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What happens in Chapter 11 of Lord of the Flies?
Ralph and Piggy decide to go to the Castle Rock to convince Jack to return Piggy’s glasses and listen to reason. Ralph and Jack begin to fight, ultimately leading to Piggy’s death, as well as the destruction of the conch shell. Ralph escapes to the jungle, while Sam and Eric are tortured and pressured into joining Jack’s tribe.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapter 11 of Lord of the Flies. (3-minute read)
How does Piggy die in Chapter 11?
Piggy dies during the confrontation between Ralph and Jack over his glasses. Roger pushes a large rock down the mountainside, which Ralph is able to dodge; Piggy, however, can’t see without his glasses and is struck. He falls over the cliff to his death on the rocks below.
Read about Piggy’s death in our Q&A section. (1-minute read)
What is the significance of Piggy’s death?
While previous deaths such as the littlun in Chapter 2 and Simon in Chapter 9 may be considered an unintentional consequence of the boys’ inclination towards savagery, Piggy’s death is entirely intentional. Given that his character is representative of intellect and scientific achievement, his murder spells the end of reason on the island as chaos descends fully.
Read an in-depth Character Analysis of Piggy. (2-minute read)
What key symbols from Lord of the Flies are explored in Chapter 11?
With Piggy’s glasses (symbolic of knowledge) firmly in the hands of Jack, and the conch shell (symbolic of order) destroyed, the last vestiges of civilization and humanity have been abandoned. Ralph is now on his own.
Read about the key Symbols in Lord of the Flies. (3-minute read)
