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How Did Piggy Die in the Novel “Lord of the Flies”?

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Lord of the Flies is a notable literary work by William Golding. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Lord of the Flies.

Answer

How did Piggy die in the novel Lord of the Flies? [2020] 

William Golding (1911–1993), in “Lord of the Flies” (1954), shows how civilization breaks down in human nature. The death of Piggy is a shocking symbol of this fall. His murder marks the end of reason, order, and moral values on the island.

Piggy As The Voice of Reason: Piggy represents intelligence and logic among the boys. He always believes in order and rules. He says, 

“Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?” 

Piggy tries to keep the peace and reason when others become wild. He supports Ralph’s leadership and believes in the power of the conch. His glasses are used to light the signal fire and show the power of knowledge. But his wisdom is ignored, and his voice is silenced by violence and fear.

The Conflict with Jack’s Tribe: After Simon’s death, the boys split into two groups. Ralph and Piggy stay together, while Jack leads the savage hunters. Jack’s group steals Piggy’s glasses to make fire. Piggy decides to go and reason with them. He believes they will listen to logic. When Ralph and Piggy reach Jack’s camp, chaos begins. Ralph blows the conch and tries to talk. Piggy appeals to the tribe, reminding them of rules and order, but they laugh. His words cannot stop their madness and violence.

The Moment of Death: While Piggy speaks, Roger pushes a huge boulder from the top of the hill. It strikes Piggy, and he falls to his death. The narrator says the conch breaks into “a thousand white fragments.” This moment shows the final destruction of civilization. Piggy’s death is not just murder—it is the victory of savagery over reason. The boys have lost all sense of humanity. Roger’s act proves that evil has taken full control, and there is no longer any hope for peace.

Thus, Piggy’s death in “Lord of the Flies”

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