The weather is more peaceful when Simon’s dead body is near the sea. It rains and the rain symbolises purity and cleanliness – cleaning the evidence (the blood) away and generally cleaning the island. “Towards midnight the rain ceased and the clouds drifted away, so that the sky was scattered once more with the incredible lamp of stars.” This description of the weather also contrasts greatly with that of when it was the murder part. When Simon’s body floats out to sea, as the water rises it dresses…”Simon’s coarse black hair with brightness.” There is a metaphor, which says every cloud has a silver lining. This can refer to Simon as his body is outlined in silver. He is being honoured in this way and this is one of his specials.
The weather changes dramatically from its usually hot sunny days to a vicious stormy night. The savage chanting begins and the rhythm and beat builds up to create a more tension filled atmosphere – “the chant…began to build like a steady pulse”. The repetition of the one liner is very effective as it gives the idea of them being an extremely savagely tribe. “ Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” A littlun breaks the ring of biguns, but is saved by Simon when he enters the ring himself unaware of what is taking place. The tribe are unaware that the so-called beast is Simon and so they advance on him and the animal attack begins. During the attack, we are told that the noise was “unendurable.” There are also a number of verbs used – “poured down”, ”leapt”,” screamed”, ”struck”, ”bit” and “tore.” The length of the sentences shortens and this shows that the pace leading up is increased.
Simon is first introduced to us when Ralph meets the choir in the first chapter when he faints. Golding describes Simon as a “skinny, vivid little boy” who has the innocent perceptions and feelings of the littluns but the knowledge of the biguns. He is also found to have the most positive outlook especially when he insists to Ralph multiple times that they will get rescued. “You’ll get back all right. I think so anyway.” Ralph murmurs to Simon that he’s “batty” but yet Simon assures him that he’ll “get back all right.” Towards the end of chapter 3, when Simon goes wandering off, Ralph describes him as being “queer” and “funny” and Jack agrees. Simon often travels alone to a tranquil place on the island in the jungle where he can get away from the arguments and tension back on the outer edge of the island where everyone else is. Although he tends to drift a bit from the others, he helps when it is needed. For instance, when they were building the shelters, Simon helped a lot with Ralph and Ralph tells us this. “Simon. He helps… All the rest rushed off. He’s done as much as I have.”
There are many suggestions I think that Golding makes about the role of Simon. Golding gives greatest emphasis to one characteristic of Simon-his spiritualism. The place where Simon has wondered off to is brilliantly described by Golding. It is a place where “gaudy butterflies” dance, the sunlight is “honey – coloured”, and the “candle buds stir.” Golding uses the use of imagery to the full extent as imagery is quickly created as a result of the in-depth descriptions and adjectives used – colours of the sky and flowers and sounds of the birds and other creatures. He reinstates the power of nature as a result of the descriptive paragraphs. The place is also calm and the candle – buds give the image of a holy place and we know that the Simon is part of the choir and this is also why spiritualism and holiness can relate well to him. Golding describes Simon as being the type of character who keeps to himself but helps people when needed. Simon is seen as Christ like figure because of his need to help others and keep peace between the boys, as well as the premonitions he has that they will get home. Another idea that Golding has given to link Simon with having the Christ like figure, is that many people used to think Christ was a bit “batty” and Simon is described (by Piggy), as being “cracked.”
When Simon’s body is carried out to see, Golding depicts him as being honoured and becoming a martyr because of his warmth and compassion to others like the littluns, Piggy and Ralph. The usage of verbs, metaphors and adjectives to give an idea of the character Simon is used to the greatest extent.
