Friday, September 17, 2010

What are some quotes from Lord of the Flies that show Piggy "the fat boy" being bullied and having low self esteem?


Piggy asked no names. He was intimidated by this uniformed superiority and the offhand authority in Merridew’s voice. He shrank to the other side of Ralph and busied himself with his glasses.



Piggy was intimidated by Jack and showed this by avoiding him. He was not confident enough to ask Jack and his team for their names. He considered himself inferior compared to the other older boys who had just arrived.



“You’re talking too much,” said Jack Merridew. “Shut up, Fatty.”


Laughter arose.



Jack bullied Piggy by calling him names and disrespecting him. He made negative remarks about Piggy’s weight whenever he tried to state his opinion. Jack made Piggy the object of ridicule among his peers.



“We don’t want you,” said Jack, flatly. “Three’s enough.”



When Piggy wanted to join Ralph on the expedition, Jack was mean to him and harshly dismissed him. Jack did all this not knowing it was Piggy’s idea that brought all the boys together in the first place.



“I got the conch–”


Jack turned fiercely.


“You shut up!”


Piggy wilted.



In another instance, Jack sought to humiliate Piggy by dismissing him. Piggy’s self esteem had waned and he was unable to speak up against the attacks by Jack.



He took a step, and able at last to hit someone, stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach. Piggy sat down with a grunt. Jack stood over him. His voice was vicious with humiliation. “You would, would you? Fatty!” Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head. Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks. Piggy cried out in terror: “My specs!”



Jack physically attacked Piggy, when he asked about the signal fire that was left unattended and was eventually extinguished when they needed it most.



“He hates me. I dunno why. If he could do what he wanted—you’re all right, he respects you."



Piggy was afraid of Jack because he knew Jack did not respect him like he did Ralph.


Piggy was constantly bullied by Jack from the first time they met. Jack did not like Piggy and always took the opportunity to embarrass him.

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