Lord of the Flies

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1. 
   sullymonster Teacher
   Community / Jr. College

   Piggy's glasses are significant to the boys as they are the means with which the boys are able to get a fire started.  Symbolically, the glasses are significant because they represent the intellectual and ordered side of humanity.  The breaking of the glasses represents the breaking of the last tie to humanity that the boys have.  After this event, it is a downward spiral into primal and animalistic behavior, culminating in Piggy's death.

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   Posted by sullymonster on Tuesday November 13, 2007 at 11:07 AM
   
   

2. 
   mariazain Teacher
   Graduate School

   Piggy's glasses symbolise civilisation and all that is modern. During their stay at the island, the boys run around, losing more and more of their clothes, whereas Piggy remains intact with his glasses - and does not succumb to tribal savagery. His glasses represent the intellect that holds Ralph's camp together. Once he dies, all is left is the bestial instinct that is displayed by Jack's clan. The breaking of Piggy glasses is seen as the boys' final detachment from what was once a civiliased world they used to live in - a grammar school.

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   Posted by mariazain on Monday December 3, 2007 at 11:04 PM
   
   

3. 
   missjudithann Teacher
   

   Piggy's glasses represent many different ideas, but the literal importance of his glasses has great importance to Ralph and his followers (and later, it is important to Jack's tribe). The initial importance of the specs is that they represent the ability to make fire, which will hopefully provide the rescue that Ralph so desperately seeks. Jack's tribe (after the split) realizes the glasses' importance only when they are in need of a fire over which to roast the pigs they hunt.

   Figuratively, Piggy's glasses represent the hope of being rescued, as well as the characterization of Piggy himself. Piggy's eyesight is weak, so he wears these glasses. The ironic part of it is that although his eyesight is weak, his insight is very strong. In this respect, the glasses may represent knowledge, wisdom, insight, etc.

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   Posted by missjudithann on Monday February 4, 2008 at 3:53 AM
   
   

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