Conch Lord Of The Flies Essay

Words: 611

Pages: 3

Open Document

The book Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is an allegory for civilization. Additionally, in the story the Conch and The Lord of the Flies (pig’s head) are important symbols, but what do they mean and how do the boys on the island perceive them as? Furthermore, the Conch is a symbol of democracy, and The Lord of the Flies is an indication for dictatorship and control. To understand this, one must look at scenes where the items appear, how the items are used, and quotes from the book.

We know that in the book William Golding has added symbolism throughout the story and has given objects more meaning than what meets the eye, but now we must figure out the real significance of these items. For example, one might think that the Conch is just a plain white shell used by the boys to call meetings, but the actual purpose of the conch is to express democracy. The Conch embodies democracy because it allows all opinions to be heard and have the paramount decisions made in a civilized logic way where the verdict has been influenced by the people and not one …show more content…
The boys on the island perceive the Conch and The Lord of the Flies as symbols of leadership. Evidence of this is that both Jack and Ralph use the objects to enforce their position of power. When Ralph blows the conch, all the boys on the island come to wherever Ralph is because he is their leader. Also, when Ralph is holding the Conch, the other kids treat him as if he were a real leader back in England. We see this when William Golding writes “The children gave him the same simple obedience that they had given to the men with megaphones.” Similarly, the boys see The Lord of the Flies as a symbol of leadership because Jack uses it to enforce his opinions about the beast. Lastly, he turns the beast more into reality than a belief, making their fears of the unknown come true, in a

Essay On The Conch In Lord Of The Flies

and influence the actions of others or it could also personify one’s special privileges. In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the most important idea is the role of power on the island and how it is displayed through the possession of the conch and the natural leadership qualities of Ralph because they demonstrate the origin of power on the island. Throughout the story, the conch is seen as a prize that grants anyone holding it with the ability of freedom of speech and respect from…

Words 698 - Pages 3

Conch Shell In Lord Of The Flies Essay

The novel the Lord of the Flies depicts an important theme that everyone is capable of evil and it is only the power of society’s rule that keeps individuals from illustrating the maliciousness within themselves. A great deal of inanimate objects or people in the novel have a symbolic meaning to justify the main theme the author portrays in the Lord of the Flies. When writing the novel the Lord of the Flies, William Golding incorporates an immense amount of symbolism to reinforce the meaning and…

Words 988 - Pages 4

Golding's Lord Of The Flies Conch Essay

William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, tells the story of a group of boys stranded on an uninhabited island after their plane and pilot are lost. Stranded with no parental or adult supervision, the boys gather together and attempt to create an organized society so that they can work efficiently to survive the harsh environment and get rescued. One boy named Ralph is elected chief of the society over his rival Jack Merridew. In the beginning, the conch represents law and order within the group…

Words 826 - Pages 4

Conch In Lord Of The Flies Anarchy Essay

Anarchy. Throughout the novel, the conch shell plays a major role in the plot and the storyline, as it represents and symbolizes all of the order and authority of the world in which the boys used to live in. Piggy desperately tries to protect this conch, as it helps to redeem all of the rules and law the boys are used to obeying. With possession of this shell, any boy may speak his mind and not get interrupted, which is amazing for Piggy as he usually is left out due to his unathletic ability and…

Words 755 - Pages 4

Conch In Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Essay

The Lord of the flies uses symbolism to touch on a deeper meaning than one sees with their eyes. From the boys first meeting where the conch was used to summon the lost boys, to the lord of the flies foreshadowing the fate of the group. William Golding hinted to civilization and the feelings of humans throughout his novel with the use of symbols. The use of many symbols helped Golding to relate to the reader and also leaves a deeper theme into the readers head. Ralph and Piggy used the conch to summon…

Words 671 - Pages 3

Struggle for Power and Wealth in Lord of the Flies Essay

Drake Johnson Compare Essay 12514 Struggle For power and wealth has been the ultimate downfall for many civilizations over the years. The two books, Julius Caesar and Lord of the Flies, are perfect examples of how a world without law and order will be. Julius Caesar is based on a true event when the Roman empire falls into chaos after its emperor has been assassinated. Lord of the Flies is a fiction novel were a group of boys crash on a island with no adults nowhere to be found and they try and set…

Words 592 - Pages 3

Lotf Essay

Lord of the Flies Essay Imagine being stuck on a plane crashing to a deserted island with lots of chaos and the only thing holding it together…goes away. That’s how it was for the 12 boys in the plane crash that survived. During the novel you encounter 3 main symbols, the conch shell, Piggy’s specs and the signal fire. These symbols help hold the island together and without them the boy are lost and do not know what to do. The conch shell represents the leadership authority and whoever is holding…

Words 615 - Pages 3

Lord of the Flies Civics Essay

Lord of the Flies Essay Lord of the Flies? Does it have anything to do with governmnet? Some people will probably say it has nothing to do with government, but it does. Lord of the Flies contains ideas about Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, two political theorists who had two diffrent views of human nature. In the book Lord of the Flies, you can also find how the children make their own government and also what type or types of governments are used. Like stated before Hobbes and Locke had two…

Words 736 - Pages 3

Lord Of The Flies Social Order

Lord of the Flies Essay When social order and civilization are not maintained, chaotic situations arise. This is apparent in the book “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. The book explains the lives of a group of pre-teen children when they become stranded on an island. When there is no order, people get killed, all hope is lost and people lose their minds. It is impossible to maintain social order and civilization when survival needs are not being met. Firstly, casualties occur when there is…

Words 580 - Pages 3

Lord Of The Flies Final Essay

Cox 1 Cameron Cox MerinoOtt English 2B 24 Feb 2015 Lord of the Flies Essay Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding demonstrates various uses of symbolism to express that humanity is truly evil. Through the beast, the conch, and fire Golding explains that humanity is corrupt. He uses the beast to express fear, while the conch symbolizes authority and fire symbolizes rescue as well as destruction. To begin, the beast inflicts fear upon the children. This fear is what Jack strives…

Words 711 - Pages 3