A Wolf In Sheep's Skin

Elizabeth Hodgson

Mr. Newman

ENG 2D

Dec. 5^th

Wolf in Sheep's Skin- Lord Of The Flies

In the book Lord of the Flies Golding uses themes and symbols to covey underlying messages throughout the novel. Golding is developing the idea that the beast is linked to savagery. Fear is the thing that brings out the more savage side of people. In scenes throughout the novel, like when Simon is mentioning the beast in a meeting and everyone is getting scared and angry, when the tribes are attacking Simon because they think he is the beast, and when the tribes are dancing and pretending to hunt Roger, anytime the beast is mentioned, the boys experience fear, and then they revert to a more primal state of savagery. The boys are the sheep, and the wolf is hiding inside, waiting for fear to bring the other side out.  

When Ralph calls a meeting to discuss the beast, Simon mentions that the beast might just be the boy's themselves, and the boy's get angry and act savagely. An example of this is when the boys start shouting, "'Sod you!' 'Shut Up!'"(96). The boys get stressed, and the scene turns into chaos. As soon as the beast gets mentioned, the boys get scared, and this fear leads to violence. The wording that Golding uses is very short and simple "'Sit Down', 'Shut Up'" (96). This also reflects the primitive nature. Because the beast is a sort of metaphor for fear, whenever it is mentioned, the fear in the boys takes them over, and to counteract that they act violently to feel safer. Simon also finds it hard to speak after everyone's outbreak: "Simon became inarticulate in the effort to express mankind's essential illness" (96). This demonstrates that the only boy who realizes what the beast is is the one who does not succumb to the fear it inspires. Because fear is what brings the beast out, Simon is one of the only boys who does not act savagely. This shows that understanding and knowledge and civilization all combat the fear the beast influences. When the boys concentrate on the beast they lose sight of the goal they are trying to achieve, getting home. Simon still is a sheep, but he understands that there is a wolf inside him as well.