Understanding symbolism in Lord of the Flies by William Golding deepens one's understanding of the novel. Discussing Lord of the Flies symbolism will make your teacher think you are really smart.
1) The Conch - Ralph and Piggy find the conch shortly after landing on the island. It soon becomes the symbol of authority and law and order. The conch is used to call assemblies and only the person holding the conch could speak at the meetings.
Ralph and especially Piggy respected the symbol of the conch until it is smashed to bits by Jack. Jack's inclination to disregard the rules governing the conch is symbolic of his disdain for law, order, and civilization. The destruction of the conch symbolizes the destruction of what little civilization the boys possessed.
2) Piggy's Glasses - The glasses symbolized the ability to see and understand things clearly. Piggy is the only boy, besides Jack, who really sees how things should be done. The cracking of the first lens symbolizes the boys losing sight of what they need to do. The glasses are also important in so much as they are needed to start the fire.
3) The Signal Fire - The signal fire symbolizes the boys connection to civilization. The fire, initially, is important in the novel. As the boys grow more savage, the fire becomes less important to them. Jack and the hunters let the fire go out in order to hunt. Ralph's effort to keep the fire going are consistent but unsuccessful, in the same way his efforts to restore order are unsuccessful.
Golding uses the signal fire to also symbolize hope, something which Jack destroys as the novel progresses. At times the signal fire rages out of control, symbolic of the boys themselves.
Symbols 4 through 10 are continued on next page