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The Conch In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

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The Conch In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies
From the beginning of the book the conch was introduced, it represented the boys civilization,and showed their life changing on the island. In the beginning the boys were all for a chief, the conch was there right from the start. It was introduced as a talking stick and as an elected item in the story to represent their humanity and civilization. "Shut up," said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. "Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things." "A chief! A chief!" This shows how the boys would have the conch elect the leader, Ralph, but also as the talking stick. As he lifted the conch into the air he was showing that he had the power to speak. This quote also shows how the boys respected the concn and it's ‘powers’. Going …show more content…
We shan't keep the fire going. We'll be like animals. We'll never be rescued." This quote shows how the boys don't listen to the conch as much anymore. They start to forget how the conch United them into one and they are becoming more and more savage like in and out of each chapter. No one even respects the conch at this point, but piggy. Piggy is the only one left who respects the conch and he shows it at the end. While everyone else has become savage he is left alone as the only civilized one. “The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” Piggy is the only one who is civilized left, until the rock hits him. Once piggy is gone the author emphasizes the conch. When the rock hits piggy and the conch the author says …“the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” hinting at the boys have lost all law, and civilization entirely. Through the story, William Golding depicts the boys becoming savages and what United them as a civilization on the island was the conch. The conch never changes its meaning, but the boys change and almost entirely forget

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