Piggy Flashcards
Analyse quote “give me my specs”
Piggys glasses symbolise his physical weakness, as he depends upon his intellect instead of physical strength , which is embodied by the glasses. By taking them the boys strip him of his power, leaving him physically vulnerable and socially insignificant. When he is demanding them back he is struggling to maintain the last vestiges if order and logic on the island. This portrays the broader theme that in an environment without societal rules, intellectual superiority is rendered useless when confronted with brute force. His intellect should grant him authority but in a lawless world , strength and aggression are more valuable than knowledge.
Analyse quote “ We was on the outside. We never done nothing. “ Chapter 10
Piggy, typically and logical, abandons proper grammar and structure saying “we was” instead of “we were”. This grammatical breakdown reflects his mental turmoil, mirroring how his structured rational world is collapsing. The double negative (“never done nothing”) suggests a desperate overcompensation, as if he trying to convince himself as much as Ralph. The use of the word “we” shows his attempt to share the burden of guilt with Ralph, diluting personal responsibility. Bythis point, even he succumbs to moral weakness and self-preservation. His intellectual ideals crumble in the face of fear, proving Golding’s argument that even the most rational individuals are not immune to savagery.
Analyse quote “which is better - to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?” Chapter 11
Piggy’s frames his statements as a rhetorical questions implying the answer should be self evident- rule and agreement are superior. However the fact he must ask this highlights the tragic absurdity of the boys situation. The contrast between “agree” and “kill” emphasizes the escalation of conflict. At the beginning of the novel, disagreements were resolved through debate and voting, but now, disputes end in bloodshed. This reflects a fundamental shift in the boys’ moral framework- survival depends on violence rather than cooperation. Piggy’s question mirrors these real-world debates. After the war, many people hoped that institutions like the United Nations would ensure global peace, much like Piggy hopes that reason will restore order. However, just as the Cold War and subsequent conflicts showed that violence and power still dictate much of human history
