1A_conch


 * //The Conch Shell// ** //as a symbol// [[image:scepter.jpg width="88" height="88"]]

“A stone.” “No. A shell.”//**
 * //"//****//Ralph had stopped smiling and was pointing into the lagoon. Something creamy lay among the ferny weeds.

 Golding uses very simple words to describe the conch, but the meaning behind its positioning in the "ferny weeds" represents much more. We later learn that the conch is the symbol of authority, and is what supports the super-ego of Piggy, Ralph, and Simon. Its power is evident when Jack initially does not question the role of the conch and later in the story. His leadership over the primal boys is also formally established when the conch shatters into a thousand pieces. The fact that nature could construct something so beautiful and "creamy" looking such as the conch is the first hint of what kind of symbol it is to become when it is later used to attract the children during meetings. Golding’s description of the conch in the ferny weeds also symbolizes how it brings order to an otherwise hectic set of boys as whenever the conch is blown, all attention is focused is focused on the conch wielder who dictates the discussion. The conch, so brilliantly fashioned by the forces of nature, only starts to lose its influence over the boys when the color begins to fade to a dull white. This can also be said in reverse; The boy’s lessening respect for the power of the conch can also be symbolically represented in the conch’s fading colors, which was one of the central reasons why it was so respected. It was only fitting for a "chief" (Ralph) to have the power to intervene speakers holding the conch, considering that such power by a group of small boys could be easily abused. It is also interesting to point out that the first time Ralph and Piggy interacted with the conch, they used it for entertainment (the fart sounds); however, the commanding horn-like noise that is emitted from the conch further enforces its symbolic prowess. //-Kelly Yin//


 * //“We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us” (Golding 16).//**

This quote was when Ralph and Piggy finds the conch shell on the beach. The shell is used to keep all the children in unison and staying together after the crash. There’s a rule that states whoever holds the shell is able to talk. It’s also used to call out meetings. The shell symbolizes civilization, power, and order. Without the shell, there is no sense of government on the island or civilization.

//-Stephanie Fu//


 * //"I'll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he's speaking...And he won't be interrupted. Except by me." (Golding 33).//**

The conch symbolize the civilization that Ralph wants to keep because the conch was the object that first brought the group of kids together, it's a call of unity. The conch is an object that represented **ORDER/RULE** because only the person who holds the conch has the authority to speak, very much like democracy. However, the reason why the conch have more power over the kids is because Ralph as the chief gave the conch power, illustrated in the quote, "I'll give the conch to the next person to speak" (Golding 33). Ralph himself mentions that only he has the power to speak without the conch in his position. This shows that Ralph with primary power gave the conch secondary authority above the rest. It is important to notice that Ralph **GAVE** the power of civilization to the Conch. Without Ralph, the Conch would just be a normal shell. The Conch lose power if and only if Ralph lose power. An example would be when Jack and the other kids later abandoned Ralph as a leader, Ralph's power is taking away by Jack.The kids does not obey Ralph's order even though he has the Conch. Instead, they follow Jack. In other words, the Conch is part of Ralph. Ralph's loss of authority have a direct influence on the Conch as well.

//-Jack Wang//

//**"[Ralph] took the conch down from the tree and examined the surface. Exposure to the air had bleached the yellow and pink to near-white, and transparency. Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch, even though he had fished the thing out of the lagoon himself" (Golding 78).**//

When Ralph first fished the conch out of the lagoon, it was a lively pink color. After time and as the story progressed, the conch faded to a dull shell. This loss of color in the shell of authority marks the downfall of Ralph as a leader, and the rise of Jack. Jack had denounced the conch before, and thus contributed to its fading color and power. The alteration of color marks this power exchange, as it marks the boys' submission to ruthlessness and savagery with the rise of Jack. Jack is a devilish savage in the narration because of his sinister plots to take power as well as his tendency to hunt wild pigs- and people (rituals and all). When the conch loses power, Ralph consequently loses **POWE****R** and his plans to somehow return to civilization and home are crushed. The transparency of the conch symbolizes the civilization factor in society, that lies within Ralph. He had attempted to establish a better society for the boys, utilizing the conch, but unfortunately failed, yielding power to Jack and his uncivilized ways. First, the conch was pink, then it faded to white, and last, it was crushed by Jack. In the larger scope of things, the conch symbolizes leadership in society, as Ralph had successfully built a democracy at first. Strong leaders assert themselves upon others, using various techniques such as pure force or wits. Ralph uses his strong character. By blowing the conch, Ralph proves to the other boys that he is superior purely because of the startling sound it makes. But when Ralph starts to doubt his leadership and loses confidence, Jack is able to steal the authority from Ralph. Not only does Ralph lose his authority, but Jack stomps on his credibility, and later life, like the rock crushing the conch. The fading color also touches on the idea of the ups and downs of life. Golding seems like a very pessimistic person, with his novel on the inherent evils within people. He presents a sanctuary, a beautiful island without the constraints of adults, but perverts this image to one of murder, gruesome floating bodies, and war paint. He seems to say, nothing good can ever last in society. Like the adults from the world the children had fallen off of, the boys faced war, famine, and chaos. There was absolutely no traces of optimism at the climax of the story, as Ralph was being hunted, Jack had become a cruel dictator, and the boys were burning down their own home. The conch overall is the epitome of loss and injustice, as the rightful and fair leader loses everything he has with its fading color.

