Lord of the Flies

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   missblimey Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   The flies are an appropriate metaphor because they represent the boys effectively in the context of the novel. When we think of the idea of flies we are reminded of the image of them buzzing round the pig's head - their busy chaos which reflects the boys' early days of confusion on the island, the way they feed on the pig's death which reminds us of the boys' feast after the first pig has been killed.

   The flies are later described as toying with and feeding on Simon too - "they alighted by his runnels of sweat and drank. They tickled under his nostrils and played leapfrog on his thighs" (chapter 8, p153) - which symbolises the way Simon feeds the boys' anger and hysteria later on.

   The flies are important too in that the phrase "Lord of the Flies" is a direct translation of Beelzebub - one of the devils names.

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   Posted by missblimey on Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 9:08 AM
   
   

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