Lord of the Flies Theme of Fear

From the beginning of the novel, the boys struggle with fear of the unknown. They fear what they cannot see, the parts of the island they haven’t explored, the mysterious beast, and of course, though they may not realize it at first, they fear the damage they may do to one another. All of these have some “unknown” element to them; they can’t see in the dark, they don’t know what’s on the island, they’re unsure of what the beast really is, and they’re ignorant of the depths of their own violent capabilities.

1. Supposedly, we humans fear “the unknown.” What is “the unknown” in Lord of the Flies?
2. What do the littluns really fear when they talk about the beast? At what point in the novel do the boys fully accept the reality of the beast, and what is the catalyst?

In Lord of the Flies, fear is neutralized by the realization that the only thing the boys have to fear is fear itself.

In Lord of the Flies, fear becomes paralyzing and unbeatable by the realization that the only thing the boys have to fear is fear itself.