//-Hannah Nguyen//

//**"'Let's vote--'" "...yet most powerfully, there was the conch." "'Him with the shell.'" (Golding 22)**//.
 * //[[image:http://thundafunda.com/33/underwater-animals-fish/Sunken%20Treasure,%20Conch%20Shell,%20Bahamas%20pictures%20underwater%20photos.jpg width="320" height="238" align="right"]]"He laid the conch against his lips, took a deep breath and blew once more. The note boomed again: and then at his firmer pressure, the note, fluking up an octave became a strident blare more penetrating than before."//** //**(Golding**// //**17).**//

Not only does the conch represent order, rules, and authority, the conch's power represents the amicableness between the young boys under civilization; the unity of their group under civilization. In the beginning, the conch enabled unity under civilization amongst the boys, for the conch provided the security of having authority (a leader) due to their feelings of instability found in the boys for being deserted, and the bringing everyone to form a body to decide what was best for the group. The conch serves as a reminder to all the boys of rules and stability, in which Ralph, the wielder and "chief", reminds everyone of the importance of keeping the fire alive. Jack, however, offers food, making the other short-sighted children see him as the provider, causing a division between mainly Ralph and Jack, causing the unity that the conch symbolized, to begin to fade away. This is seen through the fading color change in the description of the conch, from a "lively pink" to white. Jack, brings about a more savage society, in which unspeakable acts are done--killing other humans--and the arbitrariness of how this new "tribe" followed Jack's whims. Basically, the destruction of the conch represents the complete loss of unity under civilization and movements of everyone, becoming more savage-like.

//-Aaron Wu//

//**"When I saw Jack I was sure he'd go for the conch. Can't think why" (Golding 141).**//

Although a conch would be worthless in the outside world, it is given a special power of authority on the island; it symbolizes order when it was first used to set up the first meeting (setting up a society) and when it was used to elect Ralph as chief simply because he was holding it. Because Piggy clings to order and a set of rules, he immediately believes that Jack wants the same thing, and thinks that Jack wants to steal the conch. In Piggy's mind, whoever hold the conch would hold the power because the rules have already established that, so he tries to protect the conch from Jack who he knows will be a bad leader. However, he shows that he himself does not understand why he would think that way, when the conch clearly no longer has the authority it used to by this point. The conch has faded from pink to white, and so has its power and authority, along with Ralph's. The fading of the conch also represent how order and the rules of society have fallen by the wayside, since Jack no longer heeds those rules, becoming savage as stated by Golding, and attacking them and stealing their fire. Piggy who clings to order and civilization fears that if the conch is stolen by Jack, rules and civilization will cease to exist, perhaps turning him into a savage like Jack.

-//Annie Lee//

Quote: **//" The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist...'See? See? That's what you'll get! I meant that! There isn't a tribe for you any more! The conch is gone--' "//** **(Golding 181)**

This quote appears in Chapter 11, and is the last time the conch would be mentioned. Along with Piggy's death, the conch has also been destroyed. Piggy, who had initially found the conch and unified them under Ralph, has now, figuratively, taken the last hope of stability with him. The conch had brought together the boys on the island in the beginning, and with the destruction of the conch, the last remnants of civilization would soon follow suit. One of the things I noticed was that the conch, initially described as pink, had gradually been described by adjectives such as "fragile" and "white". This could be shown as the tensions between Jack and Ralph increased and could easily "snap". I had previously wondered why the conch eventually turned white, out of all the colors. I think that it is reference to death, shown by the white skull of the "Lord of the Flies". As the conch gradually turned white, death also became imminent (had it not been for the navy officer at the end). Lastly, Jack finally claims that the original tribe now ceases to exist, and shows how he has changed since he first offered Ralph meat during his first successful hunt. Now that the last 2 obstacles (Piggy and the conch) are gone, there is nothing stopping him from wielding absolute power and putting Ralph at his mercy. This shows that Jack had acknowledged the power of the conch before the schism.

//-Gordon Peng//

Quote: "**//What was the sensible thing to do? There was no Piggy to talk sense. There was no solemn assembly for debate nor dignity of the conch."//** (**Golding 196)**

After the great schism between Jack and Ralph and the great confrontation between the two, Roger murdered Piggy and destroyed the conch with the rolling boulder. Now, Ralph is left without Piggy, his intellectual help, and the conch, his spiritual guide. Ralph is left without any support in his stance against Jack's group of boys. As the conch explodes into pieces, everything that it came to symbolizes ceases to exist. The conch, in our society and in the society when this book was published, has a connotation of dignity. When one sees or hears of a conch, one imagines a society where all is peaceful and organized, with the conch bestowing power on the bearer, and that bearer has power over the people. In that society, everyone is conducting themselves indicative of self respect and awareness of the situation surrounding them. Such is an image of dignity. The conch obviously comes to signify government with the way it brought all the boys together since crashing on that island. Without this conch, there is no more dignity nor government. Without it, Ralph is forced to run from Jack's savage group of boys like a wild boar, without any sense of intelligence nor dignity.

-//Edmund Lin//