Inner Beast in Lord of the Flies Essay Example

All humans are capable of evil deeds, and it is what society has ingrained in the human mind that stops us from acting on these thoughts. The separation of good versus evil in today’s society is simply between the people who embrace "the beast" and the people who suppress it. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, explains the idea that everyone has an "inner beast," yet with a lack of civilization, who will suppress it and who will embrace it? When stranded in the wilderness, the boys on the good side support the concept of continuing civilization, whereas the boys on the bad side support anarchy and savagery. In the absence of civilization and the societal standards that the young choir boys, as humans, are taught to uphold, sanity slowly slips away, turning most of the young boys into savages. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is an essential example of how the "inner beast" lies dormant in all minds, yet when probed with external influences can spark one to either choose to embrace it or suppress it.

Although at the beginning of the book, many of the choir boys were not able to kill due to their conscience, their need to survive dominates their old life morals, essentially forcing them to accept savagery. From the start of the book, the young boys that ended up on the island were split up. Some were hunters, and some stayed back and built the shelter where the boys would live. At this point, the boys are still clinging to their previous lives and morals. For example, when Jack, one of the hunters, goes hunting for a pig, he is unable to kill it because it was considered improper in his previous life. "‘Why didn’t you… I was going to… I was choosing a place. Next time—!’" (Golding, 30). As the book progresses, the boys begin to accept their situation, embracing and welcoming the "inner beast" more without the hindrance of societal standards. This is exemplified when Jack eventually kills the pig and the boys begin a barbaric chant about the pig's death. "‘ kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood.‘" (Golding, 74). This dramatic transformation from polite young choir boys to bloodthirsty hunters demonstrates how, with minimal outside influence, one may unleash their "inner beast".

Fear-induced fight-or-flight instincts expose the boys' "inner beast" as an emotional response to protect themselves. These boys are simply children; they fear the beast, the dark, and not being able to be rescued. With this much fear over trivial matters other than survival, they cannot think logically, imagining that they saw a beast when in reality, the only beasts inhabiting the island are the young boys themselves. "‘... I saw something big and horrid moving in the trees.‘" (Golding, 94). This fear sparks much destruction throughout the book, leading the boys further down the path of savagery as it manipulates their decisions and ways of thinking. This fear fuels both Jack's desire for power and Ralph's apprehension of the unknown. Although this fear leads both of the boys to the brink of savagery, Ralph is able to suppress it, while Jack is a prime example of one embracing the “inner beast”.  

Through the lack of civilization, most of the choir boys began to lose sight of their sanity and who they were, welcoming the "inner beast".When the boys first arrive on the island, they begin to embrace their "inner beast" and the transition from civilized city life to the untamed wild. They did this by shedding their clothes and accepting the situation brought upon them. "He became conscious of the weight of clothes, kicked his shoes off fiercely and ripped off each stocking" (Golding, 5). Gradually, their acceptance of life on the island grew more savage and less innocent than merely shedding pieces of clothing. Many of the boys became delusional from the lack of authority and order, allowing their "inner beast" to take root in their conscience. This is shown when they do not realize that they are killing Simon, thinking that he was the beast. "Simon was crying out…cry out against the abominable noise" (Golding, 175). This is an excellent example of how the "inner beast" began to invade all of the boys' behaviors and decisions, demonstrating how, in the absence of civilization, the boys were free to do things that their previous lives' society would have deemed inappropriate. 

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a crucial example of how the "inner beast" lies buried in the subconscious of all minds, but when taunted by external influences, can drive one to either embrace or reject it. Survival instinct, fear, and lack of civilization lead the choir boys down the path of savagery and acceptance of the "inner beast". Throughout the book, this idea that all people have an "inner beast" is heavily represented in the behavior of the boys the longer they stay on the island. In this book, Golding wanted to depict how innocence can become tainted in the given circumstances. If one allows the pressure of the environment around them to cloud their judgement and morals, they are likely to welcome and act on their savage thoughts. Everyone has dark thoughts; the difference is whether you act on them or suppress them, defining good versus evil.