What Role does Simon play in the novel Lord of the Flies?
‘The Lord of the Flies’. A journey into the exploration of the imagination, civilization and even the dark side, in which all humans experience. Guided through the story from a child’s perception turns a savage and murderous tale of isolation and division within an ethnic, social and class microcosm into an innocent youthful cry-out of how war on the outside adult world can, so easily create amongst a group of school boys. The boys from the beginning out-cast Simon, the mystic boy who is the only one who has the courage to indentify the beast sighted on the mountain. However, his thoughtful ways and symbolic characteristics prevent him from portraying what he discovers as well as the perfected actions that would have resolved the savagery destined to be created. In the Novel, Simon can be seen as a ‘Jesus’ like character, the one who knows what should be done but his lack of communication skills and his inadequate courage and confidence stops him from voicing what he really feels. The rest of the boys, Ralph included have a more physical and materialistic relationship with the island, when regarding hunting, fruit, and fire. However, Simon possesses a private and personal retreat that he escapes to in order to break free from the savage ways of the boys.
