What does Jack say about the conch?

In Lord of the Flies, Jack says the conch no longer has power over him once he separates from Ralph’s group and forms his own tribe.

At first, Jack still accepts the conch’s authority. During one assembly, he reaches for it before speaking, and when Ralph refuses to hand it over, Jack sits back down. Later, Jack even blows the conch himself to call a meeting, then argues that because he called the meeting with it, he should be allowed to speak. In these moments, Jack is still using the rules of the boys’ civilization when they help him.

As Jack becomes more hostile to Ralph, he begins rejecting the conch. After the boys believe they have seen the beast, Jack questions Ralph’s leadership, mocks Piggy, and claims the conch no longer matters. At his feast, when Ralph says he is still chief and has the conch, Jack says the conch has no authority on that side of the island. In effect, Jack is saying Ralph’s rules stop at the edge of Ralph’s camp.

Jack’s shifting attitude toward the conch reflects his break from law and order. The conch stands for fairness, while Jack’s tribe comes to be ruled by fear, force, and blind obedience.