The beast is a major symbol which evolves gradually in `Lord of the flies'. Physically, it is the head of a slaughtered pig that has been placed on a stick, `sharpened at both ends'. `Lord of the flies' comes from a Hebrew word, Beelzebub, one of the names given to the devil Satan. Symbolically, the Lord of the Flies represents the evil that resides within all of us.

The beast is first introduced by the boy with a birthmark. He refers to it as a, `snake-thing', meaning an actual creature that may be present on the island with them. Although the initial response is laughter and ridicule, Ralph's sympathetic attempts towards the boy, in trying to explain the `beastie' as a `nightmare' backfires and also makes other boys afraid of it. Ralph is inexperienced as a leader and does not know how to handle the little boys' fear...