In Lord of the Flies, what is the significance of the title "Beast from Water?"

In chapter 5, "Beast from Water," the fears of the boys are discussed openly in a meeting. Unfortunately, Ralph has called the meeting just at dusk, and by the time he opens up the discussion to the "beast" that some children have been talking about, the island has become dark. First, the older boys assure the littluns that there cannot possibly be a beast, that is, a creature, on the island. The hunters as well as Piggy and Ralph have explored pretty much the entire island, and they all assure the boys that a large threatening animal could not be living there.

However, just as the boys are reaching a place of assurance, little Percival, the most fearful of the children, states that "the beast comes out of the sea." This is a terrifying thought because it presents a distinct possibility. Maurice, an older boy, rises to speak and brings science to bear on the subject, insisting than all the ocean creatures have not yet been discovered. This emphasizes the vulnerability of the boys on the island; they are surrounded by a wide ocean and would have no way to protect themselves from such a threat. Simon rises to try to focus the discussion not on imaginary threats, but on what he alone has discerned is the true threat, stating about the beast, "maybe it's only us." That answer receives scorn, but it leads to another boy suggesting the possibility of ghosts, and in the eerie darkness, the boys begin to entertain that suggestion. The assembly breaks up, leading to Ralph questioning his own leadership.

The "beast from water" represents the boys' nameless fears. The next chapter, "Beast from Air," symbolizes a closer, more tangible, and greater threat, the threat of violence and war. Both of these are external representations of the true "beast," which, as Simon tried to suggest early on, is the moral darkness within the boys themselves.