While the conch and Jack may not seem to be directly related, with further analysis it is clear that they are two key players in the world that the boys now live in. Piggy and Ralph find the conch in the beginning of the novel and it almost immediately becomes a prized possession of the boys. It comes to represent civilization and order, but most of all it is a physical embodiment of political power and organization. While Jack is an independent and very opinionated boy, he still respects the shell and “he laid the conch with great care in the grass at his feet” (Golding 145). He is trying to stage a “rebellion”, and even though it fails he still plays by the rules of the shell. Similarly, the shell has a way of compelling all of the boys into coming when “it” calls, “I bet if I blew the conch this minute, they’d come running” (Golding 53).
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Furthermore, the shell allows them to feel a sense of unity and safety, which is why they come running. However, as civilization slowly dissipates, so does the conch’s power. Additionally, so does Jack's respect for the conch. In other words, Jack and the conch are related inversely; as Jack, the “ID”, grows in power and gains support, the value of the conch dissipates and along with its influence over the boys. Clear signs of the dying power of the conch are first seen at Jack’s new camp when he says, “...the conch doesn’t count at this end of the island” (Golding 173). While Ralph advocates for the conch, the boys at Jack’s camp ignore him, thus making it clear that the conch has little to no value left. Consequently, a boy from Jack’s camp not only kills Piggy, but also destroys the conch. Without either of these things Ralph doesn’t know what to do, “what was the sensible thing to do? There was no Piggy to talk sense. There was no solemn assembly for debate nor dignity of the conch” (Golding
Furthermore, the shell allows them to feel a sense of unity and safety, which is why they come running. However, as civilization slowly dissipates, so does the conch’s power. Additionally, so does Jack's respect for the conch. In other words, Jack and the conch are related inversely; as Jack, the “ID”, grows in power and gains support, the value of the conch dissipates and along with its influence over the boys. Clear signs of the dying power of the conch are first seen at Jack’s new camp when he says, “...the conch doesn’t count at this end of the island” (Golding 173). While Ralph advocates for the conch, the boys at Jack’s camp ignore him, thus making it clear that the conch has little to no value left. Consequently, a boy from Jack’s camp not only kills Piggy, but also destroys the conch. Without either of these things Ralph doesn’t know what to do, “what was the sensible thing to do? There was no Piggy to talk sense. There was no solemn assembly for debate nor dignity of the conch” (Golding