Beast Flashcards
Analyse quote “maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us”
The use of ellipsis creates a sense of hesitation and uncertainty, mirroring Simon’s struggle to articulate his profound insight. This technique also reflects how uncomfortable this truth is—Simon is attempting to verbalise a terrifying realisation: that the boys’ descent into savagery is not caused by an external monster but by their own primal instincts. This moment marks a shift in the beast’s characterisation—from a mythical creature to an embodiment of human savagery.
“dim - eyed, grinning faintly, blood blackening between the teeth”
Golding’s description of the pig’s head is filled with disturbing, macabre imagery that makes the reader viscerally uncomfortable. The phrase “blood blackening between the teeth” evokes a sense of decay and disease, suggesting that the head is not only lifeless but actively rotting. The colour change of the blood from red to black signifies the transformation from life to death, mirroring the boys’ descent from innocence to savagery. In a broader sense, the imagery of decomposition serves as an extended metaphor for the breakdown of civilisation—just as the pig’s head festers, so too does the island community dissolve into chaos and brutality. The Lord of the Flies is a direct translation of Beelzebub, a name associated with the devil in Christian theology. By giving the pig’s head this name, Golding draws a parallel between the beast and the personification of evil, reinforcing the idea that the true beast is not an external force but something deeply embedded in human nature.
