There are several characters throughout the novel Lord of the Flies that lead the boys on the island toward destruction. The first character to bring up the idea of the "beastie" is the littlun with the mulberry birthmark. His character is significant to the destruction on the island because the idea of the "beastie" is the catalyst for irrational fear which perpetuates amongst the boys. He is also the first casualty of the island. His accidental death foreshadows the deaths of Simon and Piggy later on in the novel. His death and belief in the "beastie" has an immense psychological impact on the boys. The reality that death is a possibility on the island, coupled with their irrational fear of a beast lead toward their eventual destruction.
Roger is another character who leads the boys on the island toward destruction. At the beginning of the novel, Roger is a helpful boy who makes valid suggestions, such as voting to choose a leader. As the novel progresses, Roger becomes Jack's right-hand man. Roger supports Jack's tyrannical leadership and promotes brutality on the island. Roger becomes a sadist who takes pleasure in harming others. Roger is an advocate for violence and his intimidating presence forces many of the boys to obey and participate in Jack's barbarism. Roger also kills Piggy, which is the anticlimactic moment when all hope and civility is lost on the island. His character is instrumental in the boys' destruction on the island.
Jack is obviously the main catalyst that leads the boys toward destruction in the novel. Jack is the first to rebel against Ralph's democratic leadership and forms his own tribe of brutal hunters. Jack is the first to neglect the conch which is a symbol of civility and structure throughout the novel. He promotes violence and encourages the boys to become savages. Jack uses the irrational fear of the beast to motivate his tribe to partake in violence. Jack is void of morality and commands his tribe to hunt Ralph at the end of the novel.
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