Fear In Lord Of The Flies

In the novel Lord of the Flies, fear plays a vital role in showing how hysteria can provoke mankind’s violent nature, hence relating to Golding’s theme. Chapter 6 states, “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”(page 103). Although Simon is the only character in the novel to understand that the beast is actually inside of the boys, it doesn’t rule out the fact that he still fears it. Simon fears that the hysterics surrounding the idea of a physical beast will eventually cause the rest of the boys to lash out and put themselves against each other.

As the story progresses, Chapter 7 states, “In front of them, only three or four yards away, was a rock-like hump where no rock should be. Ralph could hear a tiny chattering noise coming from somewhere—perhaps his own mouth. He bound himself together with his will, fused his fear and loathing into a hatred, and stood up. He took two leaden steps forward”(page 123). Ralph is very brave to stand up to the beast - however, his fear is turning into “hatred”. Hatred causes people to do desperate things in order to fulfill these emotions, even if it turns into violence. Imagine what each of the boys could do when fear turns into hatred? It would just be another example that if fear is innate in every living thing, it can easily unfold into violent nature. Finally, Chapter 8 states, “‘This head is for the beast. It's a gift’”(page