NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding portrays Piggy as an insightful, perceptive and conversant young boy. The boys on the island ridicule him because of his appearance, calling him "fatty" (23) and constantly referring to him as Piggy. The boys never actually call him by his real name. Piggy's ability to see things clearly emerges and evolves through the novel, until finally at the conclusion we see how he loses this ability to perceive... with tragic results. Golding gave Piggy the glasses to represent that he was the one who would see clearly and not filter out reality as most of the children did in the novel.
At the beginning of the novel Piggy's glasses were used by others as a tool, when the boys look for a way to start a fire Jack says "His specs use them as burning glass. " (44). Ralph and Jack took the glasses from Piggy's head to start the fire without asking and Piggy just accepts this. Piggy's glasses also represented, the hope the boys had for getting off the island. Piggy starts to show his logical ability by suggesting that they write out a list of the boys on the island so they can keep track of all the "littles" after one of them goes missing. Piggy was always organized and had a well-thought out plan.
After while, as Ralph's vision for survival becomes less focused, Ralph begins to respect and accept Piggy as a friend. Ralph shows us his doubts in his own ability to lead as he thinks, "I can't think. Not like Piggy. Once more that evening Ralph had to adjust his values. Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his...
Ralph was a specialist in thought now, and could recognize thought in another. " (85). When Jack's tribe stages a raid on Ralph's camp for fire, Piggy urgently redirects Ralph's thoughts to the importance of the fire and being rescued. Ralph stumbles in thought, his vision is clouded as symbolized by the "idiot hair" (156) he has to push out of his eyes. Once Jack left to make his own tribe, Piggy began to gain more confidence and began to speak out more, making his voice heard. "We got no fire on the mountain. But what's wrong with a fire down here? A fire could be built on them rocks.
On the sand, even. We'd make smoke just the same. " (142). When Ralph had given up hope of making a signal fire, because the boys believed that there was a monster on the mountain. Piggy was the only one smart enough to suggest simply moving the fire down to the beach. It was one of the first times Piggy had spoken his mind, without being made fun of by Jack or anyone else. This was the beginning of his rise to higher self-esteem.
Later on in the novel, when the boys gather enough wood and leaves to start their fire, Piggy gets to liberate himself. "For the first time on the island, Piggy himself removed his glasses, knelt down and focused the sun on tinder. Soon there was a ceiling of smoke and a bush of yellow flame. " (144). When the boys are all frightened of the "beast" and Ralph asked Piggy if the "beast" is real, Piggy simply states, "Course there aren't... Cos things wouldn't make sense. Houses an's trees, an' TV they wouldn't work. " (101). Piggy always had something to say and Ralph found his words comforting.
We begin to see that Piggy is a wise and gracious boy, who always seemed to maintain a plausible explanation for everything. Piggy had a gift for seeing the world and the boys on the island for what they truly were. Piggy starts to lose faith and hope when Simon is brutally murdered. Ralph attempts to discuss Simon's death with Piggy but Piggy desperately tries to avoid it, finally justifying it by saying. "I only got one eye now.
You ought to know that, Ralph. " (173). After Piggy begins to lose his "sight", his glasses are stolen by Jack's tribe. Piggy turns to Ralph for guidance, and says. " Ralph what am I going to do?" (186). Piggy decided to makes a last attempt to bring Jack's savage tribe back to the purpose of rescue and goes to demand his glasses back because "what's right's right. " (188).
Jack's tribe is beyond reason, they kill Piggy and destroy the conch at the same time. With the symbol of democracy gone, the boys escalate in their savage behaviour until ironically it is their attempt to kill Ralph that results in their rescue. Piggy knew that without his glasses, his ability to see, he would not be able to help Ralph lead the boys. He was willing to risk his life and he lost. Piggy was able to think for the future, the present and always learned from the past.
Although Piggy began to become more confident, he was never able to assert himself as a leader. Piggy was always hesitant, he acted as a silent advisor to the less logical Ralph. Piggy relied on excuses, like his near blindness without his glasses and his asthma, to stop him from achieving his full potential.
Free research essays on topics related to: boys on the island, ralph, jack tribe, piggy glasses, piggy
Research essay sample on Boys On The Island Piggy Glasses
