In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses many types of symbolism. He uses examples such as the fire, the conch and hair growth. More specifically Golding states the condition of the conch, the state of the fire and the length of the boy's hair to symbolize the savages that live within in the boys.
Golding uses the length of the boy's hair to symbolize savageness in the boys. Initially, the longest hair grows on Jack, the most savage of the boys, and is first mentioned as he is on all fours smelling animal droppings. "His sandy hair, considerably longer than it had been when they dropped in, was lighter now; and his bare back was a mass of dark freckles and peeling sunburn" (Golding 48). Jack does not fight the growth of his hair and lets it could his mind. As the story progresses, his hair grows longer and Jack becomes more familiar with evil. Jack's hair growth is mentioned when he is down on all fours, smelling fresh pig droppings, acting like an animal and a savage. Next, Ralph's hair grows long, but he cannot bear being in his face and is always pushing it out of his eyes to remember things. " Ralph pushed the idiot hair out of his eyes and looked at Piggy. "But the .oh the fire! Of course, the fire!" " (141). Jack does not like the hair as it is called "idiot hair". When the hair gets in Ralph's face, he forgets what he is going to say, but as soon as he pushes it out of the way he remembers. Ralph's long hair is making him become a more uncivilized person, and allows evil to cloud his mind but he will continue to fight against it. Lastly, Piggy's short hair lets him remain the civil person he is and think straight. .
He was the only boy on the island whose hair never seemed .
to grow. The rest were shock headed, but Piggy's hair still .
lay in wisps over his head as though boldness were his natural.
state and this imperfect covering would soon go, like the velvet on a young stag's antlers (64).
