Chapter eleven commences with Ralph, Piggy and Samneric recovering from battle that took place the previous night. Ralph and his companions fail in their attempt to light a fire because Piggy's had lost his glasses. Thereafter Piggy suggests that they hold a meeting and Ralph blows the conch to assemble the members. The group anonymously decides that their only choice is to trek to Castle Rock and reason with Jack and his followers. As Ralph extracts the and blows the conch, the remaining members of the group appear pleased, believing that the conch is a crucial object that can be used to exercise authority and restore law and order amongst the members of Jack's savage tribe. In fact, the conch is the only instrument of authority or action left to them, but it is an ineffectual one, given the savages' loss of respect for it. For example, when Ralph blows the conch upon reaching Castle Rock, the savages greet him with silence and a stone thrown at one of the members of his group by Roger, Jack's right hand man.
English: Piggy Riddell
English: Piggy Back using Baby Ring Sling
English: picture of piggy palz piggy bankAs the group set off to face off with Jack's tribe, Piggy's willingness to carry the conch for Ralph is described as "passionate". This signifies that Piggy's continues to sustain his enthusiasm to transform the behaviors of the boys as to make them more mature and not to act "...like a bunch of kids." as he states in the earlier stages of the novel.
The trek finally leads them to Castle Rock where they pass through "the densest tangle on the island". The twisted growth signifies that the boys will have difficulty getting through the physical barriers set by the setting and in the same manner the boys will be faced with difficulty during their attempt to talk some sanity...