What Does Piggy's Glasses Symbolize In Lord Of The Flies

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Piggy's glasses represent the power of science and intellectual aim in society because Piggy has knowledge that separates him from the rest of the boys. Near the beginning of the novel, Piggy puts both Ralph and Jack in their place when they were being irrational and he was able to help start the first fire. But everything changed when Jack smacked Piggy and his glasses broke. Before, the glasses represented knowledge, but now the glasses symbolize the act of falling apart. That act is shown when Jack and his cult steal Piggy's glasses, separating the group. One of the first acts that shows Piggy's intelligence is when he puts Ralph and Jack in their place when their behavior was irrational. Ralph was constantly saying how his father was smart, that he knew where they were, and they were going to come and get them. "Nobody knows where we are,' said Piggy. He was paler than before and breathless. 'Perhaps they knew where we was going to; and perhaps not. But they don't know where we are 'cos we never got there.' He gaped at them for a moment, then swayed and sat down" (Golding 711). The boys had all been shocked when Piggy had said that because he was the scapegoat of the novel. They didn't understand that they were all alone, that they might…show more content…
Ralph did not have the guts to stand up to him, so Piggy took the initiative and stood up. The result was, "Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy's head. Piggy's glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks. Piggy cried out in terror: 'My specs!' He went crouching and feeling over the rocks but Simon, who got there first, found them for him. Passions beat about Simon on the mountain-top with awful wings. 'One side's broken" (Golding 71). When they realized that the glasses were broken, all of the scientific knowledge that was there was before was gone. There was no intellectual knowledge flowing out of Piggy's head. The glasses breaking had, hanged

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