The conch

In the first chapter of Lord of the Flies, Ralph sees a pink shell. Then Piggy identifies the shell as a conch. Ralph uses the conch to call an assembly which brings all the boys from the crash together. They later decide that the conch gives the holder the power to speak.

Throughout the story, the conch becomes less important and eventually is broken when Roger throws the boulder at Piggy.

The conch signifies power; whoever has the conch has control of the assembly. When the conch is gone, Ralph no longer has the power over the boys.