The Symbolism Of The Conch - 958 Words

Rykr Templeton Mrs. Swaninger Period 1 1 May 2017 The Symbolism of the Conch For centuries philosophers, have debated the question of whether man is naturally evil. William Golding poses this question in his novel Lord of the Flies. Set on a tropical island during World War II, the novel begins when schoolboys from Great Britain are being flown to safety and their plane is shot down. No adults survive, and the boys are left to control themselves and get rescued. The boys find a conch, which is a symbol of power and authority to whoever has it in his possession. William Golding uses symbolism in the form of the conch to represent the concept of society. Throughout the course of the novel, the boys developing relationship with the conch†¦show more content†¦When the boys first start a fire on top of the mountain, Piggy holds the conch and attempts to speak. But Jack scolds him by saying, â€Å"The conch doesn’t count on top of the mountain, so you shut up† (Golding 39). Boys like Jack begin to place restrictions on the conch and lose resp ect for it and for one another. Then one day at an assembly, Jack places even less importance on the conch excluding more of the boys and weakening the equal order and authority that the conch provides. Jack says, â€Å"We don’t need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things...It’s time some people knew they’ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us† (Golding 92). Jack’s statement here clearly connects the end of the conch to a change in the social order. Jack is slowly becoming a power-hungry dictator, and the orderly influence of the conch is replaced by man’s evil desires. In the end, the conch loses significance to all but Piggy, and most of the boys turn into evil savages. Piggy tells Ralph to call an assembly, and Ralph only laughs. Finally, after Piggy’ glasses are stolen, Piggy tells Ralph, â€Å"Blow the conch, blow as loud as you can.† The forest echoed; and birds lifted, crying out of the treetops, as on that first morning ages ago† (Golding 154). Piggy believes that the authority of the conch will once again bring the boys together, but only four boys meet in this assembly. The rest have joined Jack’s savage tribe.Show MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies Conch Symbolism1342 Words   |  6 Pages The Conch I chose the conch as my symbol throughout the plot of the story. I chose it because it controls the boys on the island. There were not any adults, so the conch was like an adult. An adult would call for the children and they would come. Like the children, whenever the conch is blown the boys come running to Ralph and Jack. The littluns and biguns knew that if they did not go to wherever the conch was blown that neither Ralph nor Jack would protectRead MoreThe Symbolism of the Conch Shell in Lord of the Flies by William Golding1086 Words   |  5 PagesThe Symbolism of the Conch In Lord of the Flies, several symbols are used to illustrate important ideas that are crucial to the plot and meaning of the book. One of these symbols is the conch: this rare shell is not only a precious and expensive in the world of merchandise; it also holds a dark and mysterious power over a group of English boys, lost on an island with no adults, clues, or means of escape. The boys set up a civilization and try to live in the society they have set up. 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The conch has the powers that lead to civilization and order. It represents the authority that the boys will need to get rescued from the island. The sow’s head on the other hand repres entsRead MoreIn the novel Lord of the Flies William Golding uses many forms of symbolism to point out the600 Words   |  3 PagesIn the novel Lord of the Flies William Golding uses many forms of symbolism to point out the underlying conflicts in their society. By using these symbols he makes the reader not only think about the problems that arise in the book, but also hints towards problems in our society today. The story uses the conch, fire, and the glasses to reference other meanings in the story. These symbols play a crucial part in the story in which they provide the reader with information that isn’t directly statedRead More A Primitive Civilization In A Failed Utopia Essay714 Words   |  3 PagesCivilization In A Failed Utopia Symbolism can be used to represent many aspects of a person place or thing. Throughout the novel the boys lose all symbols that represent there civilization such as there clothes and uniforms. In this novel symbolism is used to show how the boys change their outlook on their primitive society and rules. They are used in the novel Lord of the Flies to show the deterioration and destruction of the boys society and rules. The conch, the glasses and the masks all haveRead MoreWilliam Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay1255 Words   |  6 Pagesdisregard all of it and do as they please because there is no definite authority figure to tell them how to live. In William Goldings, The Lord of the Flies, he brilliantly tells a story of life and death and everything in between. His use of symbolism with the conch, beast, and lord of the flies is phenomenal. It is a story that makes you think. Every person, when faced with reality, may act civil now, but in a survival situation, human nature takes over in the end. When a person is back home, theyRead More Lord Of The Flies Essays655 Words   |  3 Pageschildrens lives changed by being trapped on a island with no civilization around. William Golding shows how terrifying it can be in Lord Of The Flies, the novel that brings symbolism above all to the emotions of all that read it. The symbols that bring out the meaning the best are the leadership skills, the fire and the conch. First, are the leadership skills, as are shown in the book, Ralph has. 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Golding’s extensive use of symbolism, such as the conch, the signal fire and the painted faces helps demonstrate the defects of society. These symbols are used by Golding to illuminate the subsequent effects on the boys’ behaviour, which undoubtedly illustrates the defects of human nature on society. The conch symbolizes civilization, authority, order and a vessel of democratic power in