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Conch Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

Decent Essays

The Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, is thought-provoking, profound, and symbolic. Many symbols in this novel are extremely important to the plot; for instance, the conch shell. On the one hand, the conch shell in this novel is just that, a shell. On the other hand, it holds a great deal of importance for the boys in this novel and the readers of this story.

The conch shell is, though in an obscure way, present in everything relating to the law on the island. The conch shell, grants, the boy holding it the right to speak; furthermore, the blowing of the conch announces all meetings held on the island. The conch holds political power and influence over the boys. In fact, one factor, which directly results in the election of Ralph as the leader, is he is the one holding the conch. “But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully there was the conch.” (Page 22/Lines 30-33) This quote powerfully exhibits the influence the conch has on political decisions that the boys make. The conch shell is extremely important to law structure on the island, even if it is not so obvious.

A society with no will to make things …show more content…

Still, the symbolic significance of this mundane yet, elegant object is overwhelming. It holds so much importance and has immense value in the hearts of the boys and the readers. As it breaks, it feels as, if not one, but two characters have been lost. Honestly, there is no true abstract concept that can completely explain the symbolism of the conch shell. Of course, people can try to write about what it means and what it has taught them, but truthfully nobody can quite put it into words how important this shell is. It is such a thought-provoking and influential source of inspiration and hope of rescue, that it is almost forgotten it is a conch shell that holds no real

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