Golding's The Lord of the Flies is packed with strong forms of symbolism and allegories. Golding believed that humans struggled with the concept of what is good and bad, and that evil is a part of our basic human nature. He expressed these ideas through characters such as Jack, Simon, and the Lord of the Flies, or beastie, as the boys called it. The conch shell was a symbol that showed how easy a society can become corrupt. Golding used these symbols to address different allegories present in the text.
The conch is a powerful symbol in The Lord of the Flies. It represents authority and government, and most important, civilization. In the beginning, the conch was a powerful symbol of the boy’s society they created. “Shut up," said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. "Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things" (Golding 19). They used the conch to speak and make decisions as a group. It represented a democracy. The conch shell is also a prime example of the fall of government and society.
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Simon is a character Golding used to create a Christian allegory in The Lord of the Flies. Golding conveyed a Jesus-like figure through Simon, whereas the Lord of the Flies is the Devil. Simon stayed moral and human while the rest of the boys became savages as the society crumbled. Simon knew the beast the other boys talked about was their own fear. That is was just the evil side of their human nature. When the Lord of the Files confronted him in the form of the pig, it shows how natural good can be overwhelmed by large amounts of evil. This later happens again when the hunters brutality murder him. He knew that the beast was their own fear that lies within. “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are the way they are?” (Golding