Do sea shells, beasts, and face paint symbolize characteristics of one's life and civilization? If one thinks deeply enough they just might. William Golding is able to give an insight on many characteristics of human life and society in Lord of the Flies by using a large variety of symbols. The novel begins when a group of boys are stranded on a deserted island during a nuclear war. Realizing they must take care of themselves, the boys elect Ralph as a leader and set up rules. The boys are very excited about making up new rules at first, but eventually they start to disregard the rules and their elected leader. .
Jack, the choir leader who has become obsessed with hunting, starts his own tribe. Most of the boys join Jack's tribe and turn into savages that are only concerned with games and fun. The boys turn against Ralph and his few followers and turn towards violence and evil. Jack's tribe begins to murder Ralph's followers and even go after Ralph. Jack's tribe goes even as far as setting the island on fire to drive Ralph out of his hiding place. Jack's tribe continues their "play" until an adult arrives on the island. The boys then regain control of their civilized sides and become yet again little boys who start to cry. During their wild adventure, everything the boys do and why they do it has a symbolic meaning.
One of the first uses of symbolism is the conch, which symbolizes power and the many aspects of power. It is the conch that first brings all the boys together. Ralph and Piggy find the conch upon their arrival on the island and decided to use it to find other survivors. Ralph blows the conch as ""boys [make] their way toward the platform"" (18). The boys soon decided to elect a leader. Ralph is immediately elected leader by the power of the conch: ""there was [Ralph's] size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch"" (23).
