What Does The Beast Symbolize In Lord Of The Flies
Symbolism in Lord of the Flies
Since 1954, when the novel Lord of the Flies was first published, over 25 million copies have been sold in the English language alone. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, has written many books, but this still stands out as one of his best. This book is known for it’s amazing use of symbolism, and the manner in which Golding uses symbols to explore human nature. He does a fantastic job of using these symbols to really portray the theme of the novel. For instance, some of the most important symbols he uses are the fire, the conch, Piggy’s glasses and the Beast.
At the beginning of the novel the island is seemingly paradise. The boys have everything they need, including fruit and meat. …show more content…
The Beast is the pig’s head on a stick. When Simon comes into contact with the Beast, William Golding writes in Lord of the Flies, “Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a blackness that spread.” Simon realized that the Beast was trying to influence the boys by filling their hearts with evil. The Beast, living in the heart of Simon, powerfully suggests to Simon that he give up and come over to the evil side. Nevertheless, Simon decides that he does not want to fall into the Beast's hands so he rejects this advice. Then the Beast says, “I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see? You’re not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island! So don’t try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else—”. Simon’s death is what the Beast was foreshadowing. Later you can see the Beast’s work in how even Ralph and Piggy take part in Simon’s killing. The Beast has such a strong influence that it even persuades them to kill one of their best friends. It is like a Satan figure that is a terrible influence in our own lives. The boys are filled with savagery as well as evil and, therefore, have left their once civilized ways. They have become so corrupt that even killing seems to be “fun” to them, as the Beast said. Although the Beast is inside the boys, what Golding is trying to say is that all humans are filled with evil. Just like the boys we are taught to be good people, but there is still always an evil within us. We, as human beings, are inclined to do evil because of
Since 1954, when the novel Lord of the Flies was first published, over 25 million copies have been sold in the English language alone. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, has written many books, but this still stands out as one of his best. This book is known for it’s amazing use of symbolism, and the manner in which Golding uses symbols to explore human nature. He does a fantastic job of using these symbols to really portray the theme of the novel. For instance, some of the most important symbols he uses are the fire, the conch, Piggy’s glasses and the Beast.
At the beginning of the novel the island is seemingly paradise. The boys have everything they need, including fruit and meat. …show more content…
The Beast is the pig’s head on a stick. When Simon comes into contact with the Beast, William Golding writes in Lord of the Flies, “Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a blackness that spread.” Simon realized that the Beast was trying to influence the boys by filling their hearts with evil. The Beast, living in the heart of Simon, powerfully suggests to Simon that he give up and come over to the evil side. Nevertheless, Simon decides that he does not want to fall into the Beast's hands so he rejects this advice. Then the Beast says, “I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see? You’re not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island! So don’t try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else—”. Simon’s death is what the Beast was foreshadowing. Later you can see the Beast’s work in how even Ralph and Piggy take part in Simon’s killing. The Beast has such a strong influence that it even persuades them to kill one of their best friends. It is like a Satan figure that is a terrible influence in our own lives. The boys are filled with savagery as well as evil and, therefore, have left their once civilized ways. They have become so corrupt that even killing seems to be “fun” to them, as the Beast said. Although the Beast is inside the boys, what Golding is trying to say is that all humans are filled with evil. Just like the boys we are taught to be good people, but there is still always an evil within us. We, as human beings, are inclined to do evil because of