The very first thing we know about Piggy is his weight. While Ralph gets a name, Piggy is "the fat boy" for pages, and then gets stuck with a bullying nickname. He also wears glasses, as he is near-sighted. The only other thing we really learn about his appearance is that he is not athletic, and seems to have an awkwardness around his movements, as he is usually struggling to keep up with the others.
Despite his inferior and external weaknesses, Piggy is intellectually superior to the other boys. He looks at the world through a lens of science, literally, as his glasses are an indispensable tool that the boys use to make fire. He is also the only boy who seems to understand what is going on in the outside, adult world. He represents that rational adult world on the island and is able to act as Ralph's adviser and preserve that society for a time. Unfortunately, his intellect is a hindrance as well, as he cannot understand the boys' motivations, desires, and actions when they come from a baser, animal instinct. This leads to his death.
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