Help with Lord of the Flies?

Question

I have to write an essay on the following question:

The sow's head and the conch shell each wield a certain kind of power over the boys. In what ways do these objects powers differ? In what ways is the Lord of the Flies a novel about power? Aboutt the power of the symbols? Aboutt the power of a person to use symbols to control a group?

what exactly is the question asking?

and for those of you who have read the book...do any of you have any ideas/opinions for an answer?

please help me! thanks!

Answer 1

This book is indeed permeated with symbols.If you want ,W Golding uses Robinson Crusoe's Myth but in a reversed variant:to be more specific if Daniel Defoe wants to show the way from primitivism to civilisation,W Golding points to the fact that human beings can easily turn back fom civilisation to primitivism.If you read the book you can see the boys spliting into 2 groups :the one led by Ralph and the other led by Jack.While one group enjoy order and discipline and always want to keep the fire burning so as to be finally rescued,the other group want to rule by fear and terror ,they like to go hunting and paint their faces!Let's take things in turn:The fire is a symbol of hope(because this is the only way they can be seen from the island)When the other boys steal the fire is because they have been transformed by the forces of the evil inside themselves,they have been guided by the primitive instincts inside them.Then we have the conch or that shell that Simon is going to carry whenever there's a meeting on the beach.It's a symbol of order and respect for the one who's talking(they could talk only if they touched the conch showing they have an opinion referring to that problem in discussion)Then Simon is wearing glasses which a symbol ,too,It stands for wisdom and intellingence and for civilised world with rules and obligations.Simon agrees that the fire should burn all the time on the island but he's bullied by the rough boys who are rebelling against order.While doing this they have steps behind to primitivism.So they go hunting wild pigs and invent stories about a creature on the island just to scare the others.The fact that they paint their faces like the savages shows that they run away from who they are,they want to hide their true identity so they can be free to do what they want :fight,hunt,steal and even kill!
The pig's head put in a stick in the middle of the forest is in fact the lord of the flies,i.e the lord of terror,of evil forces lying in human beings.It';s symbolical for the bad boys on the island and it's opposite the conch .
W.Golding knows very well the psychology of kids.He uses a very simple topic but he finally manages to reach complex things in this book which is part of metafiction literature.
Hope you understood something and if you didn't read the book ,please find some time and do it ...it's magnificent!

Answer 2

The pigs head represents the boys brutal killer nature, like the formation of the two groups, the hunters and the other guys.

The conch represents the reason and civility of the boys.

Answer 3

please think for yourself and do your own homework
its the only way you will ever learn