A Primitive Civilization In A Failed Utopia Symbolism can be used to represent many aspects of a person place or thing. Throughout the novel the boys lose all symbols that represent there civilization such as there clothes and uniforms. In this novel symbolism is used to show how the boys change their outlook on their primitive society and rules. They are used in the novel Lord of the Flies to show the deterioration and destruction of the boys society and rules. The conch, the glasses and the masks all have a greater meaning in the novel.The conch is used throughout the novel Lord of the Flies to symbolize law and order of the adult world which the boys try to recreate. "The conch. I got the right to speak." (p 45,Piggy) this was a rule made by the boys to keep order. " The conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist" (p200, narrator). Near the end of the novel jack and his group go against the rules and once the conch is broken there is no hope for recovery. "There isn't a tribe for you anymore! The conch is gone."(p201, Jack), and Ralph loses all power after the conch is destroyed. He depends on the conch to keep his tribe under control and have power over them. At the beginning of the novel the conch represents law and order. As the boys split apart the conch becomes less important and is eventually destroyed. After all this happens Ralph's small tribe is also destroyed. The conch is used to represent law, order and society in the same way that Piggy's glasses are used.The glasses represent logic, order and hope. Piggy defends the glasses more than the conch because he believes logic is more important than order."Then, with the martyred expression of a parent who has to keep up with the senseless ebullience of the children, he [Piggy] picked up the conch, turned toward the forest, and began to pick his way over the tumbled scar."(p38, narrator). This shows how piggy thinks of things first. Without logic the...
