How does fear play a major role in the story? Do you think it affects the behavior of the boys ?

Fear is always lurking in the boys' minds the moment they arrive on the island. They fear what they can't see, they fear their nightmares, they fear a beast, they fear each other....The boys really fear the unknown and they substitute this fear with violence and intimidation. This is Golding's view of human nature where fear drives all instinct.