#padletmasterrace by Trevor Wills

Character: Piggy

trevorjw99 — 2014-11-10 21:39:11 UTC

Piggy is valuable character because he illustrates how in any society, there are those who are different. Piggy stands out both physically and mentally from the other boys. His mental state does not change drastically. However, when Piggy gains a little courage to speak back to Jack, he gets punched in the stomach and his glasses break. His broken glasses are significant, representing loss of hope, as his glasses were the key to creating fire to get rescued from the island. “Piggy began again. ‘You didn’t ought to have let that fire out. You said you’d keep the smoke going—’ This from Piggy, and the wails of agreement from some of the hunters, drove Jack to violence... Piggy cried out in terror: ‘My specs!” (Golding 71) All of the other boys on the island change physically. They become more tan and their hair grows longer. However, Golding doesn’t mention any physical change in Piggy. Piggy’s lack of physical change is important. His absence of change shows how unlike the others, who are becoming more savage and corrupt, Piggy is still innocent and stays the same logical boy. These quotes show how Golding incorporates how the other boys change. (Jack) “He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger,” (Golding 63) and (Ralph)“he flung the mass back—cut this filthy hair right back to half an inch. ” (Golding 109)

Character: Simon

trevorjw99 — 2014-11-10 21:40:03 UTC

As with Piggy, Simon differs from the rest of the group. In the beginning of the book, Simon is very quiet and shy. As the story progresses, Simon comes up to speak his mind. Golding portrays Simon as a wiser character. Out of all of the boys, only Simon is the one to uncover that the “beastie” not a real beast, but it is inside each of them. He finds that the beast is not a physical being, but represents the savage side of humans.“What I mean is... maybe it’s only us...Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind’s essential illness,” (Golding 89) Although Simon is the only boy bright enough to realize the beast is within each of them, the other children don’t believe him and think he’s crazy. “...Maybe its only us.’ ‘Nuts!’ That was from Piggy... Simon's effort fell about him in ruins, the laughter beat him cruelly and he shrank away…” (Golding 89)

Symbol: The Beast

trevorjw99 — 2014-11-10 21:40:31 UTC

Whereas the conch shell represents order, the beast symbolizes chaos and disorder. Golding uses the beast to create fear amongst the boys. This fear causes conflict and argument. “I don’t believe in the beast of course… Someone shouted… In a moment the platform was full of arguing...” (Golding 88) The boys first think the beast is a snake, then they envision it as giant squid, but in the end, they believe it is a ape-like monster (which was the parachutist). Golding’s constant change of the beast illustrates the boys’ tendency to imagine a monster to fear. They fear a “beast” which they haven’t actually seen. “You said they dream and cry out. Now they talk—not only the littluns, but my hunters sometimes—talk of a thing, a dark thing, a beast, some sort of animal,” (Golding 82).

Theme: Mankind's Fear of the Unknown

trevorjw99 — 2014-11-12 21:27:16 UTC

Golding incorporates the theme that Mankind's Fear of the Unknown will Unravel the Order of Society to connect it with his worldview of Organization vs Chaos. When the boys first get to the island, they feel safe, and therefore everything is orderly. However, in time they begin to fear the beast, and this fear leads to chaos and conflict between the boys. “To Ralph, seated, this seemed the breaking up of sanity. Fear, beasts, no general agreement that the fire was all-important: and when one tried to get the thing straight the argument sheared off, bringing up fresh, unpleasant matter.” (Golding 88) This theme is significant because it creates the main plot of the story. As the boys’ fear of the beast increases, their once orderly society quickly breaks down. This unraveling of order makes getting rescued off the island increasingly more difficult. “Percival… would not shut up. The crying went on, breath after breath… For now the littluns were no longer silent,” (Golding 87).