The Conch In Lord Of The Flies, By William Golding

In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding highlights the darkness of humanity by symbolizing the loss of innocence within the group of boys. One of the most important symbols in the novel is the conch, which symbolizes civilization and democracy. Since Ralph is one of the first to use the conch, the conch also symbolizes his role as leader and emphasizes the authority that he has over the boys. Throughout the novel, the conch helps bring a sense of unity and is able to maintain a civilized society. However, as the novel progresses, the idea of a civil society diminishes and the conch loses its ability to function as an object of power. Instead, the conch represents the process of the boys subsiding into savagery. In spite of this outcome, the conch is meant to represent democracy, order, and civilization.

The boys use the conch to establish rules and call meetings, whoever holds the conch has the power to speak to the group during the meetings. These meetings created a sense of unity and helped the boys establish a well-functioning community. Because of the conch, the boys are able to share their thoughts and be heard. The conch was first introduced when Ralph and Piggy found it on the beach. “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—” (Golding 16). They blew into the conch and the sound attracted the other boys, from there on the conch symbolized their strong democracy and civilization. The conch maintained order and prevented chaos, it gave everyone a voice and helped make decisions that were best for