Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is one of the most symbolic books of its time. Golding employs symbolism so freely in the story that nearly everything in the book has a deeper meaning than one would think. From the conch shell used to call meetings together, to piggy’s glasses, to The Beast, to the dreadful Lord of the Flies himself; all of these things are symbols of much deeper aspects of humanity. Even many of the characters are symbols of deeper things, of carnal desires or raw emotions unexpressed by most. Overall, Golding out did himself with this book, managing to create a world where everything means something deeper. A big symbol in the story is the Conch Shell, the magical item that is used to summon the other boys to meetings, and grants the holder the right to speak. This shell becomes a powerful symbol of civility and order in the novel, and effectively governs all the boy’s meetings, as whoever holds it holds the power to speak. When the shell is being used, the boys are generally calm and orderly, highlighting Golding’s intent in putting the shell in the novel, which is to have a symbol of the civility of the outside world. As the novel progresses and the island community descends into total anarchy, the shell loses all power over the boys, thus their sense of order is vanquished. This is symbolized when the boulder that crushes piggy also crushes the shell, signifying the demise of the civilized instinct of most of the boys on the island. Another powerful symbol in the story is The Beast, the frightening creature that terrifies all the boys on the island. The Beast is a clear symbol for the savage nature and primal instinct that exists within all human beings. All of the boy’s fear the beast, but Simon reaches the realization that they fear it because it exists within them, that their own savage instincts are what truly scare them. As the boys become more savage, their belief and fear for the beast grow stronger. By the end of the story, Jack’s tribe is leaving it sacrifices and treating it as some type of dreadful god, hoping to appease its awful appetite. However, the reality of the situation is that the boy’s behavior is what brings The Beast into existence, so that the more savagely they act, the more powerful the Beast becomes in their own minds. It is important to realize that Lord of the Flies is a very allegorical novel, and that many of the characters signify certain ideas or themes. This is evident in the cases of Ralph, Roger, Jack, and Simon. Ralph represents order, civility, and leadership. This is apparent in the way that he leads the tribe in the beginning, utilizing the power of the conch (another symbol of order on the island). Roger represents brutality and bloodlust at their most extreme. Jack symbolizes the unbridled savagery and the deep, carnal hunger for power that exist in everyone. And finally, Simon signifies the aspect of innate human goodness. All of these symbols possess varying forms of power and meaning throughout the novel. When Simon is killed, this represents the final departure of goodness from the island, giving full reign to Jack’s band of savages, and realizing Jack’s thirst for power. To conclude, Lord of the Flies is an extremely symbolic and allegorical novel, masterfully crafted by William Golding to show his readers the primal instincts in all of us. There are many powerful symbols in the novel, representing many powerful subjects, such as the need for order and civilization, the innate desire for power, the natural goodness of humanity, and the natural savagery and bloodlust also in humanity. In the end, Jack’s evil reigns over the island after he kills Piggy and Ralph and lights the island on fire. I’m not sure what this symbolizes, but I’m sure it’s not pleasant.