In Lord of the Flies, why are the boys blinded? Are they blinded by fears?Can anyone explain the reasons why the boys are blinded? I will...

Piggy's glasses become a symbol for the blindness of the
boys and a key to understanding why the boys are blind.  At first, when Piggy's glasses
are intact upon his face, Piggy can reason clearly.  He knows that rescue is important.
 He knows that order is important.  He cautions the boys against acting "like a bunch of
kids," when they suddenly rush to build a signal fire that gets out of hand, resulting
in the death of one.

In Chapter 4, however, Jack breaks one
side of Piggy's glasses.  As the fear of the beastie on the island grows, Jack's power
also increases, and the chasm between the hunters and the builders of shelters grows
wider.  Ralph's ability to control the group becomes diminished, so much so he tells
Piggy

"Fat lot
of good we are . . .Three blind mice.  I'll give
up."

The group has become so
dysfunctional that Ralph feels as if he, Piggy, and Simon may as well be blind.  Ralph
cannot see a solution to the problems that are confronting the boys on the island. And
Piggy is rendered powerless to help him.

When Jack's group
steals Piggy's glasses, the strength of rational thought is completely diminished.  The
light of civilized thinking, law and order is snuffed out, as the savages take over the
island. Piggy asks the savages before he is killed,

readability="7">

"Which is better, law and rescue, or
hunting and breaking things
up?"

Piggy receives his
answer from the fatal blow of the rock that Roger sends over the cliff.  The boys choose
blindness--ignorance, savagery, chaos--over the clarity of reason and
rationality.

Other symbols emphasize the boys' blindness to
rationality.  The chapter entitled "Shadows and Tall Trees"  is particularly important
in showing the boy's blindness to the truth of the beastie.  In this chapter, Jack,
Ralph, and Roger become convinced that there is a beastie on the island, mistaking the
dead parachutist for a monster.  The darkness obscures their vision of the truth.
 Another fatal mistake also takes place in darkness when the boys mistake Simon for the
beastie.

The boys  are blinded by fear, by their
susceptibility to violence, by poor judgment, by their incapability of maintaining
order, by their impulsiveness, and by their lack of capable
leadership.