What Does The Conch Shell Represent In Lord Of The Flies

Something as small and random as a shell or pair of glasses can be viewed as a powerful symbol. In William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” the stranded boys find many distinct elements that have this strong symbolism. Through items like the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses, and a pig’s head, Golding shows how when humans are taken away from society, they begin to crumble and the morals that were once so important becomes meaningless.
The first symbol, which is stumbled upon at the beginning of the book is the conch shell. The conch symbolizes order and civilization for the boys. When they want to congregate and assemble a meeting, one blows the conch to do so, as shown with this quote, “The Conch, we can use this to call the others. Have a meeting they'll come when they hear us”. The conch represents civilization and how the boys, at first, wanted to keep their morals. All the boys wanted to talk at once, so to solve this problem, whomever was holding the conch was allowed to speak. This shell is so important because it seems to be the only thing that doesn’t

represent savagery. Towards the end of the novel, a rock falls and destroys the conch. At that moment, it is clear that all morals and ethics are gone.
Another important symbol in the novel is the fire.

The signal fire is used to attract the attention of passing ships that might be able to rescue the boys. In the novel it says, “If a ship comes by the Island they might notice us. We must make a fire” This shows that at the beginning of the novel the boys understand the importance of getting a ship to notice them and getting rescued. When the fire goes out, it is clear that the boys have shifted completely away from their morals and the need to get rescued. As a result of this, it is apparent that the signal fire acts as a judgment of how far the boys have shifted from society. The fire can even be compared to the boy’s actions. At the beginning the fire is used for survival and warmth, and at the end it is used as a way to lure someone to their death. The drastic change of the boy’s behavior is evident in the fire and that is why it is such an important

symbol.
A big symbol in the novel is the pigs head that jack impales on a stake in the forest. It represents both the savagery that the boys now have, and the “Lord of the Flies” because the head is swarming with flies as it rots on the stick. Towards the end of the novel Simon confronts this symbol and it speaks to him, it says, “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!” At this point it is clear that the pig’s head is the most important symbol in the novel as it leads Simon to discover that there is no beast, but that the beast is really the savagery that lies within the boys. The Lord of the Flies can be seen as a satanic figure that resembles the Devil as it brings the “beast” out of the boys. This savagery that emerges from the boys is represented in the pig’s head and that is why it is such a crucial symbol.
Lord of the Flies is a story that portrays how human beings are weak and can easily shift from their morals when they are no longer in a setting where rules are required. Golding uses many different objects as symbols to show this theme. Some show savagery, while some show civilization. As the story progresses, the symbolism grows stronger and becomes more meaningful. These symbols have great significance and are vital to the theme of the novel.