The Beast

1. I think the beast is a symbol about how the real beast is inside of the kids

1.1. “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!” said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?” pg. 143

1.2. "He still says he saw the beastie. It came and went away an' came back and wanted to eat him--he was dreaming" pg. 33

1.3. "There is no beast, you are probably just had a dream about it" pg. 35

2. Fake or real?

2.1. “If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat” pg.89

2.2. "I don't believe in the beast" pg. 108

2.3. "he said hesitantly, maybe there is a beast" pg. 101

2.4. "But now we really got a beast, though I can hardly believe it" pg. 135

3. The kids can't express their fear about being on the island so they show it through the beast.

3.1. “By myself. If there were a beast I’d have seen it. Be frightened because you’re like that—but there is no beast in the forest.” pg. 84

3.2. "he moved the conch gently, looking beyond them at nothing,remembering the beastie, the snake, the fire and the talk of fear. Then people started to get frightened. pg. 82

3.3. "We've got to talk about this fear and decide there's nothing in it. I'm frightened myself, sometimes; only thats nonsense!" pg. 82