Lord of the Flies

Piggy is murdered in Lord of the Flies because, by that point, he represents everything Jack’s tribe has come to hate and destroy: reason, law, and the last fragile remnants of civilization.

When Piggy goes with Ralph to Castle Rock, he tries to resolve the conflict through logic and fairness. Holding the conch, he argues that “what’s right’s right,” insisting that it’s better to be “sensible than savage.” That appeal falls flat because Jack’s group no longer believes in rules or shared standards. They follow power, not reason. Piggy’s very way of thinking—calm, rational, dependent on discussion—has become meaningless in a society built on fear and domination.

Roger’s role makes the killing even more revealing. Earlier, he threw stones at a younger boy but deliberately missed because of how society frowns upon such behavior. By the time Piggy confronts the tribe, that restraint is gone. Roger deliberately pushes a boulder that “smashes the conch and kills Piggy”. The act is not accidental or chaotic but rather a decisive rejection of the rules that once held them back. The conch shattering at the same moment as Piggy’s death makes the meaning unmistakable: law and rational order are destroyed together.

Piggy is also targeted because he is physically weak and socially vulnerable. The boys have always mocked and excluded him, and the group’s need to feel strong pushes them to attack someone weaker. As their fear of the “beast” grows, they rally around violence and authority, leaving no place for someone who questions them or exposes their irrationality.

His death marks a turning point. After Piggy is killed, Jack’s tribe no longer pretends to follow any rules at all—they immediately turn on Ralph with the intent to kill. The murder shows that once civilization collapses, even intelligence and moral clarity cannot survive against the unchecked desire for power and cruelty.