Simon from Lord of the Flies

In all humans, there is some form of evil. This theme is expressed throughout the novel of Lord of the Flies. The only character to realize this is Simon. In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, nature resembles the unfortunate events to come and the character, Simon, foreshadows these events. When Simon is introduced in the beginning of the story, he is fainting. Physical weakness becomes a hallmark of his character, from passing out to throwing up, to hallucinations and bloody noses.

Although he might lack a strong physical appearance, he shows others he is intelligent by the large words he uses throughout the book. Simon is the main character who tries to hold on to civilization. He has a conversation with Ralph in the beginning of the book claiming that they will get rescued. This is the beginning of Simon starting to foreshadow events. Throughout the novel multiple instances occur where a kid will say that they will get rescued. Littluns are usually the ones that whine about they are hungry and thirsty and wanting to know when they are going to get rescued.

Eventually they do get rescued but Simon is killed accidentally and never gets to leave the island. Simon is also the boys’ last hope of retaining civilization. Throughout the book the boys lose civilization and become savages. Simon, Ralph, and piggy try to maintain their selves and help others remain civilized. To me it seemed that Jack left Ralph’s Group and created his own group because he accepted savagery and didn’t want be part of civilization anymore. Eventually this change turns for the worst of the group and actually kills Simon.

Simon is a nature boy. He is constantly in a clearing in the woods watching the stars and being alone. At one time that he goes to the clearing he encounters the “Lord of the Flies”, which begins to talk to him (143). This is one of his hallucinations, but he believes it to be real. The Lord of the Flies tells him that he wants to have fun with him soon, and he better tell Ralph and Piggy that the beast isn’t real and isn’t an actual object, but is actually the boys instead.

The Lord of the Flies tells Simon this because it is actually Simon indirectly foreshadowing an event to happen that the beast inside them will kill themselves. After Simon’s talk to the Lord of the Flies he faints because of the humidity. Once he wakes up a storm forms in the distance and clouds begin to cover the sky. The weather is mimicking Simon’s actions to happen. Simon begins to travel to tell the boys that the beast isn’t real; meanwhile the boys are chanting and dancing around a fire.

In all of the excitement Simon is mistaken as a beast and is jabbed with spears and eventually killed. While he is in the process of being murdered, a storm is raging with lightening and thunder booming in the background. In multiple instances, Simon is foreshadowing events. He has talks about his death before it happens and predicts that they will be rescued. The weather also foreshadowed events that happened such as a storm happening at the same time a death happened: two tragic, dark events. These corresponding events display Simon as a nature boy, one with the island.