Simon Lord Of The Flies Analysis

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Looks can be deceiving - people are not always as they seem. The true human nature that may actually exist within people is exemplified in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The author uses the symbols of Simon, Jack, and the “Lord of the Flies” to explain his view of the human nature as savage, hidden behind the thin veil of social decorum that society has carefully molded. Simon, a reference to biblical figure Jesus, is a major symbol of civility in the face of grave fear. Though he is not completely integrated into the boys’ social groups, Simon is one of the friendliest and most logical boys on the island. His kindness is shown when he helps some “littluns” as the author writes, “Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled…show more content…
At the start of the novel, Jack is a timid yet arrogant boy who is unable to kill a pig; the author writes, “They [Ralph and Simon] knew well why he hadn’t [killed the pig]: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh” (31). Jack here still has the moral values that he has retained from civil society: killing is not accepted. His guilt and ashamedness, however, turns into a boldness that acquires a bloodlust. Jack dons war paint (63), and invites the other boys to join him. Scenes like, “All at once, Robert was screaming and struggling with the strength of frenzy. Jack had him at the hair and was brandishing his knife…[sic] ‘Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in! [the boys said] ’” (114) reflect how Jack has transformed into a murderous rascal who seeks the joy of killing, and how Jack has also led the boys in crazy, dangerous hunts. Jack’s fierceness translates then into challenging Ralph, the chief, shown when Jack tells the assembly, “The next thing is that Ralph said my hunters are no good. I’ve got the conch [so I can talk]. Ralph thinks you’re cowards…all right. Who thinks Ralph oughtn’t to be chief?” (126, 127). Jack’s fierce challenge reflects a deterioration in the boy’s society that occurs as order breaks down. As the situation becomes worse, Jack splits himself from the main group, and an entourage
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