Golding's Lord Of The Flies Conch Essay

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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. However, as power struggles emerge leading to the breaking of the conch and Merridew’s eventual take over, the deeper meaning behind Golding’s symbol is revealed. The conch represents not only authority to command but more importantly the rule of organized society. Once the conch is lost, so too is its power to restrain the boys from reverting to their native instincts of killing and destruction. Without the conch …show more content…
However, when Ralph and his small group of followers come to their fort, they use their last stand: the conch. They begin to tell the boys that savagery will not help them get rescued, but rather lessen the chance. As they continue to persuade the boys, one boy from the fort flings a huge boulder at them which kills Piggy and shatters the conch. Thus ending society. Seizing the opportunity, Merridew bellows, “The conch is gone...I’m chief!(p.181)” By shattering the conch, Merridew has escaped from his leash and can now take control of the entire group, leaving no hope for Ralph to persuade others to preserve the fire, their only hope of getting rescued. Merridew has no restraint left and is in full command of the boys which he leads into savagery. This illustrates the deeper meaning of the conch which is that it symbolizes the rule of society against primal
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