Conch Shell In Lord Of The Flies

A symbol at the beginning of the novel is the conch shell. It is Piggy who finds it. He has seen this shell before and he has heard that it can be used as an instrument to make a loud sound. This gives him the idea to give it more purpose than just a sound machine. Whoever holds the conch in their meetings has a right to speak, and everyone accepts that. The boys gain power through holding the conch. This rule is made by Ralph and Piggy and shows that the conch stands for law and order, a main trait of a democracy, since everyone has the right to free speech with the conch. The shell becomes “a symbol of parliamentary order” as Piggy, together with Ralph, turns it into a tool they will be able to use to gain more civilization. The conch …show more content…
It is Piggy who has this very important tool of power, being the only one with glasses. Once the boys decide to make a signal fire in hope of getting rescued, Ralph comes up with the idea that Piggy’s specs can be used as a lens to focus the sunbeams on one point which leads to making fire. Without Piggy’s glasses it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to get a fire lit. The boy having the specs can therefore be considered as the lord of the fire on this island. The person having command over this tool of power has a big advantage over everyone else. In the beginning it is Ralph who has the power, since Piggy is in his team. But later on, when the power systems change, Jack decides to steal the specs because he knows that they are important and powerful. Jack acquires this important tool to create fire. This makes him the new lord of the fire, and gives him even more power on the island. Which actually makes him a bit more of a threat in his tribe and on the island. He now has one important tool that Ralph and Piggy do not have anymore, which in turn diminishes their power. Also, the glasses were used for two purposes before Jack stole them. They were used to make fire and to help Piggy see. After the theft, Jack can only give them one purpose, to start the fire round which the tribe gathers. This means that the tool is converted into the dictatorial arsenal, at the same time that it neutralizes Piggy because …show more content…
Then there is loudness after Jack and his tribe take over the island. Of course, even from the start the boys are shouting every now and then when they play, but overall the atmosphere is calm. This peacefulness is also a symbol for the democratic power system. The blowing of the conch is the loudest thing on the island to that point. Since the conch is the symbol for the democratic power system, it is fitting that it is the loudest, and that it demands silence: “By the time Ralph finished blowing the conch the platform was crowded. [...] Silence now”. When the military boys with Jack in front meet up with everyone else after Ralph blows the horn, Jack asks, “Where is the man with the trumpet?” and Ralph responds, “There’s no man with a trumpet. Only me”. The conch is so loud that they can hear it from far away. The assemblies are normally a bit chaotic and no one shouts, except for Jack. Because that is just in his personality. Loudness is what Jack needs, and this is only one of many examples when Jack is very loud. His role as “chief” the power system makes him to be loud, even though many of us feel like he doesn’t deserve it. Everything he does is noisy. He does that because he needs the other boys to be drowned out to feel like the bigger man . When he speaks to his fellowship, he either yells at them or talks to them in a very clear voice. He never whispers or uses any form of silence except while hunting for food