The Conch Shell - this esssay is about the symbolism of the conch in Lord of the Flies (William Golding)

Essay by CableMan391 May 2004

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In Lord of the Flies an airplane with boys crashes on a deserted island. These boys need order and control to be able to survive on this island. The conch shell that Piggy finds is a very important tool for order. The conch shell is used to call all the boys together. It is also used in the fact that whoever is holding the conch shell at the moment is the one who is allowed to talk. The conch shell is a symbol for society and order. The conch shell represents government and democracy in the world. The conch shell takes on a symbolic significance in Lord of the Flies.

The conch shell is a symbol for order in the book. In the book the conch shell is used to gather all the people that are on the island. The shell becomes an important tool the second that Ralph and Piggy find a use for it.

Piggy said "We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They'll come when they here us." (16) As soon as the shell was blown people started coming. When the people came they automatically thought of Ralph as the leader because he had the conch shell. The conch shell gave Ralph power over the other boys. When all the boys voted for their leader Ralph won because he had the conch shell. One boy said "Him with the shell." (22) This shows the boys voted for Ralph because of the conch shell. The conch shell made the boys instinctively think of Ralph as their leader.

The conch shell is a symbol of government. The conch shell represents democracy and leadership. The person with the conch shell at the moment is the one that is allowed to speak. This...