The Beast in Lord of the Flies

The Beast in the Lord of the Flies Patrick Thompson Throughout the book the boys are constantly living in fear of some sort of wild beast which they believe inhabits the jungle. This beast is present among the boys from the very first day when a littlun informs them of a "snake-thing" that lives in the jungle the older boys dismiss this as a nightmare but the littluns are not convinced. Ralph tries to convince the boys that no such beast exists after a young boy has said that the beast comes from the sea and even Simon says their may be a beast undermining Ralph in front of the others which leads to even more fear of the so called beast. When a dead parachutist lands on the island the twins Samneric hear his parachute flapping in the wind they believe it is the beast and rush to tell the others about it at which point Jack suggests they hunt the beast, he is attempting to use their fear to get his own way but this time Ralph's common sense is supported over Jack's savage plans when he asks them "don't you want to be rescued" the boys still listen to common sense for now. Then the older boys go off to explore the area of the island which they have not ventured to yet. This is the area in which the dead airman is suspended in mid air. When the boys finally reach the corpse the wind is strong and as Ralph approaches the airman a gust of wind pushes the corpses

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The beast - the novel "Lord of the Flies" Golding

The beast Throughout the novel "Lord of the Flies" Golding uses many objects or characters in the island to represent ideas or actions in the real world. For example, the conch, that represents order and democracy, Piggy, that represents knowledge and morality, the scar, that represents man's destruction, and an infinite list. However, there is one important symbol in spite of the fact it is not a physical object: the beast. The beast represents the way people will make something outside themselves evil, so that within them the image stays good. It can also represent paranoia and fear. This allows people to avoid the responsibility of looking inside themselves, but to look for something traditionally symbolic towards evil, such as snakes, the "beastie", the Lord of the Flies, which is in fact just part of imagination and fear. The first day, a "little boy with a mulberry-coloured birthmark" talks about a dangerous presence in the island, a "beastie" that he apparently saw the night before. By this point in the novel, it is clear that the younger boys were troubled with this "beastie". The beast had no physical appearance, as it seemed the smaller boys were over-reacting to their imagination. Soon, it became evident that even the older boys had begun to wonder if some sort of beast really existed. The first development of the beast between the boys starts with Jack and the

  • Word count: 888
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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What does the beast represent in The lord of the flies?

What does the beast represent in The lord of the flies? The lord of the flies is an allegorical novel that tells the simple story of a group of boys trapped on an island after a plane crash, but Golding also uses that story to symbolize "the beast within." The "beast" is actually what the boys become and in this essay I intend to explain the meaning of the beast in further detail. This is a complex story and there are many different levels, and representations of the beast. Golding wrote the book to show how political systems cannot control society effectively without considering the defects in our typical human nature. The novel takes place during World War II. Golding got the idea for the book because of his experiences in the war; he served in the Navy where he learnt the sinfulness of man. It's interesting that the war is mentioned indirectly at the beginning and end of the novel but nowhere in between. Golding uses the weather to create atmosphere which is demonstrated in the tribal dance; there is a powerful, destructive storm, becoming stronger and more dominant, this setting is made to represent the destructive act that is about to happen; the killing of Simon, and how the beasts' hold on the hunters tribe has become stronger, this image is created quickly, with meaning and is also disposed of quickly, showing Golding's great talent, and how he makes the setting

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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lord of flies essay - importance of the beast

What is the importance of the beast in 'Lord of the Flies'? The novel 'Lord of the Flies' is written by the author William Golding to reflect what he saw was happening to the world during the Second World War. The novel shows that humans have an inner savagery playing in the mind behind all that civilised well being. The island which children all inhabit is very important in what happens in the novel. The island is isolated to reflect the earth as a microcosm and show what humans can do left to their own devices. When the children first crash land on the island, the island is shown as a place which is like paradise. 'The shore was fledged with palm trees. These stood or leaned or reclined against the light and their green feathers were hundred feet up in the air.' 'the water was a thin bow-stave, endless apparently.' As the novel progresses and the children become more savage like and brave enough to start exploring the island slowly changes into a more dark and viscous place, 'Then the sleeping leviathan breathed out-the waters rose, the weed streamed, and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar. There was no sense of the passage waves;' This change in the environment which the boys inhabit is stated in the language Golding uses describe it. In the first quote for when the island appeared to be so calm the trees 'leaned or reclined against the light' which

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Significance of the beast in 'The Lord of the Flies'.

Significance of the beast The beast represents emotions, fear and insanity for several different characters in the story Lord Of The Fies. To all the boys the beast relates to a different thing and means something different. The talk of danger on the island is first brought up on the first day when a small boy claims he saw a 'beastie.' the previous night the older boys don't listen to what the boy has to say and continue their daily discussions. As a group there are mixed feelings about the beast the older boys used the word 'fear' to describe the beast I feel they did this so they didn't sound immature, by believing in monsters however the younger boys showed there fear openly by crying. As more and more of the littleuns cry out in their sleep even the biguns begin to wonder whether there is in fact a beast. The beast to jack is something to hunt down kill and make him self look brave he goes on a hunt in search of the beast this does not help the littleuns has he is completely contradicting Ralph who is trying not to frighten them and it will make the littluns feel more vulnerable ifthey feel that their leader is unreliable. The littleuns think of the beast as a monster something that can harm them, and to them the beast is something they fear. Piggy is one of the more intelligent boys in the book he thinks in a very practical scientific way and finds the beast hard to

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The symbolism of the beast in Lord of The Flies

