Piggy

Piggy
Piggy has poor eyesight, asthma, and is overweight. He is the most physically vulnerable of all the boys. He appears to be of working-class background, as evidenced by his non-standard Cockney speech, but he is the most intellectual of the boys, frequently appealing to reason. By frequently quoting his aunt, he provides the only female voice.

Piggy has been described as "the only adult-type figure on the island". His intellect benefits the group only through Ralph; he acts as Ralph's adviser. He cannot be the leader himself because he lacks leadership qualities and has no support from the other boys. He believes that holding the conch gives him the right to be heard. He believes that upholding social conventions produces results.

Piggy asserts that "Life ... is scientific". Always practical and focused, Piggy complains, "What good're you doing talking like that?" when Ralph brings up the highly charged issue of Simon's death at their hands. Piggy tries to keep life scientific despite the incident, "searching for a formula" to explain the death. He asserts that the assault on Simon was an accident, and justifiable because Simon asked for it by inexplicably crawling out of the forest into the ring.

Piggy is so intent on preserving some remnant of civilization on the island that, after Jack's tribe attacks Ralph's group, he assumes they "wanted the conch", when, in fact, they have come for Piggy's glasses in order to make fire. Even up to the moment of his death, Piggy's perspective does not shift in response to the reality of their situation. Because his eminently intellectual approach to life is modelled on the attitudes and rules of the authoritative adult world, he thinks everyone should share his values and attitudes as a matter of course. When Ralph and Piggy confront Jack's tribe about the stolen spectacles, Piggy asks "Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill? ... law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?" as if there is no doubt that the boys would choose his preference.

Golding's Description
"The naked crooks of his knees were plump, caught and scratched by thorns...He was shorter than the fair boy [Ralph] and very fat...looked up through thick spectacles."

Typical Gesture
Taking of his glasses and wiping them on his shirt then replacing them again.