Marooned on a deserted tropical island in the mid 1940′ a challenge faces a group of British schoolboys. While fleeing England the group’s plane was shot down killing all adults and authority with it. This forces the boys to rely fully on each other. The character of piggy helps to teach them how to survive in an uncivilized society until the day he dies. To understand the Lord of the Flies, one must understand Piggy, his adult characteristics, and several goals.
Throughout the entire endeavor on the island Piggy is seen as an outcast of society. No one wants him around, and no one sees why anyone even needs him around. However, not on person ever realizes the without Piggy the group may not survive long enough to even get rescued. For example, they may all kill each other before an officer arrives to rescue them. Piggy’s main objective during this time may be to, in his own way, keep order and sanity. Piggy new that if a person wants to get something done that he needs to be firm and frank about what he or she wants. For instance while Ralph and Piggy were arguing, Piggy says to Ralph “You got to be tough now. Make ’em do what you want “(92).
This may have shown Ralph that Piggy may actually know what he is talking about since this method was so affective for Piggy with all of the little ones. Many times Piggy would try to reason with all of the boys including Jack when he would say to them, “Which is better- to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph” (180).
The Essay on Lord Of The Flies Piggy Ralph Jack
Lord Of The Flies is possibly one of the most complex novels of the twentieth century. This complexity and depth is evident when the characters are compared to the psychological teachings of Freud. The book shows examples of this psyche in the characters Jack, Piggy and Ralph and how they change during their time on the island. Towards the end of the eighth chapter it became very apparent that ...
At this point Piggy new that everyone was turning into savages and he tried everything in his will power to stop them. It may be apparent many times when using his rationalism and intellect that he was trying to stay as civilized as possible. Though he may have poured his heart out to keep order and sanity, he was eventually very unsuccessful.
Many times people may use the phrase, “oh he is really a child trapped inside an adults body”, that seems to be the exact opposite case for Piggy. The major personality traits that he posses are those that may only a man of fifty may hold. He is believed to be very mature, literate, respectable, inventive, and a perfect example of the rational side of civilization. However, at times his view of what others may think of him shines through very predominately, such as when he yells at Ralph, “Ralph! Stop Laughing like that. Look, there ain’t no need. Ralph! What will the others think?” (156).
It almost seems impossible for a person that seems to be as confident as Piggy to care so much about what others may think of him, but then must only analyze human nature to understand this trait that is present in all living beings. His lack confidence, however; maybe overshadowed by his intellect that he uses many times throughout his adventures.
For example when he was able to come up with the idea to make a sundial. This may later prove to be a useless object, but it would help the group tell time; and when he allowed the group to use his glasses in order to light the dead wood for their bonfire. With the mention of his glasses, another very important fact about Piggy’s personality is brought up. It seems apparent at the beginning of his time on the island that he is very protective about his glasses, which can be proven many times by such phrases he repeats as, “My specs!”(71).
Since his specs seem to be a symbol of the power of science and intellectual endeavors in civilization it is no wonder why he would not want to protect them as much as he does.
In all, Piggy contributes to the understanding of the story in the he seems to explain everything he is talking about in a sense that actually makes the reader want to understand it better. Since Piggy represents the scientific and intellectual side of civilization one can more easily understand why he is treated in that way. In today’s society no person seems truly willing to accept things that are different. Piggy shows himself to be truly different from everyone. He himself does not turn savage so he is able to show everyone else that they themselves have turned to animals. He proves this when he asks the boys, “What are we? Human? Or animals?”(91).
The Essay on Human Nature Time Understand Environment
What is human nature? It is very simple. Human nature refers to the patterns of behavior that are typical of our species or our kind. Human undergoes change as all humans grow up they nature seems to change; the environment someone grow up in effects that persons nature. To fully understand human nature Dr. Marvin Harris takes us on trip to time, which makes sense because if we better understand ...
This helps the reader understand how the boy’s views and attitudes are continuously changing, and never at one time the same.
HumanWith the connection that one is able to make with Piggy, since society is now a more scientific and rational civilization, it may be at time difficult for one to see eye to eye with Jack and his followers. Toward the close of the novel it is quoted “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy.” (ch.12).
Here the author may be showing that Piggy’s death is also representative of the loss of innocence and the darkness of mans heart, as stated in the quote, a consequence of the savage instincts lurking within all human beings, even at the height of civilization. Even though Piggy tried to stop this from happening as much as possible, it is a fate destined to happen no matter how hard a society tries.
With such a shallow yet complex character as Piggy it may be difficult at times to understand fully everything about him, and his importance portrayed throughout the entire novel. But with a full analysis of him one may soon not only understand Piggy, but understand the Lord of the Flies as well. Having the intellectual and scientific aspects of civilization played out through one character may seem overwhelming at first, but soon Piggy’s personality traits as a calm and sane individual help to relieve those overwhelming factors. To understand this novel one must understand Piggy, his adult characteristics, and his several goals.
