Conflict Between The Individual And Society In Lord Of The Flies

A frequent theme in literature is the conflict between the individual and society. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Piggy struggles with the society of the island because his opinions to create order on the island become disregarded by the other boys throughout the book. In his efforts to be accepted by some of the other boys and to uphold order on the island, he is always met with mockery and shame from the other boys.
Piggy is the other character introduced during the beginning of Lord of the Flies alongside Ralph. Piggy has many physical problems that limit his capabilities: he has asthma, weight, and vision problems. Despite these physical hindrances, he is the intellect among the boys. Piggy himself represents intelligence, rational thinking, and science. He suggested building the fire on the shore after the supposed beast occupied the top of the mountain, which solved both the problem of accidentally burning down the forest and providing security for the littluns. When Piggy comforts Ralph after Simon’s death, Piggy says “Coming in the dark-- he hadn’t no business crawling like that out of the dark… He asked for it.” [pg 157] Piggy chooses to explain the death of Simon logically instead of emotionally, showing his scientific side and intelligence. Piggy’s main priority is to maintain order on the island and to hold on to that last remnant of civilization. He cherishes the conch and its function to allow the person holding it to speak while the rest of the society begin to ignore that rule. In Piggy’s frustration caused by the irrationality of Jack and his tribe, he speaks out, “Which is better-- to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?” [pg
The boys always manage to mock him for his efforts to impose order, resulting in Piggy’s unnecessary