"Lord of the Flies," by William Golding, contains many symbols, which are objects that represent something else. In this novel, the conch is a symbol of authority and represents power, order and unity. .
This book demonstrates the power of the conch through the fact that it is the only tool that can call a meeting. Wherever the conch is, that is where the meeting is. "We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They"ll come when they hear us--"said Piggy (Pg 16). The conch is the most influential symbol in the novel. It stands for order and stability. It also provided laws for the boys to follow. The main law was whoever held the conch had the right to speak without interruption or disrespect while speaking. It is used to govern the boys' meetings and control them from talking at the same time and interrupting each other. "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", said Ralph (Pg 33). The conch also symbolizes unity. When the conch is blown the boys stop whatever they are doing and unite as a group. "He faced the place of the assembly and put the conch to his lips. The others were waiting for this and came straight away. The place of the assembly filled quickly." (Pg 78). Ralph, who was voted chief by the boys held the conch most of the time as only he had the authority to call a meeting by blowing the conch.
The Conch is a symbol of the highest kind of authority. It is the most powerful symbol on the island and is treated with respect. It is powerful enough to direct the boys to follow the rules. The person with the conch was treated with respect. When the conch is blown, the boys move immediately towards the place of assembly. The need of the hour was to maintain discipline, communication and unity, which Ralph was able to achieve through the conch. Thus the conch was a very important tool to maintain law and order among the boys.
