In the novel "Lord of the Flies," there are many references to the beast. Each one illustrates the gradual decline of humanity and the rise of savagery. Simon is the only boy on the island who truly understands what is controlling the boys, yet he cannot express his thoughts clearly in words and ends up being killed for even trying.
             In the beginning, the fear of a "beastie" on the island first stems from a littlun with a distinctive marking, a "mulberry-colored birthmark" on his face, who says the beast comes out at night. Both Ralph and Jack, thinking these to be simply childish nightmares, comfort and more or less manage to convince everyone that there is no beast. It is this same mulberry birthmarked boy, who disappears after the boys' first fire burns out of control across the island. Even though he had probably died in the fire, his disappearance was something that no one had ever accounted for, as no one knew the exact answer. This would have probably led to further speculations about whether there is a beast on the island. Ralph still retains control of the boys, and manages to maintain order.
             Fear of the beast has not diminished. Instead, that fear has intensified in strength amongst the littluns. Simon brings this to Ralph and Jack's attention when he comments that the children are afraid of the beast as if "the beastie or the snake-thing was real". Here, Ralph begins to take this problem more seriously, for he sees it's potential to become a full-blown issue, and raises it at the next assembly.
             The beast has now become a topic of discussion during assembly and the boys now openly express their fears. Simon has been mistaken for the beast by one of the littluns out sleep-walking. Piggy gives his scientific opinion that there is nothing to be afraid of on the island unless they are afraid of people. Simon tries to add to this by ambiguously stating this about the beast: "Maybe it's only us.", but no one really ...