The symbolism of the Beast & its significance to characters in LOTF In LOTF the beast is a symbol of fear, and is represented by Golding in many different ways. It is not only a physical thing, but also a presence within all of the boys, which creates an atmosphere of darkness, and horror. It is one of the signs that Golding uses to show that the island isn't as beautiful as it may seem, and that it has a dark side too. The beast is introduced when the littluns says that he has seen a "snake thing", describing it as "big and horrid." At first the beast is just a vague idea, and Simon says that the littluns scream in their sleep "as if it wasn't a good island." Highlights the dark side of the island. The main characters see the beast differently. As leader, Ralph tries to comfort the boys, by describing the idea of the beast as 'nonsense', which is helping the littluns come to terms with the idea. Jack almost undermines Ralph by saying that even if there was a beast "we'd kill it". This shows his hunter- gatherer quality. Piggy is the rational one, and says that "life is scientific", and that the beast doesn't exist. He gets close to the truth when he explains to the boys that it is possible to be "frightened of people." (The beast is within us all.) Simon is also very rational. He suggests that the only thing they should all fear is the savagery and evil in human nature.

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The Importance of the Beast in Lord of the Flies.

The Importance of the Beast in Lord of the Flies This essay is about the importance of the Beast in Lord of the Flies. In it I will speak about the first mention of the 'Beast' and about Ralph, Jack, Piggy and Simon's reactions to it and the fact that it changes into different things (different images from different people). Also I will talk about how Golding creates this creature and what it is portrayed as. Ralph's reaction to the 'beast' is first that it can't be real there is no such thing, but then as things start happening he gets scared and the 'beast creature' plays on his mind, until he actually goes up the mountain. Once he went up the mountain he believed properly, but he believes anything he sees that slightly resembles the 'beast'. The fact that Ralph said the same thing as the twins means he may have not actually seen its face and believes Sam n Eric because that's what he think it looks like. Jack's reactions to the 'beast' is first that it can't be real there is no such thing, just like a Ralph but with all the talk of them an the ghost talk he starts believing it but thinks he is better than it and decides to hunt it. When he gets to the top of the mountain he comes straight back down, now he's not as good as he thinks so Ralph and Roger accompany him and they end up all running back down. Piggy doesn't really encounter the beast but he's the first to hear

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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What is the importance of the beast in 'Lord of the Flies'

What is the importance of the beast in 'Lord of the Flies'? You will need to consider: * How the different characters react to the idea of the beast * How ideas about what the beast might be change during the novel * What you think the beast represents All the way throughout the book, of 'Lord of the Flies' there is one main, big theme; the beast. It was first introduced by a small boy who was described as 'a shrimp of a boy, about six years old, and on one side of his face was blotted out by a mulberry-coloured birthmark.' The boy with the mulberry-coloured birthmark said that it was 'a snake-thing, ever so big.' By describing the beast as a 'snake-thing' makes it sound like as if it is something quite abnormal, because he's not so sure about it being a snake. This keeps the beast more of a mystery, and starts making the beast as the unknown. The beast being a snake is quite significant because it's not a huge animal that you can keep a look out for, it's small and you won't even know when it's near you, and can do you as much harm as a lion or tiger would. Ralph when he first hears about the beast laughs it off, and doesn't think about it seriously. He also convinces the other big boys that it was the small boy's imagination. 'Laughing, Ralph looked for confirmation round the ring of faces. The older boys agreed;' page 35. Every single time someone tries to show

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Lord of the Flies - How is the idea of the beast developed?

Vanessa Arellano Wednesday, 14th august 2002 Lord of the Flies How is the idea of the beast developed? The idea of a beast on the island emerges early in the story, which quickly evolves from the imagination of one little boy. At first the idea is superficially rejected but subconsciously absorbed and as a result it continues to develop. The concept of a dangerous presence on the island originates when one of the children mentions he has seen a "snake - thing. Ever so big.......in the woods, " an idea which is quickly dismissed by the older boys as part of his imagination. Soon, many of the older boys begin to wonder about the existence of some kind of beast, and although many were not willing to admit this, its fear was demonstrated by their horrible nightmares and night screams. Later, talk of beasts emerges at an assembly where the vast majority agreed on its presence on the island and although Simon had already figured out that this idea came from their inner fear, he was not able to get this point across. Orwell reveals the reader, through Simon, how the creation of the beast is used to take the blame for all the chaos and disasters. Furthermore, the creation of the beast is just an excuse to believe the cause of evil is due to it, not to them. As a result, it becomes critical to find a definite shape for the beast and prove its existence as this would

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What do you think is the importance of the .beast. in Lord of the Flies?

What do you think is the importance of the .beast. in Lord of the Flies? Write about: * Ideas that the boys have about the .beast. * What the .beast. may symbolise * How Golding presents the .beast.. The beast goes through many different definitions in 'Lord of the Flies', from being innocent creepers to Beelzebub itself. The beat represents fear and evil and how it affects people. The beat is first introduced as a 'snake-thing' by one of the littluns who calls it a 'beastie'. This is the first hint of there being any fear or danger on the island. The innocent 'beastie' shows their innocence and child-like behaviour. Ralph repeatedly states that there 'isn't a beastie'; he is defiant. Perhaps Ralph is scared, too, and is trying to reassure himself. Simon is the first to suggest that the beast 'was real', but his ideas were ignored by Ralph and Jack. This foreshadows when Simon tries to explain what the beast is but is killed before he has the chance. Piggy then thinks rationally. He states that there isn't a beast 'with claws and all that', but there is people. He implies that the beast is people in general and, due to being called Piggy and being bullied' he has insight into the potentially evil in people. Percival is another little 'un to express his interpretation of the beast. However, he gets laughed at and 'surrounded by the uncomfortable presence of humans', he

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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