LOTF- FINAL DRAFT

      The conch shell was used by Golding in the book, Lord of the Flies to represent leadership and how something or someone changes over time. This shell stayed with the boys through the whole book and the way they viewed the conch in the beginning, changes by the end.  As the story goes on many fights and situations occured because of this item but many were also settled.  In the end, the boys came to find that maybe it wasn't a great idea to have such a powerful object help lead them.  In The Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the conch to represent the start and breakdown of power.
       At the beginning of the novel, the boys see the conch as a symbol of leadership.  The text states," We could use it to call the others, Have a meeting.  They'll come from across the island when they hear us calling--" (16).  The conch brought the group together for the first time after the crash in the beginning and also whenever Ralph used the shell to call a meeting.  The conch also effected their behavior in the novel.  The story gives an example on this," That's what the shell is called.  I'll give the conch to the next person to speak.  He can hold it when he's speaking."(140).  In order to have organization, the boys must get a system going to help them express their feelings and thoughts easily without fights.  The conch sounded like a pretty good idea in the beginning of the novel.
     During the end of the book, the conch begins to split the group up.  Golding shows how disaster is beginning to strike: "Ralph held his breathe back and spoke. 'Well?' Jack ignored him, lifted his spear and began to shout." (140).  Whenever Ralph would give an order or start praising the other boys, Jack would interupt start talking and giving his own orders and wanted things his way.  As well as in the beginning, their attitude or behavior changed throughout the Lord of the Flies.  This quote exemplifies how the behavior changed: "The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into thousands of white fragments and ceased to exist."(181).  When Rodger rolled over Piggy and the conch exploded this symbolizes being split up and not caring who or what they hurt as long as they are the leader of the group.  The conch turns out to be a terrible  plan and everything and everyone is falling apart.
     Golding uses symbols to reflect a character's behavior during the experience on the island.  In the Lord of the Flies, the boys behavior changes dramatically from when they landed to when they get rescued.  The conch is just one way that Golding represents change in the novel.  He also uses the conch shell to show the symbolism of leadership; when Ralph had the shell in his hand in the beginning of the novel, people listened and obeyed.  By the time the end of the novel occurred, no one would listen or obey the person who was the leader with the conch in his hand.  The boys wished that they had never even had something to help them with leadership.   The fall of leadership and a change in behavior is evident at the end of the Lord of the Flies.