Piggy is the smartest boy in out of the entire group. Piggy’s glasses are symbolic of the usefulness of intelligence and how intelligence is not always valued as much as it deserves, the glasses also are a symbol for societal values and have a direct relationship to how traditional societal values crumble throughout the book as Piggy’s glasses break. The value of his glasses is obvious from the start of the book and its meaning evolves throughout the book.

when the boys use the glasses to start the fire and When Jack’s tribe attack Ralph’s camp and take Piggy’s glasses.At a glance, the glasses are a simple symbol. The most obvious meaning is that glasses are for seeing through which entails piggy having foresight and the ability to see the bigger picture. Piggy comprehends such as how to use the conch or the “necessity” of rules and keeping order and other things that the other boys do not understand. When the boys take Piggy’s glasses, he can’t see anything.

sight is the one-way piggy’s useful and the only reason he isn’t exiled from the boys. Without piggy’s glasses, he’s completely useless and the civilized world that Piggy represents is also useless.At the beginning of the book, the boys think that starting a fire is a necessity but the boys are unable to figure out how to do it. the best idea they can come up with is some vague ideas, but nothing useful. they instead rely on Piggy’s glasses, a link to the civilized world.

When Piggy’s glasses are fully crushed, one of the last links to civilization is gone. once the last big link to civilization is gone, the glasses take on a whole new meaning: “The chief led them, trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement. He was a chief now in truth, and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses.” (296-302) the glasses are now being misused.

They’re not a symbol of intelligence, and civilization; they are now representative of how removed from civilization Jack’s hunters have become.