The Beast in Lord of The Flies represents the primitive and savage side of human nature.
The Beast is frequently showcased through the character’s fear of the unknown and their subsequent response to it.
The boys’ constant fear of the “Beast” leads to a decline into savagery and chaos, underlining the theme of innate human evil.
Lord of the Flies Quotes With Page Numbers
The Beast Lord Of The Flies Description
“The Beast,” the fear and terror instigated by the perceived beast showcase the inherent evil within the individuals rather than an external force.
The concept of this beast, initially imagined as a snake-like creature hiding as jungle vines, later becomes a being originating from the sea or even a ghost.
When the boys encounter a deceased paratrooper, they interpret it as validation of the beast’s existence.
However, the actual beast on the island is not external or tangible. Instead, they embody their destructive impulses and the dark side of their nature whenever they surrender to their brute instincts.
The boys inadvertently confirm the beast’s real identity through their cruel actions and lack of empathy, which is especially noticeable in Jack’s tribe.
Simon’s vision of the sow’s decapitated head swarmed by flies, creatures incapable of empathy or compassion, further confirms this notion.
This revelation highlights the blurring of the line between humanity and animality, a key premise of Golding’s narrative.
Thus, the “beast” in “Lord of the Flies” symbolizes the inherent evil and savagery lurking within human nature.
The Beast Lord of the Flies Quotes
“He wants to know what you’re going to do about the snake-thing.”
Ralph laughed, and the other boys laughed with him. The small boy twisted further into himself.
“Tell us about the snake-thing.”
“Now he says it was a beastie.”
“Beastie?’
“A snake-thing. Ever so big. He saw it.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Piiggy and Ralph), Chapter 2, Page 35
“Well then—I’ve been all over this island. By myself. If there were a beast I’d have seen it. Be frightened because you’re like that—but there is no beast in the forest.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Jack), Chapter 5, Page 83
“I know there isn’t no beast—not with claws and all that, I mean—but I know there isn’t no fear, either.”
Piggy paused.
“Unless—”
Ralph moved restlessly.
“Unless what?”
“Unless we get frightened of people.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Piiggy and Ralph), Chapter 5, Page 84
“I don’t believe in the beast of course. As Piggy says, life’s scientific, but we don’t know, do we?
Not certainly, I mean―”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Maurice), Chapter 5, Page 88
“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Simon), Chapter 5, Page 89
“Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong – we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies, (Jack), Chapter 5, Page 91
“The trouble is: Are there ghosts, Piggy? Or beasts?” “ ’Course there aren’t.” “Why not?” “’Cos things wouldn’t make sense. Houses an’ streets, an’—TV—they wouldn’t work.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Ralph), Chapter 5, Page 92
“Simon stirred in the dark. “Go on being chief.” “You shut up, young Simon! Why couldn’t you say there wasn’t a beast?” “I’m scared of him,” said Piggy, “and that’s why I know him. If you’re scared of someone you hate him but you can’t stop thinking about him. You kid yourself he’s all right really, an’ then when you see him again; it’s like asthma an’ you can’t breathe. I tell you what. He hates you too, Ralph—” “Me? Why me?” “I dunno. You got him over the fire; an’ you’re chief an’ he isn’t.” “But he’s, he’s, Jack Merridew!” “I been in bed so much I done some thinking. I know about people. I know about me. And him. He can’t hurt you: but if you stand out of the way he’d hurt the next thing. And that’s me.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Characters: Simon, Piggy, and Ralph), Chapter 5, Page 93
“We’ve seen the beast with our own eyes.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Characters: Eric), Chapter 6, Page 100
“And another thing. You can’t have an ordinary hunt because the beast doesn’t leave tracks. If it did you’d have seen them. For all we know, the beast may swing through the trees like what’s its name.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Character: Ralph), Chapter 6, Page 101
“This is more than a hunter’s job,” said Ralph at last, “because you can’t track the beast.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Character: Ralph), Chapter 6, Page 102
“Simon, walking in front of Ralph, felt a flicker of incredulity―a beast with claws that scratched, that sat on a mountain-top, that left no tracks and yet was not fast enough to catch Samneric. However Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and sick.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about Simon and the Beast), Chapter 6, Page 103
“They forgot the beast in the excitement of exploration.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The narrator about the beast), Chapter 6, Page 107
“If you could shut your ears to the slow suck down of the sea and boil of the return, if you could forget how dun and unvisited were the ferny coverts on either side, then there was a chance that you might put the beast out of mind and dream for a while.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The narrator about the beast), Chapter 7, Page 109
“He offered no opinion on the beast nor told Ralph why he had chosen to come on this mad expedition.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about the beast), Chapter 7, Page 121
“First, you know now, we’ve seen the beast.
