Simon is a character who is a major significance in Lord of the Flies. Simon is one of the boys stranded on the island after his plane crashed. Additionally, Simon is a member of the choir. As part of the choir, he is under the leadership of Jack. Simon is described as “...a skinny, vivid little boy, with a glance coming up from under a hut of straight hair that hung down, black and coarse.” (24) He is also prone to fainting. For instance, shortly after the plane crashes, Simon faints in front of all of the other boys. Simon is an important character in the novel. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, there is an allusion that predominates in the work. Simon portrays this allusion to the Bible in the novel and sustains this …show more content…
Jesus is a holy man. He doesn’t hesitate to help others, even if it makes him unpopular. Simon displays this quality by helping and standing up for Piggy, a boy few respect. Jesus is a carpenter. By helping Ralph build shelters, Simon is also serving as a carpenter. Jesus, in addition, develops a friendship with children like Simon who helps the children collect fruit from trees which they cannot reach. “...Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless, outstretched hands.” (56) Both Simon and Jesus possess a gift for prophecy. Both realize that they would be killed for the lives of others. Jesus is tempted by the devil for forty days to disobey God. Likewise, Simon is tempted by the Lord of the Flies. “The Lord of the Flies tells Simon, ‘You’d better run on and play with the others. They think you’re batty.’”(143) Jesus and Simon encounter numerous of the same experiences and display the same virtues. Although there are numerous reasons why Simon is a Christ figure, there is one event in the novel that truly separates Simon as being a Christ figure.This event is when Simon sacrifices his life. Simon is killed by the other boys because he is thought to be the beast, a threat to all of them. Simon knew he was going to die while on the island and accepts his fate. By dying, Simon saves Ralph
Simon is the one boy who never participates in destructive behaviors and always contributes to the well being of the boys. He continues to work even after everyone stops, gives Piggy food when no one else will, and speaks his mind about the beast. He is also the only one to realize that the true beast is inside the boys. Simon’s moral compass, much like the superego, allows him to see the evil of mankind. Simon is whole-heartedly good. The superego attempts to lead a person to the morally right pathway, much like Simon aims to show Ralph how he can do what’s best for the tribe. The primitive nature of the others overpowers Simon’s internal good nature. Even after his death, Simon’s moral nature lives on through the boys similar to how the superego can continue to shine after a person follows the desires of the id.
In the The Lord of the Flies they're are many different characters that embodys various types of archetypes, one of those is Simon as the "Christ" figure. In the book Simon is portrayed like Christ because he is a very kind, compassionate, and peaceful person. He is also shown as a provider of food for example he provided fruit where in this case Christ provided bread. Around the end of the book simon is seen as a prophet just like Christ, he starts to apprehend who this beastie on the island truly is. When Simon tries to tell the boys on the island what he thought he was killed but in reality he was just an innocent boy, just like Christ was you can say "crucified".
In the novel, Simon is described as a dark-haired boy with a dark complexion, similar to the regionally correct Jesus Christ. Simon represents Christ in the way that he is still in touch with his consciousness and can ward off the darkness present in all humans. He is the first to die when trying to show the boys the truth of the “beast.” This is the same beast he describes as found in all humans, not roaming the island as a creature. Ralph is the elected leader of the boys on the island.
Simon had a specific mission in the novel: the opportunity to talk to the beast and receive answers, very similar to revelations. His role was to help the boys notice what the Beast really was, and not
Simon falls to the ground dead and is described as beautiful and pure. The description of his death, the manner in which he died, and the cause for which he died are remarkably similar to the circumstances of Christ's life and ultimate demise. The major difference is
He even is sacrificed on the island just as Jesus Christ was. Foster writes a list of characteristics given to characters to represent christ and one of them is turning his back from temptation. The beast overwhelms the boys on the island, and Simon is the only one who actually understands the beast. While all the other boys are turning into beasts Simon remains the same. He also sacrifices some of his own food for Piggy, and he helps others. Another implication that Simon is a christ figure is his name, Simon. Simon is one of the names of the twelve apostles. The author portrays Simon in this manner to give a perspective the readers. there is symbolism in the fact Simon represents Christ and he is the one who is misunderstood and different from the
There are three examples given to this first argument to prove Simon is a Christ-Figure. First, in the 7th chapter of Golding’s work. This shows what Simon said about the rest of the boys getting rescued to Ralph. “You’ll get back where you came from. Simon nodded as he spoke.”
In a very similar way to Christ, the pair share duel egos. Jesus was born a common Jewish man, but at the same time holds fame as the Son of God. This can also be seen with Ralph. Shortly into the book, Simon retreats to the forest to meditate. This shows an understanding of spiritual nirvana, and a sage side to Simon.
In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Simon represents the innate morality of humans, acting as a Christ-like figure, while Roger embodies the all present cruelty and inherent sadism of individuals. Throughout the novel, Simon remains unchanged in terms of morality, as others slowly turn to savagery and hunting, as can be seen when Jack’s group become, “demoniac figures with faces of white and red and green.” Instead Simon finds a quiet spot “in a little cabin screened off from the open space by a few leaves.” By “holding his breath, he [cocks] a critical ear at the sounds of the island,” using his secret cabin to meditate. Coupled with his deep connection to nature, Simon is revealed to be a Christ figure. When left alone with the
In the story, Lord of the Flies, there are many biblical allusions; Simon represents Jesus, the pig’s head represents Satan or rather their satanic sides, Jack represents Judas, and the island represents the Garden of Eden. Through out this novel these allusions play large parts in the story and ideals place in the story.
Religion is part of peoples’ everyday lives and its imagery is often seen throughout literature. The novel Lord of the Flies is about young boys who endure a plane crash and become stranded on an island without adults. Religious imagery can be found in the novel and the novel is frequently referred to as a biblical allegory. In the novel Lord of the Flies, religious symbolism is represented through characters, setting, and circumstances reflecting Christian parallels.
Simon is not the leading protagonist of the novel but he represents Jesus, who would
First, Simon always had his friends back, and would help them no matter what other people thought. At the beginning of the book, Jack and the hunters have caught and killed their first pig. They are sitting around the fire on the mountain, eating the meat, but since Jack does not like Piggy, he does not give him any meat. Simon decides to sacrifice one of his piece’s of meat: “Simon, sitting between the twins and Piggy, wiped his mouth and shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy (92). Although this is a small action performed by Simon, this demonstrates how he is a Christ like figure, and how he is one of the only people to remain civilized through the whole novel.
Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, Simon proves that he is helpful and thoughtful not only through his actions, but his thoughts as well. For example, in chapter three, Simon "found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back to the endless, outstretched hands" (Golding 56). Simon cares for the littluns without a doubt, showing that he is selfless and considerate. He takes time out of his day to help others achieve their goals and help them get what they want even though he has his own priorities. Simon's actions suggest that he accepts everyone for who they are, good or bad, when he asks, " 'What else is there to do?' " while deciding what the right choice to make is when
The character of Simon in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies has often been viewed as the Christ figure of the novel. If you were to examine the actions of both Simon and Jesus, you would find a number of incidents that parallel each other.