In the context of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the condition of nearsightedness, or difficulty seeing objects clearly at a distance, serves as a powerful symbol. Piggy, one of the central characters, suffers from this affliction, rendering him dependent on his spectacles for sight. These glasses become a physical representation of intellect, reason, and the ability to perceive reality objectively. When the glasses are broken, stolen, and ultimately lead to tragedy, it mirrors the descent of the boys into savagery and the loss of clear thinking.
The impairment of vision, therefore, becomes a metaphor for the group’s collective inability to foresee the consequences of their actions and their shortsighted focus on immediate gratification. This lack of foresight contributes to the breakdown of their attempted civilization. Historically, the importance of clear vision for survival and societal progress is evident. In Lord of the Flies, the absence of that clarity and the presence of impaired sight highlight the dangers of intellectual and moral decline.
