Jillian BakerMrs. KokanCP English III8 May 2014Symbolic Elements in Lord of the Flies“A symbol is a literary device that contains several layers of meaning, often hidden at first glance, and is representative of many other aspects, concepts or traits than those visible in literal translation alone . Symbolism is using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning” (Literary-Devices). A symbol can be anything imaginable, such as a seashell, a fire signal, or even a pair of glasses. A symbol can represent things like authority and power, connection to reality, vision and knowledge. Having the ability to change something that would seem so banal and empty, a symbol can transform into one of the most important elements of a work. William Golding uses symbolic elements in his book Lord of the Flies to represent themes throughout the work. Golding uses symbolism to represent the many themes present in the book. One of Golding's most recognizable symbols is the seashell that Ralph and Piggy found placed in the sand. The shell represents power and authority. After trial and error, Ralph discovers how to make the shell to produce that infamous noise he's heard so much about. The boys think about how the making noise shell could be to their advantage. The conch is “used to call children to assemblies” (Cox 170). During the day, the boys could be found wandering around the island gathering firewood, food, or just goofing off. Whenever Ralph wants to bring the boys together, he needs a device that can be heard at each end of the island; when the boys hear the conch, they go to their camp. Once the boys were trained, when they heard the... middle of the paper..." (Telgen 180). Piggy's glasses allow him to see things that his peers are blind to and also represent his understanding of functionality of uncommon objects.In conclusion, William Golding uses inanimate objects to help develop the themes in Lord of the Flies The shell represents power and authority; By connecting the boys to reality, the signal fire has become important and also represents the boys' desire to be saved. The boys recognize that the fire is a necessity for survival, as is the smoke that the fire emits. If the fire were to go out, so would their hope of being rescued by a passing ship. Representing his knowledge and vision, Piggy's glasses symbolize Piggy's ability to see things that other boys cannot see and also. his vast understanding of how things work..