How is Piggy important

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

Golding presents the character of Piggy as defenseless and weak to act as a symbol for all that is vulnerable in society. Through this symbolism, Golding is able to show the condemnation of the weak by the strong due to the “darkness in man’s heart.” Piggy is victimized to show the injustice within society and therefore the need to change our actions.

Question 2

2nd Para

Answer 2

> Golding characterizes Piggy in such a way that instantly marks him as vulnerable and therefore open to torment.
=> “on account of my asthma” Piggy is inferior to the other boys in something as basic and essential as breathing.

Question 3

3rd Para

Answer 3

In Chapter 4 he is seen as an intelligent boy when he’discounted all this learned as ‘Mirage’. Piggy is intelligent yet his intelligence counts for so little, he only gets power if he can shout the loudest or be the most aggressive. Golding is critiquing society that ignores rational intelligent thoughts.

Question 4

4th Para

Answer 4

He was the only boy on the island whose hair refused to grow,” Long hair is a metaphor of the ability of savagery to cloud their moral ‘sight.’ Piggy is distanced from this by his short hair.

Question 5

5th Para

Answer 5

“the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” Golding chooses to destroy Piggy and the conch simultaneously to reveal his connection to civilization and to reveal the savagery in the other boys.

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

Piggy is presented throughout the novel as a vulnerable character that consequently faces much discrimination and cruelty at the hand of the cruel savages. Through this relentless bullying, Golding displays “mankind’s essential illness” and the way in which it infects every boy on the island, culminating in first the death of Simon and then the death of Piggy. Through the medium of Piggy’s character, Golding is able to express the injustice of the killing of civilians he witnessed during his role in WWII.