In lord of the flies Why does Jack deny that the beast is dead?

Answer 1

Jack needs the power of the beast in a couple of ways: as a common enemy for the boys to unite them; as a way to gain respect and to manipulate others as well as to satisfy his hunger for power; and as an excuse for hunting perhaps.

Jack sort of became the spokesperson in the previous few chapters. He give offerings to it, tell others to leave it alone on 'the other side'. He is trying to make it more real for the others.

Jack himself does not believe in the physical beast but is closer to the true beast- the capacity for evil in everyone, then everyone, even Simon. He is not afraid of it, as no one would use things they are uncertain or afraid of. if the beast is dead, he will loose power.

Therefore even though he consciously recognize the murder of Simon though he hides it from the others. No one could stop him from using the beast now that Simon has died. He could make the beast immortal.

Answer 2

Because the beast can change into any form, like Simon, and that he will come back as something or someone else

1. In the back of his mind, Jack realizes that it was not the beast that they saw the previous night, but that it was actually Simon. It is important to Jack that the beast is alive because otherwise it would mean that he murdered Simon. Additionally, the beast is what holds his society together, as they respect him only because he can protect them from the beast.

Answer 3

The Beast represents the inherant fear in humanity of something out there that will harm us - like, for instance, the Devil. Jack encourages belief in the Beast to keep his position as 'protector', another way of saying he wants to be 'God'

Answer 4

Because telling every body the Beast is dead, is admitting that there is nothing to fear anymore, therefore he won't have a reason to protect them.

Answer 5

because he has become the beast himself