Period: 3rd The character illustrated on the mask is Piggy. The images or symbols that represent him is his glasses snake, asthma inhaler, peacocks feather, buildings, chess rook, bishops mitre, and candy. For this mask I also used clay and bright colors, such as yellow that also symbolizes Piggy in some kind of way. The first symbol I chose was Piggys glasses, which is one of the most important symbols in this novel. They represent clear – sightedness, insight, intelligence, and the status of social order. They are useful for lighting a fire. Piggy??™s glasses can also be seen as the window that views and identifies good from evil. This understanding comes from the fact that Piggy uses his glasses not only to see, but also to determine what??™s wrong and what right.
When Ralph met Piggy for the first time Piggy, “ Wiped his glasses and adjusted them on his button …
nose. The frame had made a deep, pink V on the bridge. p. 8. This shows Piggys glasses are very important part of him and his character. Also when Ralph tries to find a way to get help, and find a way to get out from the island, “ Ralph waved the conch. ??? Shut up! Wait! Listen!??? He went on in the silence, borne on in his triumph. ??? There??™s another thing.
We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire.??? ??? A fire! Make a fire!??? p.
33. Basically, without those glasses their wouldnt be any fire and any signals for rescue. Piggy??™s constant polishing of the specs shows his desire for clear-sightedness. In other words, Piggys glasses is the first necessity of civilization, they can also represent technology.
The second symbol I chose was a snake. It represents wisdom. The snake is used by Chinese mythology. The Chinese maintained that the world was surrounded by two intertwined snakes, which symbolized the power and wisdom of their creator. Piggy in this novel uses his wisdom to try to find a way to escape from the island.
For example, when Ralph found the conch Piggy insisted, “ We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They??™ll come when they hear us??”” p. 14.
Also when Piggy lost his temper trying to explain to the kids they have to built, “ How can you expect to be rescued if you don??™t put first things first and act proper” p. 40. Wisdom is one of the things Piggy possesses during his incident after the plane crashes. The third symbol is Piggys asthma inhaler. Piggy is disabled from doing any work on the island because of his asthma, which doesnt let him have a purpose on the island besides Ralphs advisor. For example when Piggy talks about him to Ralph, “ My auntie told me not to run,” he explained, “ on count of my asthma.” “ Ass-mar” “ Thats right.
Cant catch me breath. I was the only boy with a touch of pride.” Piggys asthma problems made him different from the other boys, and he probably showed a small amount of pride because he knew that his asthma made him distinguished, even though it was really a negative. The fourth symbol peacocks feather.
This represents knowledge. In ancient Greece, the peacock was the patron bird of the goddess Hera. In the myth it is said that she says she placed “ eyes” on its feathers, symbolizing all-seeing knowledge and the wisdom of the heavens. For instance, when Ralph who calls an emergency assembly respects Piggy as an equal and adopts his way of thinking, ??? Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief. But Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains.” p.
72. Also Piggy explains, ” Life..
. is scientific…. I know there isnt no beast.
.. but I know there isnt no fear, either…
. Unless we get frightened of people,” p. 77 – 78. Piggy is very clever and tries his best to help others find any help to get off of that island by using his wisdom. Another symbol that represents him is buildings. It is obvious that Piggy is not a nature-looking boy by his looks, but is more of a town or city person. For example, when the ship was not that far from the island and didnt see the signal of the fire and passed it, “ Piggy arrived, out of breath and whimpering like a littleun,” p. 62.
Piggy has asthma, which doesnt let him use any excess exercise and that??™s why maybe he is not used to spending time out in nature. The other symbol which also represents Piggy is a chess rook. This symbol represents strategic thinking. Piggy during first meeting with Ralph suggests, “ We can use this (conch) to call the others. Have a meeting,” p. 14.
This is what he Piggy first suggests to Ralph. Then later in the novel it is said in chapter 4, that he brings to his mind that they should build a shelter for protection. Also another example is when Piggy plans to build a sun-dial,” Ive been thinking,” he said, “ about a clock. We could make a sundial. We could put a stick in the sand, and then–,” p. 59.
This shows Piggy thinking logically about tools which can help the other boys. The others hate Piggy, because of his unwilling to give up the logic and order of the old world of grown-ups. The bishops??™ mitre is the other symbol that represent that represents a token of authority. Piggy shows that he still remains with a little civilization and humanity in himself. For example, “ Then, with the martyred expression of a parent who has to keep up with the senseless ebullience of the children, he [Piggy] picked up the conch, turned toward the forest, and began to pick his way over the tumbled scar,” chapter 3. This shows that Piggy represents the law and order of the adult world.
He also acts according to an absolute set of guidelines. Piggy tries to condition the island civilization as the one he lived in England. The seventh symbol that represents Piggy is candy or chocolate. For example, when Piggy talk about himself to Ralph, ??? I used to live with my auntie.
She kept a candy store. I used to get ever so many candies. As many as I liked,” p. 11. Now, that there is no candy on the island Piggy eats everything he finds, like fruits and eats them, which causes him to have diarrhea, and stomach problems. Eating candy, as much as he wanted lead him to another factor, being obese. The mask is made out of clay which in the novel says that the kids made their masks out of.
I used bright colors for the mask. Gold glitter (color) and yellow represents wisdom. I used blue for the background, because it symbolizes peace (Piggy wanted to have peace among him and the others). Piggy is a character that I think is interesting, because of his use of knowledge, or wisdom, intelligence, and strategic thinking throughout the novel and how he differs from other kids.
