Logic In Lord Of The Flies

The Lord of the Flies

Why is it that logic and intelligence are undervalued in society? Why is it that society treats intelligence very poorly? Is it because the society is afraid of intelligence? Or is it because society thinks they don’t need logic and intelligence in order for the society to function? These are possible reasons for the mistreated actions towards logic and intelligence. The Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of five to twelve year old boys who are trying to survive after their plane crashed trying to flee a war. In the novel The Lord of the Flies logic and intelligence are represented through symbols, like Piggy or his glasses. Throughout William Golding’s novel The Lord of the Flies, the symbols demonstrate

The conch shell was used to call everybody on the island together, and everybody listened to it, but after awhile it was mistreated. On the island, during a gathering you had to be holding the conch in order to talk, at first that worked, but then the boys talked without holding the conch. Which means there was no respect towards it or the rules. The conch is a symbol for logic and intelligence because it was used to get everybody together and helped maintain order. Jack believed that the conch wasn't important, and that the conch doesn't have to be listened to when on his side of the island. When Piggy was struck by the boulder and the conch broke it symbolized that intelligence no longer had a voice. It showed that there was no order anymore and that evil has taken over, that intelligence has lost. “The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” (181) The conch is a symbol for logic because it was used to call everybody together, maintain order, and have respect for each other, but after it broke logic ceased to exist, which meant intelligence no longer had a

Throughout the story Piggy would tell the boys he couldn’t see without them and that he would be lost without them, and the boys took advantage of that. Piggy’s glasses were taken from him and ended up in the wrong hands. They were stolen from Piggy by Jack, who wanted to start a fire for roasting a pig, he also just wanted them so Piggy would be of no help. “‘Here - let me go!’ His voice rose to to a shriek of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face,” (Page 40). This was the first time Piggy’s glasses were taken, to start the original fire. The boys should never have taken Piggy’s glasses off his face without his permission. When Piggy’s head was struck by Jack and his glasses fell and shattered on one side it kind of hindered Piggy in a way (71). He would have to switch his glasses around so his other eye could adjust and see, which would result in him slowing down and not being able to concentrate. Piggy’s glasses were mistreated because they they fell into the wrong hands, the person that took them didn’t want them until someone else needed them, which shows that society will do anything to shut someone else down. To conclude, in William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies the loss of certain symbols demonstrate how logic and intelligence are treated in society. Piggy, his glasses and the conch are great