How Does Golding Present The Conch In Lord Of The Flies

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is about British schoolboys which are stranded on an island that is free of adults. This newfound freedom forces the children to organize themselves until the grownups arrive to rescue them. Varying ideas on leadership separate the castaways into two factions. Initially, the boys elect a chief named Ralph. Ralph discovers a conch and determines that it holds the basic powers that will structure their new way of life. Golding presents the conch as a powerful and effective symbol for democracy.
One way the conch represents democracy is Ralph’s declaration that anyone holding the conch has the power to speak his mind. When Piggy who is an unfavored overweight child (Adjective Clause) speaks, the others are

He was paler than before and breathless. “Perhaps they knew where we was going to; and perhaps not. But they don’t know where we are ’cos we never got there.” He gaped at them for a moment, then swayed and sat down. Ralph took the conch from his hands” (Golding 33)
Here we see that, even when Piggy has ideas that scare the rest, the conch preserves Piggy’s right to speak until it is taken from his hands. Not only here but later in the book the conch gives the masses a voice. Without the conch, the littluns would be disregarded and left behind. However, as the power dynamic shifts from the intellectual, religious and just democratic leadership represented by Piggy, Simon and Ralph to the physical tyrannical power represented by Jack, the symbol chosen by the three initial leaders loses its ability to maintain order and respect. Another of the ways in which the conch symbolizes democracy is in its inherent fragility. Without constant protection, democracy can be lost or destroyed. “The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist (Golding 185)”. This passage suggests to the reader that democracy is dissolves when the conch shatters during Piggy’s death. Neither Piggy or the conch is invincible. Both the child and the symbol of democracy are susceptible to the dangers of mob