What does the conch represent in our society?
Expert Answers The conch shell is representative of authority in the early days on the island. It allows Ralph (with Piggy’s help) to create order and there is an attempt to create a mini home environment – as best they could.
Is the conch a symbol of authority?
The symbol of authority in Lord of the Flies is the conch. The conch represents order in an uncivilized world. Whoever holds the conch holds the power and is the one that is able to speak. It is able to summon and bring the boys together when it is blown.
How does the conch symbolize democracy?
When the boys vote for the leader, one of them votes by saying “Him with the shell”(19). Thus, it is the conch which symbolises power to the boys; they vote for it and its holder. In short, by gathering the people, giving them the right to speak and symbolising power; the conch represents democracy.
How does the conch hold power?
The conch symbolizes social order, respect and power. When the boys hold meetings around the camp fire, only the speaker who is holding the conch may address the crowd. The speaker with the conch is supposed to be respected by the group and heard.
What does the conch mean in the Lord of the flies?
In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies the Conch represents power and order. Power is represented by the fact that you have to be holding it to speak, and Order is displayed by the meetings or gatherings that it’s used to call and hold.
Why is the conch important to the boys?
The conch represents civil discourse on the island, and only works as long as the boys all believe in its power and the necessity of the idea it symbolizes. Both literally and symbolically the conch is a fragile, vulnerable object, which is why Piggy, Ralph, and even Jack treat it with care.
Why is the conch a symbol of free speech?
The conch is a symbol of free speech and civil process that even the youngest boy can easily grasp and embrace, but the concepts themselves prove more difficult to adhere to in practice, and soon the conch’s power wanes as the boys resist the constraints of the democratic process.
What does the destruction of the conch mean?
The destruction of the conch, the object used to call meetings and keep order, symbolizes the end of civilized rules and democracy. This loss of order is also demonstrated by Piggy’s murder. When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies.