What does Golding believe about human nature

Golding essentially believes that human nature is fraught with darkness. While the boys fear the "beast" as an embodiment of evil similar to the Christian concept of Satan, the novel emphasizes that this interpretation is not only mistaken but also, ironically, the motivation for the boys' increasingly cruel and violent behavior. It is in the end the boys themselves who harbour the beast within them. It is only Simon, Golding's Christ-figure, that really understands this.