Question

Why doesn’t Ralph blow the conch shell to summon Jack and the others to return? Explain his hesitation and what it suggests about the symbolic power of the shell. Cite evidence from the text in your response.

Answer 1

In this section of the book, Ralph is the leader of the children. He has done well so far, and has even successfully reprimanded them for letting the fire die. However, during the meeting, things begin to unravel. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that Jack is openly defiant. As he walks away from the meeting, he takes many of the children with him. Ralph is unsure whether to blow the conch to call them back. He tells Piggy:

"If I blow the conch and they don't come back; then we've had it. ... We'll be like animals. We'll never be rescued."

In the book, the conch represents power. Whoever has the conch has the leadership of the group. He is also the one who is able to speak and to order. This is the symbolic power of the conch. The fact that Ralph doubts whether the children will respond to the conch or not shows that he is unsure about his own standing as a leader. He fears that if he blows the conch, and the children do not return, it would be a clear evidence of his inability to lead and the chaos would increase.