The Conch

• Represents:

  Freedom of Speech 

  Civilisation 

  Democracy 
• beautiful - This is recognised by Piggy and Ralph when they first find it. 
• used to summon the boys for “assemblies”. 
• used to maintain control within “assemblies”. 
• used as a way of ensuring that each boy is allowed to speak uninterrupted. 
• destroyed when Piggy is killed. 
• “Then Piggy was standing cradling the great cream shell and the shouting died down.” 

    - “The shouting died down” shows that the shell carries authority. 

    - Piggy is reliant for the thing it symbolises – it makes others respect him. 

    - The word “cradling” shows how precious Piggy thinks the shell is.  Perhaps it also hints at how delicate it may be – and how delicate democracy is. 
• “I got the conch,” said Piggy indignantly. “You let me speak!”   

  “The conch doesn’t count on top of the mountain, said Jack, “so you shut up.” 

  “I got the conch in my hand.” … 

  “You shut up.” 

  Piggy wilted.  Ralph took the conch from him and looked round the circle of boys. 

    

  - Jack is challenging Piggy’s right to speak.  At first it is just on the mountain – later it will be all over the island. 

  - The authority conferred by the conch is not as effective now as it was.  Ralph takes the conch from Piggy because he has a natural authority of his own and can still control the boys. 
• In the novel "Lord of the Flies", Ralph realises that an assembly is necessary for maintaining order.
• Ralph uses the conch as a symbol of authority.
• Ralph learns that a symbol alone is not enough to maintain order, and must also know how to manipulate and control a crowd.
• Ralph also learns that whilst the conch may ensure free speech, free speech has to be controlled.
• As leader, Ralph must sometimes withhold the conch from others, even Piggy.
• “The sound of the inexpertly blown conch” (blown by Jack) 
• “He laid the conch with great care in the grass.” 
• “Jack clutched the conch to him.” 
• “I’ve called an assembly” 
• “I’ve got the conch.” 
• “He held the conch against his chest.” 
• “Piggy lifted the conch as though to add power to his next words.” 
• “Clutching the conch to his brown chest.” 
• Jack wants to subvert the conch and use it for his own ends – to call an assembly and make people listen to him when he is trying to destroy Ralph’s authority.  He is really attempting to destroy everything the conch stands for, and he is ironically using the conch to achieve this. 

  Other characters in these quotations are showing that they see the conch as valuable or precious, but do they understand why it is valuable or is this more evidence of basic conformity? 
• The conch is the main symbol of law and order and crucially, it gives everyone - even the littluns - the right of free speech.
• The conch only maintains its power whilst all the boys believe it is important.
• The conch and Piggy are destroyed at the same time, symbolising the end of the democratic power system.
• 'We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting' (Piggy, ch1)
• 'Yet most powerfully, there was the conch [in Ralph's lap]' ch1
• 'The conch doesn't count on top of the mountain' (Jack, ch2)
• 'He [Jack] had not got the conch and thus spoke against the rules; but nobody minded' ch5
• 'If I blow the conch and they don't come back, we've had it' (Ralph ch5)
• 'We don't need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things' ( Jack, ch6)
• 'When I saw Jack, I was sure he'd go for the conch' (Piggy, ch8)
• 'The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist' ch11