Symbolism in "The Lord of the Flies"

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Simon informs the boys of the truth about the beast. “What I mean is... maybe it’s only us” Only Simon has come to the realisation that the beast is within them and it is a manifestation of the boys’ own evil actions. It can be argued that the boys’ actions are directly proportional to the beast’s strength and status. The more savage the boys become, the more they respect and serve it; until it captivates them. However, ironically when Jack becomes chief, he says, “Forget the beast!”, but succumbs to its rule as the novel progresses, this indeed happens as the boys decide to take a gift for the beast and Jack says, “This head is for the beast. It’s a gift.” Firstly the boys do not forget the beast regardless of how hard they try, and this is further proof for the fact that it exists within because they are unable to. Golding also indicates that the boys have become the slave of their own actions, and they must please their instinct and fulfil their desires. Furthermore, on a larger scale, Golding uses this to portray today’s society where people commit evil actions such as murder, and they gift their own beasts making it stronger and satisfied until it overpowers them.

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The face paint allowed Jack to release his beast efficiently and not feel guilty of the actions that followed. “He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger.” This infers that Jack knew this wasn’t his true identity, because if he was at home, he would never dream of this, however this allowed Jack to be able to commit any evil act he wished but behind a mask as Golding writes “...the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.” Jack wasn’t tainting his own name with ...

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