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How does Piggy represent the good in society?
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High School Teacher
In Lord of the Flies, Piggy represents the good in society. Piggy is an intellectual and uses his reasoning skills before making decisions. He supports Ralph. He represents loyalty. No doubt, Piggy supports Ralph in his endeavors to create an orderly society while the boys are stranded on the island. Piggy realizes that the conch represents order and structure. He insists that the boys use the conch as a measure of authority:
Smart and thoughtful, he suggests the boys meet in an assembly and constantly insists on the order of speaking when holding the conch. He is loyal to Ralph and the conch.
Piggy is smart enough to know that there has to be a certain amount of respect among the boys. He realizes that Ralph's leadership is needed to keep the boys from disrespecting one another.
Piggy is a good boy. He is a bit immature, but this is due to his aunt's over protectiveness. In reality, Piggy desires to help Ralph in keeping the island activities organized. Truly, Piggy is loyal to Ralph. Piggy proves his goodness by supporting Ralph. Piggy tries to make Ralph feel better about their situation of being stranded on an island.
Truly, Piggy represents reason and loyalty. He is highly intelligent. Also, Piggy has a sensitive side and his feelings are hurt when Jack and some of the other boys make fun of him. He cares what others think.
It is clear that Piggy "is, as always, thinking—thinking of ways in which he can make their environment more civilized." While the other boys are drifting toward savagery, Piggy remains firm in his ideas of civilization:
Piggy is a constant while the other boys are drifting slowly but inexorably toward savagery. Piggy alone does not participate in the hunts or the celebrations that turn into tragedy.
Piggy is the voice of reason. He is about truth. He does not approve of Jack and his hunters who are becoming savage-like in their actions. Because of Piggy's unchanging firmness and determination to build a civilized state on the island, Jack and Roger ridicule Piggy. They do not appreciate his goodness. They are actually threatened by his intellect. They make fun of what they do not understand. Because Piggy is truthful and honest, Jack and Roger are uncomfortable around Piggy. Ultimately, Roger sends a boulder that pushes Piggy off the cliff. Piggy dies.
No doubt, Piggy is ostracized for his goodness and intellectual reasoning skills. Truly, Jack and Roger cause Piggy to feel alienated from the others.
Through it all, Piggy kept Ralph focused. If it had not been for Piggy and his constant support, perhaps Ralph would have descended into savagery as the other boys:
Without Piggy, Ralph would have descended into savagery just as the others do,
After Piggy dies, Ralph weeps for the loss of his friend. Ralph realizes that Piggy was a true friend with a good heart.
Posted by lsumner on June 13, 2013 at 7:31 PM (Answer #1)
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