preview

What Does The Beast Symbolize In Lord Of The Flies

Decent Essays
Open Document

William Golding’s novel “The Lord of the Flies” contains a reoccurring figure the boys of the island fear and nickname “the beast” (53). He is an animal who’s ever growing presence engulfs the boys with fear as well as drives them to embrace their wild inner instincts. This eventually leads them to desert Ralph and his side of the island for Jack’s more savage way of being. Simon is the first to realize that the beast is not a creature that lives on land or sea but a part of each individual boy. A part that chips away at their conscious and drives them to act wild and uncivilized in order to survive. The first time the beast is mentioned is in the second chapter by a littleun with a “mulberry-coloured birthmark” (33) on his cheek. He speaks of a “snake-thing” (34) wandering the forest in the dark. At first the boys are skeptical, but slowly their fears grow and the boys begin misbehaving. The boys stop listening to Ralph altogether and begin completely disregarding his attempts at order. They grow savage, using the restroom wherever and whenever they please, even by their food, and Jack and the hunters have become so completely obsessed with the idea of hunting a pig they no longer care to …show more content…

Once the rest of the boys go up and confirm that there is indeed a creature up there unease shifts through the group and this is when the group slowly begins shifting more towards Jack’s savage ways and become driven by their fear. While Ralph refuses nor understands what to do about the beast, Jack’s more violent way of being provides them with a false sense of security. Jack turns on Ralph and when the boys refuse to comply he leaves angrily now refusing to “play” (149) any longer and the island splits. Shortly afterwards the boys in small groups slowly begin to wander to Jack’s side of the

Get Access