Saturday, January 24, 2015

In the novel Lord of the Flies, describe the "beast" that appears to come out of the sea.

In Chapter 5, Ralph holds an assembly to discuss why the boys are not following through with the tasks agreed upon during the meetings. He then begins to address the existence of the "beast." Ralph, Jack, and Piggy firmly believe that the "beast" does not exist. Then, a littlun named Percival mentions that the "beast" lives and comes out of the sea. Percival does not go into detail about the "beast" because he passes out after commenting that it lives in the sea. The boys then begin to argue about its identity before Jack and his hunters decide to leave the meeting. While Piggy attempts to rationalize its existence by thinking scientifically, only Simon understands its true identity. The "beast" in the water is only a figment of the boys' imagination. It represents the inner fears that they feel on the uninhabited island at night. The true nature of the "beast" is the inherent wickedness in each individual. It is a not a tangible being, but rather a symbol of their inherent evil. 

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