Symbolism of the Conch?

From the very beginning of the novel, the boys are eager to establish rules so that there is an orderly way in which events are handled. One of the first things the boys do is assign importance to the conch--if one wants to speak, he must be holding the conch, and when he is holding this shell, on one can interrupt him. Answer the following questions as a "warm-up"; once you've answered these questions, you are going to use your answers to write a paper on what the conch symbolizes.

(1) How do the children of the island view the conch at the very beginning of the story?

(2) Who especially seems to value the conch?

(3) What do you think the conch represents to the kids on the island?

(4) Are there any characters that do not appear to respect the powers of the conch? If so, who?

(5) When does the conch begin to lose its power? How can we, the readers, tell?

(6) Describe the way in which the conch is destroyed.