Essay | Lord of the Flies: Illumination of Simon's Death

Set during World War II, William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, describes the plight of a group of British schoolboys stranded on a Pacific island after their plane is shot down en route to England. Further discord results with an increasing fear of a supposed "beast" on the island. Simon is perhaps one of the more curious figures in the story, and he always comes to the boys' aid whenever someone needs his help. Upon discovering that the beast is only the rotting corpse of a pilot whose plane had been shot down near the island, Simon tries to share this news with the others. However, the boys are caught up in a primal ritual celebrating the slaying of a pig when Simon runs into the midst of this. Mistaken to be the beast, Simon is killed by the boys' spears. Simon is martyr-like in his selflessness and is...
(read more)