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Conch Symbolism In Lord Of The Flies Analysis

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In the novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding places imaginary characters on an isolated island to test humanity without outside influences. It explores the id of human nature- the darkness encompassed in every individual. The profound theme of this novel is the struggle between civilization and savagery, and the author uses symbolism to signify this theme. Golding uses the Conch, Piggy’s specs and the Beast to reflect characteristics of humanity to demonstrate the themes of opposing parts of the human condition. To begin with, the first symbol that becomes evident is the conch shell. When the shell is discovered on the shore, it is blown to direct all the boys, separated across the island, to have a meeting at one spot. Piggy quickly recognizes what the conch shell is …show more content…

In the imagination of the boys, the beast is a tangible monster of evil on the island. At first, most of the boys disregard the Beast, but as they fall further from civilization, they put more faith in it. The Beast is a symbol for the evil and malice that reside within everyone, and it gets more powerful as the boys capitulate to their savagery. It causes life on the island to deteriorate. Simon is the first one to realize that it is them who are becoming evil and that there is no beast on the island. He rushes to tell the boys that there is no beast on the island and that they are not behaving properly. However, the boys were still dancing and chanting in frenzy and even though he was talking, they mistaken him for the beast and brutally killed him. They were too focused in their savagery to hear him. Obviously, the boys’ fear of the beast and their ironic desire to kill it shows that the hole which society’s rules once had over them has been loosened during they time they have spent without supervision on the island.Golding wanted to present the moment of complete savagery in people and their succumbing to their

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