“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 what they are?”

I think this has been dealt with on this site before. The Conch shell is a symbol of democracy, decency and organization. Piggy spends much of the novel cradling it because he needs it to survive. The conch gives boys who do not have a voice a chance to speak. Here in lies the essence of democracy. As the novel progresses, Jack does everything he can to undermine the Conch. Jack hates the shell because it detracts from his dominance. The Conch is a link to the old world of adults. By the end of the novel the conch, along with Piggy, is destroyed and so is any hope of surviving on the island.

Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel, and many of its characters signify important ideas or themes. Ralph represents order, leadership, and civilization. Piggy represents the scientific and intellectual aspects of civilization. Jack represents unbridled savagery and the desire for power.

Websters Dictionary Definition: Fierce, violent, and uncontrolled; lacking the restraints normal to civilized human beings;lacking complex or advanced culture In Lord of the flies, the boys decent to savagery is a gradual process.