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Ralph), Chapter 8, Page 125
“Hunting,” said Jack. He remembered his age-old tremors in the forest.
“Yes. The beast is a hunter. Only― shut up! The next thing is that we couldn’t kill it. And the next is that Ralph said my hunters are no good.”
“I never said that!”
“I’ve got the conch. Ralph thinks you’re cowards, running away from the boar and the beast. And that’s not all.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Jack), Chapter 8, Page 126
“This head is for the beast. It’s a gift.”
The silence accepted the gift and awed them. The head remained there, dim-eyed, grinning faintly, blood blackening between the teeth. All at once they were running away, as fast as they could, through the forest toward the open beach. ”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Jack), Chapter 8, Page 137
“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast. . .”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Simon), Chapter 8, Page 143
“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 what they are?”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The head (the beast) in Simon’s hallucination), Chapter 8, Page 143
“So they had shifted camp then, away from the beast.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about Simon and the beast), Chapter 9, Page 146
“As Simon thought this, he turned to the poor broken thing that sat stinking by his side. The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about Simon), Chapter 9, Page 147
“I gave you food,” said Jack, “and my hunters will protect you from the beast.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Jack), Chapter 9, Page 150
“The shrill screaming that rose before the beast was like a pain.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about the Beast), Chapter 9, Page 152
“Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!” The sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator and the hunters), Chapter 9, Page 152
“At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about the Beast), Chapter 9, Page 153
“Only the beast lay still, a few yards from the sea. Even in the rain they could see how small a beast it was; and already its blood was staining the sand.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about the Beast), Chapter 9, Page 153
“―and then, the beast might try to come in. You remember how he crawled―”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Ralph), Chapter 10, Page 160
“I expect the beast disguised himself.”
“Perhaps […]. We’d better keep on the right side of him, anyhow. You can’t tell what he might do.”
The tribe considered this; and then were shaken, as if by a flow of wind. The chief saw the effect of his words and stood abruptly.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Jack), Chapter 10, Page 161
“Desperately, Ralph prayed that the beast would prefer littluns.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (The Narrator about Ralph), Chapter 10, Page 167
Lord of the Flies Characters Symbolism
What is the quote about the beast and fear in Lord of the Flies?
“I know there isn’t no beast—not with claws and all that, I mean—but I know there isn’t no fear, either.”
Piggy paused.
“Unless—”
Ralph moved restlessly.
“Unless what?”
“Unless we get frightened of people.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, (Piiggy and Ralph about fear), Chapter 5, Page 84
What does Ralph say about the beast in Lord of the Flies?
“The trouble is: Are there ghosts, Piggy? Or beasts?” “ ’Course there aren’t.” “Why not?” “’Cos things wouldn’t make sense. Houses an’ streets, an’—TV—they wouldn’t work.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, Ralph, Chapter 5, Page 92
What does the beast symbolize?
The beast symbolizes the inherent evil and savagery that resides within all humans. Initially, it appears as a snake to the young boys, inciting fear, much like the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
But with time, they realize it represents the dark side of human nature. Despite the realization, the boys’ increasing savagery fortifies their belief in the beast, ultimately leading to sacrifices to appease it, highlighting humanity’s propensity for violence and chaos when unchecked.
How does Jack use the beast to his advantage quotes?
“Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong – we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies, Jack, Chapter 5, Page 91
“Hunting,” said Jack. He remembered his age-old tremors in the forest.
“Yes. The beast is a hunter. Only― shut up! The next thing is that we couldn’t kill it. And the next is that Ralph said my hunters are no good.”
“I never said that!”
“I’ve got the conch. Ralph thinks you’re cowards, running away from the boar and the beast. And that’s not all.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies, Jack, Chapter 8, Page 126