Conch In Lord Of The Flies

In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, a group of adolescent boys are left stranded on a deserted island after being ejected from a plane as it was crashing down. The children are faced numerous complications. The conflicts begin from the nature of the island, but then stem from within the contrasting nature of the boys. Piggy and Ralph attempt to set up rules and instill order. However, Jack desires a more primitive way of living on the island which causes Jack and Ralph to clash. Throughout the book, Golding uses the conch and the “Beast” to present the conflict between the human urge for violence and the rules of civilization.

The conch is used to reflect the rules and limitations of civilization and society. When the boys are voting for chief, Ralph is an option, “But there was a stillness about Ralph as he …show more content…
While discussing the possibilities of the existence of the ‘Beast’, Simon suggest that the ‘Beast’ isn’t real, “What I mean is . . . maybe it’s only us” (89). The ‘Beast’ is seen as an evil, violent force by the children, so Simon’s proposition is that they all have that ‘Beast’, that evil and violence, inside of them. Upon Simon’s meeting with the ‘Lord of the Flies’, he says to him, “There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast. ... Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! ... You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are the way they are?” (143). The ‘Lord of the Flies’ reiterates that the ‘Beast’ isn’t something to kill, but is instead a part of human nature. He also claims that the ‘Beast’ is “the reason why it’s a no go” and “why things are the way they are” meaning that the evil inside them is causing them to become uncivilized and savage therefore preventing them from following the rules of society and