The "Beastie" in Lord of the Flies

Symbolism

"The beastie" the kids see in Lord of the Flies represents the beast that lives in every human being. It started off as something that might not even exist and it was just a figure of their imagination or so Ralph says. As they begin to grow savage, taking pleasure in being violent towards the others and not taking care of their individual responsibilities, they give "the beastie" more scary features so it gives them a reason to go hunt to kill it. They do this because there staring to like the violent nature they're creating, thus proving that as the boys in the group become more savage and violent, the more real the "scary beast" becomes.

The Beastie in Lord of the Flies

Stage 1

In the second chapter some people in the group don't even believe "the beastie" even exists. '"He must have had a nightmare. Stumbling about among all those creepers."..."He says he saw the beastie, the snake-thing, and will it come back tonight?""But there isn't a beastie!"'(page 36) Ralph shouts trying to convince the boys the beastie is just a figure of their imagination. It is still early in the time they are stranded on the island, so the beast that lives in each of the children isn't that strong so some of the kids, like Ralph, are trying to think logically and say that "the beastie" really doesn't exist.

Dana and Megan

"twins"

Stage 2

In chapter 5, the kids are mostly discussing if there is a beast. All of the older kids and little kids say what their theory is about this "beast" or if this is just fear they all believe in. The discussion started off when Jack said, "'The thing is—fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream. There aren’t any beasts to be afraid of on this island'...'there is no animal'—Ralph interrupted him testily.'What is all this? Who said anything about an animal?'...my hunters sometimes—talk of a thing, a dark thing, a beast, some sort of animal. I’ve heard.'...Jack listened to Percival’s answer and then let go of him...Jack cleared his throat, then reported casually. 'He says the beast comes out of the sea.'...At last the assembly was silent again. Someone spoke out of turn. "Maybe he means it’s some sort of ghost.'" They all fight and argue about what exactly the beast is or if there's even a real beast or if it's fear or if the beast is actually them on the inside. The boys are starting to take notice of each other's true self during the whole argument and seeing who's side they're on especially between Jack and Ralph.

Stage 3

“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast. . . . Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! . . . You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are the way they are?” says the Lord of the Flies, or pig's head' to Simon. The pig's head is saying "You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of all human beings." Simon is imagining this because he is the most clear headed person in the group and because it is also foreshadowing his death because the pig also says he is going to have some 'fun' with him, Simon, which we now know is his death. The pig's head is representing the killer in every body and the "Beastie" is representing the will to kill. As the boys become more and more uncivilized, the killer grows inside them which makes them believe in the Beastie more because they are constantly looking for something to hunt or kill or both.