How Does Golding Present The Conch In Lord Of The Flies

Throughout history and literature, symbols have been used to represent the bigger picture or main ideas. This allows the reader to illustrate the symbol in their head and have a much better overall understanding of the book. A number of times during Golding’s Lord of the Flies, he uses symbols to illustrate the boys’ destruction and fall from order into savagery. The regression of the boys’ civilization is evident through Golding’s symbolic use of the conch shell, the signal fire and the beastie. All are critical for expressing Golding’s overall message.

In Lord of the Flies, Golding explores the idea that human nature, when left without the regulations of society, will become barbaric. As one of the prevailing themes in his work, the dark side of human nature is represented through the novel, not only in symbols and motifs, but in his characters as well.

In William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, the reader comprehends symbols that go throughout the book. These symbols are key factors which determine the importance of the novel. The symbols are a very important part of the literary content. In order to really follow along and understand the story, the reader must understand these symbols for what they mean as well as how they are used. Some of the symbols include the conch, the island itself, and fire. Two of the main characters, Jack and Simon, represent other figures.

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, is a classic novel about a group of schoolboys stuck on an island where fear and savagery consumes them. From the beginning of the book to the last page fear has a prominent role in the novel. Fear in the book manifests itself with many thoughts including what the littluns refer to as the beast, and the fear of not getting home. Fear leads some of the boys to make regrettable decision and it also leads Jack to a position of power. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding fear dominates the island that the boys are stranded on and this fear leads the boys to positions of power and influences some of the boys to make regrettable decisions.

Over time man’s attempts for survival have been distracted by his fear. The power of fear is demonstrated in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Golding illustrates the breaking of order that can result from violence and power through the symbol of the beast. Golding utilizes the beast within Jack to portray the control the symbol has over each character among the island. Lastly, Golding presents a warning against people’s natural ways explaining that men must stick to the bigger picture to avoid self destruction.

Lord of the Flies dates back to 1954 when a famous novelist, William Golding decided to write a book which could show an unusual version of the human beings. Born into an environment where his mother was a suffragette and later experiencing World War II where human ruthlessness was at its peak, made him better inclined in to writing a piece where he could explain his readers how human beings react in different situations. The setting of the novel depicts a situation where the human behavior is rational. The novel hence persuades the readers to realize the importance of ethics and civilization and how their absence can disrupt the society .Furthermore, the novel shows a negative aspect of the mankind and explains the reason it develops savagery

1. Shortly after arriving on the island, Ralph and Piggy discover a conch in the water. Ralph blows the conch to announce his location so the boys can gather. From the first use of the conch, it signifies the unity of the boys because it is what brought them together. The conch is also used to maintain organization. Ralph notices the discord but resolves it by enforcing, “I 'll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he 's speaking” (Golding 33). The conch represents the discipline of the boys and their civilization. Since Ralph thought to use the conch as a speaking system, the conch represents his leadership and authority over the boys. It also represents his authority because he is the only boy that does not need the conch to speak. The conch is a part of his authority that is being shared with the boys when it is their chance to voice an opinion or idea. In addition, Ralph does not specify that the conch can only be used by a specific group of boys, rather the conch is available for any boy, therefore representing equality and respect for all boys. Furthermore, the conch represents civilization back in England with its rules and structure. When planning a rescue, the boys race off the build a fire. Upon the mention of fire, “half the boys were on their feet. Jack clamored among them, the conch forgotten” (Golding 38). Building the fire represents the adventure on the island and the conch represents the old ways of English Civilization.

Lastly, “A stick sharpened at both ends,” conveyed to the children the danger of each other and Roger, the wielder of the stick, used this symbol of destruction to lead them on a hunt to kill the protagonist Ralph. The symbols with the greatest influence and power were mostly derived from a negative connotation. William Golding used both power and symbolism to create an Allegory novel that gives insight on how they have a deadly end result. The washed up Conch and Sow’s head had many differences, the most simplistic being that the head was evil, containing fear, while the Conch wielded order and civility. The plot of this novel shifts around power and what the result is of having it fall into the wrong hands.

However the beast truly is only within them, Golding uses the beast to symbolise and show the reader the evil within everyone including a pack of young boys, the concept the boys have of the beast begins to break down the order on the island.

When Ralph blows the conch shell, everybody comes together for a meeting. This shell represents unity and community. In the beginning of the story, only Ralph can blow the conch but as Jack wants more power, he decides he can use the shell, too. Shown in this quote, “The sound of inexpertly

The author proves this by showing the gradual decline of the boys in the forest when they are without strong leadership. Golding links human society found with the conch shell found on the beach. In the book, the conch shell is used as the symbol of Ralph’s power and jurisdiction over the island. However, Jack seeks to discredit the power of the conch by challenging Ralph at every turn.

In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, he created this book about a group of proper british boys to show that even the most civilize of all can turn inhuman and go savage. Also being in the war helped Golding to see what people were capable of even if they were good at heart. The themes in Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, were influenced by his childhood, his experiences in the war, and his view of human nature. Golding’s early life influenced the theme in Lord of the Flies.

The conch represents society and order. However, when “the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” (Golding 260), it signifies the destruction of their society and civilized manners. It indicates the demise of their civilized instincts and exposes their animalistic instincts. Without law and order, the boys can only gradually become more brutal. Soon after the destruction of the conch, Jack “viciously, with full intention, he hurled his spear at Ralph” (Golding 261).

Lord of the Flies Analysis Lord of the Flies, written 1954 by British Author William Golding, is a tale of a group of young boys who find themselves stranded after their plane crash lands on a deserted island. The boys, who at first, attempt to set up a society, complete with a form of government, soon fall apart when their primitive urges kick in. The novel was both a commentary on man’s violent nature and of how pointless war is. Also, each character in the novel was representative of a larger concept, thus this allegory had many layers.

(Golding, 77). Although the boys laugh at Simon’s idea, his belief conforms Golding’s idea that inner evil exists. The boys develop into the beast when they kill Simon. Simon was desperate to explain the unidentified creature on the mountain but the boys weren’t in the mood for listening to him. With his brutal murder by the other boys, chaos takes over civilized order on the island.