When Ralph sees the naval officer who appears on the island to save them, he realizes that he will return to civilization. The shock causes him to think about what happened. Rescue does not produce joy; instead, he feels despair over what he has experienced. He is awakened to the reality that he will never be the same again. He lost his innocence and discovered the evil that lurks within himself and all men through his experiences on the island. Ralph's revelation of his loss of innocence and societal order among the boys is illustrated by the collapse of the attempted Democratic government, the killing of the pig, and the deaths of Piggy and Simon. Early in the novel, Ralph and Piggy discover a conch shell on the beach and use it to bring the boys together after the accident separates them. The conch becomes a symbol of civilization and order in the novel. Initially, the shell is an effective way of governing boys' meetings, following simple etiquette: whoever holds the shell has the right to speak. The shell is more than a symbol, it is a tool...