2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
In literature, some symbols are of a static nature in that their roles do not change as the plot goes on; others play a more dynamic role, with changes in their status or in the attitudes towards them signifying important ideas. The conch shell in The Lord of the Flies is an example of a dynamic symbol. In the beginning of the story, the conch is a symbol of order and civilization, that all of the boys respect, but as the boys slowly lose their grip on the societal values instilled upon them, the conch shell loses respect and is eventually destroyed, blatantly displaying the boys’ complete loss of humanity.
The attitudes of the two protagonist and antagonist, Ralph and Jack, towards the conch are symbolic of their predispositions for humanity and against humanity, respectively. Ralph is the character who first finds the conch and initially suggests that it be used for maintaining order. Jack however, resists the rules that the conch places on him from the onset, and gradually begins disregarding it more and more in the meetings that the boys hold. Eventually he rids the power the conch has over him completely by splitting and creating his own tribe. This break reveals Jack's loss of humanity, and mirrors the cruel acts that he begins committing more and more frequently. Though many of the boys on the island leave him, Ralph remains faithful to the idea of civilization, and the conch, until the end of the story. Golding uses the conch to represent civilization and humanity, and expresses his characters' views of these ideas through their treatment of the conch.
By using the conch as a symbol for the strength of civilization and order, Golding reveals the amount of .humanity left in the children through the status of the conch in the eyes of the children. The children look to the conch as an object of power because it drew them all in and brought them together. Because Ralph controls the conch shell, the boys look to him as their leader, and consequently choose to elect him. The shell symbolizes Ralph’s power: the power of order and civilization. The shell’s power parallels the strength of the influence of civilization over the boys. In the beginning, the shell is powerful and respected, but over time, the shell is seen as less and less important to the boys over time. As the story progresses, the shell is described as if it is losing power; after Jack separates from the group with the majority of the boys, the conch is described as “fragile” . Concurrently, the order and civility of the boys’ society slowly breaks down as the inner savagery of the boys seeps out. They no longer respect the conch, thus displaying the power change from Ralph to Jack. The conflict between primal instincts and civility reaches a tipping point as the boys kill Piggy by rolling a rock down the mountain and knocking him off a cliff. Because Piggy was holding the conch, it results in the complete obliteration of the shell. This represents the complete destruction of all order and remnants of civilization that the boys had left in them, replaced by the innate human qualities of evil and savagery.
In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the conch shell to represent an idea, the idea of civilization of humanity. By doing this, he transfers all of the characters' feelings, actions, and words directed at the conch shell onto the ideas it represents.
I like your first sentence. It introduces what you are talking about well. I think you might want to add some background info before you flat out say “the conch shell is a symbol” When you go right into the book, it makes your essay seem like a closed prompt, as if you are expected to be talking about LOTF.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t read the book, so are you saying that Ralph and Jack are both Pro- and Antagonists? If not, it would make more sense to say “the attitudes of the pro. and ant., Ralph and jack respectively, …”
You repeat your thesis at the end of the first body paragraph.
I like that you can take a specific piece of diction from the book “fragile”
I feel like in both of your body paragraphs, you just repeat the thesis, without giving any additional insight. You keep talking about the same thing, just using different examples and synonyms.
You do a good job of “analyzing how the symbol reveals about the characters” in the first body. However, I think you could be clearer on how the symbol functions in the work, maybe give an example of how it advances the plot. You might want to explain why, in the second body, the shell loses power over the boys, and how this relates to what they find important in society. Also, I don’t think you ever mention any themes of the work, though the prompt lists that as an “or” so it may not be required.
I like your general idea, so if you expanded on your thesis in the essay, I think it could be very good.