Completion Date: 21 October 2018
Medium: Paint & ink on cardboard
Dimensions: 16 X 20 inches
Maybe there is a beast…maybe it’s only us
Quote from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies – chapter 5, pg. 80.
“Maybe,” he said hesitantly, “maybe there is a beast.”
The assembly cried out savagely and Ralph stood up in amazement.
“You, Simon? You believe in this?”
“I don’t know,” said Simon. His heartbeats were choking him. “But. . . .”
The storm broke.
“Sit down!”
“Shut up!”
“Take the conch!”
“Sod you!”
“Shut up!”
Ralph shouted.
“Hear him! He’s got the conch!”
“What I mean is . . . maybe it’s only us.”
Simon ends the beast discussion in an attempt to offer what he felt was an explanation: “‘Maybe there is a beast….maybe it’s only us.'” This again hits closer to home than even Piggy’s comment, about the fear and paranoia they boys have for each other. Taking it one step further, instead of each other person becoming a beast and an object to be potentially feared, Simon suggests that they are themselves the beast rather than it being everyone else. It is not without but a thing from within. Regretfully, no one understands him and his attempt at explaining this is a failure.