Lord of the Flies Paragraphs Analysis free essay sample

Paragraphs to explain memorable literary devices/ key images/quotations. * Imagery of Wounds (Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory) From the moment the boys land on the island, we begin to see signs of destruction. Over and over we are told of the â€Å"scar† in the scenery left by the plane. The water they bathe in is â€Å"warmer than blood. † The boys leave â€Å"gashes† in the trees when they travel. The lightning is a â€Å"blue-white scar† and the thunder â€Å"the blow of a gigantic whip,† later an â€Å"explosion†. It makes me think about the big question of whether the boys are violent by nature or were made violent by their surroundings. The story turns out evil because the island is already so steeped in violence (think the thunder and lightning), the boys * Ralph’s growing Hair (Symbolism) What we meant to say was that Ralph’s hair was a  symbol  for his growing savagery. That shaggy mop eventually has a life of its own. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies Paragraphs Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The narrative always makes a point of telling us that it’s in Ralph’s face, that he wishes he could cut it, that it makes him feel dirty and uncivilized. We  know  the hair has to be a big deal because the very first words of the novel are, â€Å"The boy with fair hair lowered himself down†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Getting your haircut is one of the perks of civilization, many of which Ralph and the others have had to give up. It also reminds us that the boys have been on the island for quite a while now; this is no mere weekend getaway. Lastly, there’s something horribly disturbing about his hair just growing, growing, with no way to stop it and the assumption that it will simply go on forever, much like the boys’ growing violence and the increasingly savage occurrences on the island. The Pig Hunts (Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory) The pig hunts are used throughout  Lord of the Flies  to symbolize not only man’s capacity for destruction and violence, but also the basic idea of bloodlust, mass hysteria, and ritual. In the most important pig hunt scene, we are given a vivid description of the slaughter of a mother pig, a nd I see that the boys have taken on a new viciousness in their desire to hunt. This is no longer about just having meat to eat – the boys are obviously enjoying the power that they feel over the helpless animals and are excited by the blood spilling over their hands. Many critics describe this as a rape scene, with the excitement coming partly from the blood and partly from their newly emerging feelings of sexuality. As the story continues, we see the boys acting out this pig hunt over and over, in a sort of ritual, using various boys to act as the pigs, and this â€Å"play-acting,† takes a horrifying turn when, in a frenzy of violence, Simon is beaten to death by the mob of excited boys. * Face paint (Metaphor) This is the excuse many of the boys use for living as hunting savages, instead of civilized English citizens. The paint symbolizes the smoke screen the beast uses to infiltrate the boys’ souls. * The Parachute Man (Metaphor) The dead body flying in the parachute symbolizes the end of adult supervision of the boys on the island. While the parachute man is flapping back and forth on the island, conjuring up a powerful image of its prolonged death, the Beast, or Lord of the Flies, is prospering under its new control over Jack and most of the other boys on the island. So while the law and order of the adult world is waning, childish chaos is growing exponentially Beast (Metaphor, symbolism) The beast, the Lord of the Flies, is seen as a real object on the island, which frightens the boys. Actually the beast is something internal; the Lord of the Flies is in soul and mind of the boys, leading them to the natural chaos of a society with no reasoning adults. Only Simon understands what the real beast is, but is killed when he tries to tell the boys about the Lord of the Flies. I think this s ymbolism perfectly reflected the evil side of humanity and I think that’s why this novel is named â€Å"Lord of the Flies†.