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1. 
   luannw Teacher
   High School - 11th Grade

   The "beast" is the dead parachutist.  The boys are unaware of the dead pilot's body that has parachuted onto the island.  Sam and Eric, Samneric, on watch see the body the next morning, but they don't realize that it is the body of a person.  When the pilot's body landed, his parachute lines became entangled in the brush.  His parachute catches the breeze and billows which causes the attached lines to make the body move.  This movement makes the body appear to be moving on its own which is why Samneric think it is a beast.  It is Simon who eventually gets close enough to see that it is just a dead human, not a beast to whom a sacrifice must be made as Jack thinks.  When Simon runs to tell the boys the truth, he stumbles into their frenzy and he is killed because the boys are so worked up that they don't stop to see who is among them.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/flies

   http://www.enotes.com/flies/chapter-6-summary-analysis

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   Posted by luannw on Monday June 9, 2008 at 4:04 PM
   
   

2. 
   adny14310 Teacher
   High School - 10th Grade

   The beast is the dead parachutist discovered my Samneric (the twins Sam and Eric). They immediately think he is the beast becuase of how he appears hanging from a tree.  However, it is not until Simon gets up close that the discovery by the twins proves false. Simon is a fearless character amd when he attempts to report back to the boys is killed by his companions.  They mistake him for the beast and savagely beat and kill him.

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   Posted by adny14310 on Thursday June 12, 2008 at 3:29 PM