Explore the Significance of the Conch in the “Lord of the Flies”.

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In the “Lord of the Flies” Golding uses the conch as a symbolic, metaphorical-image to represent society and civilisation. The symbol of the conch is crucial to the idea of order and rules, and how it is slipping away from the boys. The conch’s significance is shown throughout the novel in which the conch brings them together and allows the boys to stay together but separates them as well. It is described with purity but is also shown to be becoming less influential on the boys later in the novel, particularly with Jacks disobedience with regards to the conch. When the boys, previously scattered on the island, come together, it is the conch which makes this possible; without the conch they would have still been separated. Piggy realises “they’ll come [to them] when they hear” Ralph blow the conch. The first time the conch is blown, it heralds the birth of civilisation and order on the island. Golding, towards the beginning of the novel, already introduces the idea of society and order bringing (and keeping) the boys together. So, already the conch is becoming greatly important and influential showing its significance. The conch’s significance is then reiterated at the beginning of chapter two with the “crowded” platform from the blow of the conch; as the boys answer Ralph’s call and keep order amongst them. While the others after just one blow of the conch acknowledge the importance of rules, at the same time, the ability to build society in a short period of time is put across. The actual fact of them being mentioned so closely together, suggests the key idea of the significance of the conch, as it is being used by Ralph to create and maintain their society on the island. It is also significant that the conch breaks, in a horrific and vivid fashion, signalling the end of society, and any chance to salvage it. At the moment of Piggy's death, the conch: Exploded
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