The tall concrete walls of the dark cutting prevented any light from penetrating.
The dark and ghostly atmosphere is set by the constant darkness surrounding the signalman's box located outside a damp tunnel where water trickles down its sides. In the novel 'Lord of the Flies', Piggy is introduced as a short, overweight boy who wears glasses and suffers from asthma. These physical characteristics make him an easy target for bullying and teasing by other children.
Bullying often stems from individuals standing out due to their physical appearance, which is exemplified in Piggy's case. The signalman initially appears foreshortened and shadowy to the narrator, likely due to poor lighting and distance. However, upon closer inspection, the signalman is described as a dark, sallow man with a heavy beard and eyebrows, likely a result of prolong
...ed lack of shaving and sun exposure.
Startled by the call, the signalman's shock would have contributed to his pasty complexion. If the signalman were on the island with the children in 'Lord of the Flies', his features would have had one of two effects: 1. Scaring the children with his long beard and sallow complexion or 2. Being signaled and potentially being murdered by the boys who turned savage, although he might have been able to maintain his sanity on the island.
The significance of Piggy's death can be attributed to his personality and physical features. If he looked different or refrained from criticizing others, it's possible that he may have avoided being killed. Although he typically behaved calmly, Piggy became aggressive when others engaged in harmful behavior - such as during the incident when the boys were attempting to make a fire
While Piggy advocated for thoughtful decision-making, the boys rushed in and failed to produce smoke.
Piggy's tendency to constantly correct others, though based on experience, can ultimately lead to annoyance, anger, and subsequent bullying. It is interesting to note the lack of reference to Piggy and the signalman by their given names, possibly indicating a deeper significance. Tragically, both characters meet their demise and their true names become irrelevant while their nicknames remain memorable to those who knew them.
Both Piggy and the signalman were given their names based on their appearance and occupation, respectively. Although Piggy's death may have been deemed accidental, it was highly unlikely. Pushing a rock off a cliff with the knowledge that people are below is no accident, especially when the consequence is brutal murder. Furthermore, considering the rock was nearly the size of Piggy, it must have been substantial in weight. "The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee," potentially causing a delayed death depending on the intensity and location of impact.
Despite the train driver's attempt to warn him, the Signalman's demise was immediate. The Signalman believed the warning calls were from a spectre he had been hearing often, and did not heed the driver's warning. As a result, the train could not stop in time and accidentally ran over the Signalman with its massive steam engine. It is possible that both the Signalman and the train driver may have been saved had their friends intervened.
Even though Ralph's control over the boys weakened when they turned savage, he might have been able to reason with Jack and resolve the situation. However, if Ralph hadn't let his pride
overcome him and confronted Jack with the support of the other boys-turned-savages, there wouldn't have been any conflict. The probability of Piggy's death increased as the boys became more savage, which was hinted at by their hunting chant "Kill the beast Cut his throat Spill his blood." Since a pig is also referred to as "piggy," this chant foreshadowed Piggy's eventual death and also linked the pig to a human through their use of the pronoun "his." Eventually, Piggy's blood and brain matter spilled out.
The Signalman and the narrator both shared concerns over the ghost. The difference was that the narrator tried to give a logical explanation for what appeared to be a "supernatural experience". Charles Dickens wrote The Signalman during a time when people were highly superstitious and believed in ghosts. The railway was a new concept and many accidents occurred due to poor signalling and lack of experience in managing the railways.
According to the book, the signalman was skilled at his job, making mistakes unlikely. He stated that if he reported danger without a convincing reason, he would be fired. The public was unaware that the accidents were caused by inadequate signaling and attributed them to supernatural occurrences. This led to widespread belief in ghosts lurking in every dark corner.
Supposing that were the case, then the cutting where the signalman was stationed would have been overrun by these apparitions, swarming the tunnel like vermin to a sewer. The fact that the ghost seemed to lure the signalman towards his own demise further supports the notion that death inevitably followed whenever ghosts were involved. The aim of ghost stories is to either depict reality
or create a realistic appearance thereof for the reader. Dickens intended not to scare or terrify his readers, but simply to send shivers down their spines. A notable difference between these two authors is that Charles Dickens' stories were all supposedly based on true-to-life experiences.
It is suggested that Dickens acted as the narrator and befriended the signalman. William Golding created fictional characters and an imaginary island in his story. Lord of the Flies was a product of its time, written shortly after World War II when the public was deeply affected by the war. The allegorical message of Lord of the Flies was related to the time it was written. Instead of railways being at the forefront of people's minds as in The Signalman, a nuclear holocaust had instilled fear in the public. William Golding, influenced by this fear, wrote an outstanding book on the subject and used it as a premise for placing the boys on the island.
The book's theme of good versus evil was influenced by the war. Ralph, Piggy, and the Conch symbolized the Axis powers who fought for democracy, while Jack Meridew and his savage followers represented the Germans.
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