What does the conch represent in the novel Lord of the Flies?

The conch symbolically represents democracy, structure, and civility throughout the novel Lord of the Flies. At the beginning of the story, Ralph and Piggy discover the conch shell on the beach, and Ralph uses it to call the other boys on the island together. Throughout the novel, Ralph blows the conch to get the boys' attention and adds structure to the assemblies by creating the rule that one must hold the conch in order to address the group during their meetings. In order to avoid confusion, nobody is allowed to talk unless they are holding the shell at the assemblies. Each boy on the island, including the littluns, has an opportunity to speak during the assemblies which is how the conch shell becomes a symbol of democracy. As the novel progresses, the boys gradually descend into savagery and the conch shell loses its power. While Ralph and Piggy remain proponents for civility and protect the conch, Jack and his followers dismiss the conch which represents their contempt for structure and order. When Piggy is murdered, the conch shell breaks. The broken conch symbolizes the utter chaos and barbarism on the island.