“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it's only us.”

“What I mean is... maybe it's only us...”

“Maybe, he said hesitantly, maybe there is a beast. The assembly cried out savagely and Ralph stood up in amazement. You, Simon? You believe in this? I don't know, said Simon. His heartbeats were choking him. [...]Ralph shouted. Hear him! He's got the conch! What I mean is . . . maybe it's only us. Nuts! That was from Piggy, shocked out of decorum.”

“...maybe hope isn't such a bad thing. Maybe it's what keeps us together.”

“No one knows why we hate Hattie. Maybe it's her wool skirts and kneesocks. Maybe it's because she's the last to develop. Maybe it's because she makes A's. Maybe it's because if we hate her, no one will hate us.”

“Maybe language is kind, giving us these double meanings. Maybe it's trying to teach us a lesson, that we can always be two things at once.”