Question 5
Lord of the Flies
Comment on the significance of Piggy’s glasses.
Observation
Many candidates attempted this question but could not relate it to the novel. Instead, many of them mixed up Piggy’s character with the significance of his glasses.
The significance of Piggy’s glasses includes:
The glasses, after the conch appears to be the next most significant symbol. Piggy’s glasses becomes the useful tool to light the pile of wood that would alert passing ship to rescue them.
The glasses are eventually stolen by Jack’s group after realising that much of their survival depends on having fire to roast meat and light their part of the island.
The stolen glasses signifies the beginning of the events that culminates the final peace and order on the island.
The glasses are not only a symbol of Piggy’s weakness as a character but also significant to the development of the play as a rock eventually falls and kills Piggy, destroying the conch and breaking the glasses.
Candidates’ performance in this question was fair.
