and especially Piggy respected the symbol
  of the conch until it was smashed by Jack. Jacks
  inclination to disregard the rules governing the
  conch is symbolic of his disdain for law, order,
  and civilization. The destruction of the conch
  symbolizes the destruction of what little
  civilization the boys possessed.

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Piggys Glasses

• The glasses symbolize the ability to see and
  understand things clearly. Piggy is the only boy
  who really sees how things should be done.
• The cracking of the first lens symbolizes the
  boys losing sight of what they need to do. The
  glasses are also linked to the theme of
  civilization, as they are necessary for lighting
  the fire.

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The Signal Fire

• The signal fire symbolizes the boys connection to
  civilization. The fire, initially, is important
  in the novel. As the boys grow more savage, the
  fire becomes less important to them.
• Golding uses the signal fire to symbolize hope,
  something which Jack destroys as the novel
  progresses. At times the signal fire rages out of
  control, symbolic of the boys themselves.

13
The Beast

• The beast represents the inner savagery of the
  boys and all mankind. The boys personify it by
  calling it a giant snake and mistaking a dead
  parachutist for it. Simon is the only boy who
  understands that they are the beast.

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The Lord of the Flies

• Jack impales a pigs head on a wooden stake in
  sacrifice to the beast. The Lord of the Flies
  symbolizes the devil and is a literal translation
  from Hebrew meaning Beezlebub.

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The Dead Parachutist

• Piggy looks for a sign from the adult world. He
  gets it the very same night. Miles above the
  island, a plane is shot down. A dead man floats
  onto the island and becomes lodged in the rocks
  and trees.
• The dead parachutist symbolizes the adult world
  and its inability to maintain peace.
• Piggys desire to learn civilized behaviour from
  adults goes unfulfilled.
• The dead man also becomes the beast.

16
The Plane Crash

• The plane crash symbolizes the breakdown of
  modern society. The boys leave England to get
  away from the war and are shot down by the enemy.

17
The Scar

• The scar left by the plane crash symbolizes the
  damaging encroachment of humans in paradise/ on
  nature.
• The vivid imagery that Golding uses to describe
  how the scar smashes into the jungle illustrates
  the affect humans have on the earth and how
  devastating man can be.

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The Island

• The island is a microcosm (mini) society
• Some literary critics also believe that the
  island also symbolizes the Garden of Eden, before
  the arrival of the boys. After the boys arrive it
  becomes corrupted and destroyed.

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Simon

• Represents goodness
• Some literary critics view Simon as a
  Christ-like figure
• Gift of sight and foreshadowing

20
Ralph and Piggy

• Symbolize law and order
• Piggy also has the gift of sight
• Ralph is symbolic of democratic authority

21
Jack and Roger

• Stand for evil
• Jack symbolizes authoritarian power
• Jack and Roger both use evil to create fear, they
  use fear as a tool of power.

22
The Big Kids VS the Littluns

• The big kids represent/symbolize the ruling
  classes of society
• The Littluns symbolize common folk

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Using Symbolism to Create an Essay

• you do not summarize these key literary concepts
  when you write your in class essay. However, be
  familiar with them enough to discuss them to make
  a specific, arguable point (otherwise known as a
  thesis) that you have created about the literary
  work.

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Todays Agenda

• 1) Thesis statement breakdown
• 2) Practice creating a thesis
• 3) Silent Reading
• Chapter 9 and 10 to be completed for homework.
• Chapters 11 and 12 to be read by Friday
• Homework Reader Response Journals for chapter 10
  and 11 due by Friday, March 11.