Conch Lord Of The Flies Analysis

The island. The conch. The dance. These were once seen as something tranquil, significant, and foolish, but all that changed into something hellish, unavailing, and treacherous. A group of British boys are stranded on an inhabited island by themselves. They must learn how to fend for themselves. Ralph and Piggy start by stating that the island is something pleasant and peaceful. All the boys gather later in the novel and name Ralph as chief, who was holding the conch, which is something empowering to the boys. After settling on the island, Jack catches his first pig and after feasting on it they create a dance. In the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, symbols start changing overtime, with the island representing the

For example, Ralph points out that “the island ran true to form and the incredible pool, which clearly was only invaded by the sea at high tide, was so deep at one end as to be dark green’’ (Golding 12). Ralph describes the island as a serene place. Just like the Garden of Eden it is peaceful, a sanctuary. As the boys’ progress through their time on the island they encounter a figure that they know as the beast. Later, Ralph claims that the children are afraid he states, ‘“They talk and scream. The littluns. Even some of the others. As if ---As if it was not a good island’’’ (Golding 52). The children are starting to realize that the island is not as good as it seems and feel a bad sensation which makes them get nightmares. The Garden of Eden was something peaceful but, after the beast came it brought fear which caused evil just like the snake did in the Garden of Eden. The island might have been something tranquil but the islands true colors are revealed after the boys settle

At the beginning of the novel, jack goes hunting for a pig and when he finally catches the pig Maurice pretends to be a pig and the hunters begin circling him. After the hunter’s circle around Maurice,” they danced and sung.’ Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash he in!’’ (Golding 75). The quote is showing how the dance forms into a ritual. Soon after it becomes a daily routine after killing a pig. After catching a pig and starting their dance Robert becomes the pig and gets injured in the process: “’ Jack had him by the hair and was brandishing his knife. Behind him was Roger, fighting to get close. The chant rose ritually, as at the last moment of a hunt.’ Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Bash him in!’’’ (Golding 114). As the story progresses, the boys start to become tainted by savagery and harm Robert who was telling them to stop. They then say they will kill the next ‘‘pig’’ in the dance, which is showing that they are becoming more and more brutal. The dance may have been a small ritual in the beginning but, as they live on the island longer they become more and more like a