Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Provide a quote from the novel Lord of The Flies that shows how the author uses symbolism as a technique to communicate that without rules society...

Throughout the novel, Golding uses fire to symbolize both rescue and destruction. Ralph and Piggy, the novel's two biggest advocates for civilization, make the signal fire their number one priority. They recognize that the signal fire is their only hope for rescue and a chance to return to civilization. Jack, the novel's antagonist, feels exactly opposite about the signal fire and thinks that it is more important to hunt. Jack and his hunters have already neglected Ralph's rules of maintaining the signal fire and have chosen to live like savages.


In Chapter 8, Ralph and Piggy lament about how they do not have enough boys to maintain the signal fire because the majority of them have joined Jack's tribe. Jack, along with several savages, raid Ralph and Piggy's camp and steal a few burning branches from the fire. Before he leaves, Jack tells the boys in Ralph's camp that they are invited to a feast on the other side of the island. Ralph then takes the conch and holds an assembly with the remaining boys. Ralph addresses the boys and says,



"The fire's the most important thing. Without the fire we can't be rescued. I'd like to put on war-paint and be a savage. But we must keep the fire burning. The fire's the most important thing on the island, because, because---" (Golding 142).



Ralph is adamant about the necessity of maintaining a signal fire, which represents his focus on civilization. He understands that without fire, society will break down, and there will be no hope for rescue. Once individuals begin to neglect the need to maintain a signal fire, they descend into savagery. Jack and his hunters have neglected the rules and have chosen to live like savages. Again, Golding uses the signal fire to symbolize civilization, and without rules to make sure it is sustained, society breaks down.

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