Conch In Lord Of The Flies
Symbolism of the Conch
Authors frequently use a powerful literary device called symbolism to express their ideas creatively and indirectly. By definition, symbolism is an object or idea that represents more than what the object or idea actually is. The conch, just a mere pretty thing that attracted attention, has more meaning than that of just being a conch shell. The conch’s symbolism can be traced throughout William Golding’s entire novel, Lord of the Flies and is a major symbol of power and order within the story. At first the conch shell effectively governs the boys and keeps them civilized. However, as civilization on the island begins to diminish and as the boys descend deeper into the abyss of savagery, the conch shell loses the power and influence it …show more content…
Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch….” Even though Ralph still believes that the conch has still has mystical, the fading colors seem to symbolize the fading power the conch has. The conch once kept the meetings pure, establishing order by preventing all the boys from discord. But as the boys seem to lose their civilized manner and start to fall deeper into savagery, the power dwindles. “‘If I blow the conch and they don’t come back, then we’ve had it.’ ‘If you don’t blow, we’ll soon be animals anyway.’”(pg 92), even Ralph, at this point in the novel, starts to realize that the conch isn’t effective anymore and begins to become dubious over the conch by doubting its power. Jack, however, never seems to fully respect the conch, since the conch was one of the reasons he wasn’t picked for chief. Jack, who at that time made his own tribe, even mocks the power of the conch by sneering at the boys for forgetting it and by saying that it “doesn’t count on this end of the island” (pg 150).The power the iridescent conch once had seems to now dwindle, but its value wasn’t completely forsaken by all of the
Authors frequently use a powerful literary device called symbolism to express their ideas creatively and indirectly. By definition, symbolism is an object or idea that represents more than what the object or idea actually is. The conch, just a mere pretty thing that attracted attention, has more meaning than that of just being a conch shell. The conch’s symbolism can be traced throughout William Golding’s entire novel, Lord of the Flies and is a major symbol of power and order within the story. At first the conch shell effectively governs the boys and keeps them civilized. However, as civilization on the island begins to diminish and as the boys descend deeper into the abyss of savagery, the conch shell loses the power and influence it …show more content…
Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch….” Even though Ralph still believes that the conch has still has mystical, the fading colors seem to symbolize the fading power the conch has. The conch once kept the meetings pure, establishing order by preventing all the boys from discord. But as the boys seem to lose their civilized manner and start to fall deeper into savagery, the power dwindles. “‘If I blow the conch and they don’t come back, then we’ve had it.’ ‘If you don’t blow, we’ll soon be animals anyway.’”(pg 92), even Ralph, at this point in the novel, starts to realize that the conch isn’t effective anymore and begins to become dubious over the conch by doubting its power. Jack, however, never seems to fully respect the conch, since the conch was one of the reasons he wasn’t picked for chief. Jack, who at that time made his own tribe, even mocks the power of the conch by sneering at the boys for forgetting it and by saying that it “doesn’t count on this end of the island” (pg 150).The power the iridescent conch once had seems to now dwindle, but its value wasn’t completely forsaken by all of the