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Theme Of Simon In Lord Of The Flies

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In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, a group of British schoolchildren are marooned on an isolated island, but the story soon takes a dark turn when the boys realize that there may be a beast on the island with them. The novel illustrates the need for civilization and the innate evil in humans; however, Simon is seemingly an exception to all of the rules that the author has set. He is in no way evil, and the purity of his soul is unparalleled in any other. Simon appears as a biblical, almost Christ-like figure among the savage and flawed population. His characterization has a immense impact on the story’s overall meaning and purpose, demonstrating many interesting themes that warrant further scrutiny. Simon’s characterization as a wise, Christ-like figure impacts the story’s themes and meanings in three ways. Simon is a kind, just boy with an ability to see good in anything, but no one else seems to have the insight that he has. This leads to the first theme that Simon demonstrates: the magnitude of the good, light side will always pale in comparison to the darker, viler one. While the other boys are frolicking about and eating fruit, dreaming about killing the pig they came across, Simon slinks into the forest and “[glances] swiftly round to confirm that he [is] utterly alone” (56). He then continues on to revel and marvel at the beauty of his surroundings, and he is the only one to appreciate the island’s untouched allure. While the others are daydreaming about
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