Lord of the Flies Group

Question:

babygrace
babygrace
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What is a conch?

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Posted by babygrace on Sunday December 7, 2008 at 7:13 PM and tagged with conch, definition, lord of the flies.

Answers:

  1. mthibodeau
    mthibodeau Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    A conch is one of several species of edible marine snail, similar to a whelk.  It lives in a whorled shell, and the shell can be used as a musical instrument.  In Golding's book, the boys use the conch shell to indicate whose turn it is to speak.

    Sources:
    http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/images/conch.jpg

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    Posted by mthibodeau on Sunday December 7, 2008 at 7:56 PM


  2. engtchr5 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The type of conch shell described in Lord of the Flies is one of the larger, pinkish-tan varieties. Once a small hole is created at the closed tip of the shell, it is possible to use the structure as a musical instrument like a brass or woodwind.

    The conch in the story is the symbol of authority and power, as its use denotes whose turn it is to speak. When the conch is sounded, the possessor then is granted the right to verbally express themselves according to the order or structure established by Golding's characters.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/flies/

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    Posted by engtchr5 on Monday December 8, 2008 at 5:21 AM

  3. parkerlee
    parkerlee Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    Its scientific name is the 'Strombus gigas'.

    It is very common in the Caribbean Sea, but is found in other parts of the world as well. 

    The conch in this story is important because it was its call which rallied the boys together. On a symbolic level, it represents civilization and order whereas the pig's head (with flies buzzing all around it) represents the primal instinct. (Freud would call it the super-ego versus the id.)

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    Posted by parkerlee on Monday December 8, 2008 at 7:26 AM


  4. hsato

    eNotes Editor

    An illustration of the conch in Lord of the Flies can be found in the picture section of the enotes. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/flies/scene-from-chapter-1-3913

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    Posted by hsato on Monday December 8, 2008 at 2:34 PM