Who Is The Conch In Lord Of The Flies

Law and order in society is only possible when each individual abides by the rules imposed by themselves and others. In the book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the conch is a motif for the boys stuck on the island. A group of deserted schoolboys, left on their own devices, rely on a shell to determine who has control of their new found society. The conch symbolizes order for the boys; when the conch is destroyed the loss of civility turns the boy’s evil and the island into anarchy. The conch represents order and civilization and unites all of the boys on the island. The conch, described as a beautiful white and pink shell, is more than just a shell; the conch signifies peace. As Ralph states, "Whoever holds the conch gets to speak” ( ). The boys have freedom as long as they concede to who possess the conch. Whoever blows the conch controls the meetings. Ralph, who first blows the conch, becomes the unspoken leader. Without some order and hierarchy in society, humans feel out of control. …show more content…
The shell and the power it possesses slowly begin to fade. Ralph the so-called leader says, “I’m chief, And what about that fire? And I’ve got the conch-“(126). Ralph pleads with everyone to listen knowing that the boys are starting to question his authority. Ralph states “The conch gives me all the power”( ). Jack responds with “Jack was the first to make himself heard. He had not got the conch and thus spoke against the rules; but nobody minded” (chapter 5). Jack begins to ignore the conch and what it stands for. Jack tells the other boys that the way that Ralph is leading them is like a dictator, leading all the boys to start doubting in