"CHRIST" IN LORD OF THE FLIES
Many critics have compared the character of Simon in the book Lord of the Flies to a Christ figure. After reading this book I also found out that Simon and Christ had a lot in common.
The first time we, readers start considering Simon a special person, different from the others is when we see him the only one to helping the littluns to gather fruits they were unable to reach. "Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless, outstretched hands." (p.51) So we know about Jesus -- carrying about starving and suffering.
After Christ was baptized he walked away to the desert and stayed there for forty days, meditating and praying. So did Simon. He felt better walking in the jungle alone, thinking, probably, dreaming, enjoying the power and the beauty of the nature. In that desert Christ also talked to God and I think it was the God's appeal to Simon when the large ray of light fell down from the sky. "Beyond the screen of leaves the sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced in the middle their unending dance."(p.120) Simon did not fear it and he faced it. As Christ facing God, Simon knelt.
Physical help to people was not the main task of Christ -- he taught, gave sermons, appealed to clear their souls and thoughts - to get rid of internal evil. As well Simon was the only one who supposed that the beast they were so afraid of was, probably, inside them. "What I mean is . . . maybe it's only us." (p.80)
God chose Christ from all others to fulfill the most important task because Jesus was sinless and saint. Simon was the only one on that island with clear soul and the good inside him without any ambitions of power and suppression. So it was his destiny and privedge to confront the "beast" first and to talk to it The Lord of the Flies told Simon that the evil was inside the boys and for that reason - invinsible. It was trying to tempt Simon saying that he was initially good but everyone was going to have fun on the island so Simon has to quit being perfect and become like the rest of the boys.
In the book Lord of the Flies the charecter, Simon, is portrayed as a Christ-figure. He is shown to have all the qualities Christ has: intelligence, determination, and resiliance. Simon also is portrayed like Christ physically, he is skinny and not a strong person. Simon was very calm, kind, and he enjoyed being alone when ever he could.
... army by his side. Simon and his followers were well organized and systematic in their approach.
In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the concept of good fighting evil is clearly shown to be a big picture. In many cases, Jesus Christ represents good and bliss in the universe, while the devil represents evil. In this novel the reader sees the when good fights evil, the evil is a good turned evil. For example, before the devil became evil, he was an angel. He was good turned evil and is now fighting good. Simon represents the good and bliss, he is the Christ figure on the island while evil and savagery is shown in the other boys on the island. Both Simon and Christ share common qualities, actions, and deaths. Simon shows this throughout the novel, from the beginning until the time of his death.
Sentence bargaining sometimes occurs in high profile cases where the prosecutor does not want to reduce the charges against the defendant, usually for fear of how the newspapers will react. A sentence bargain may allow the prosecutor to obtain a conviction to the most serious charge, while assuring the defendant of an a...
Plea bargains are highly prevalent in the popular television series Law and Order. If a random episode is chosen, there is a high chance that lawyers in the show have offered a plea bargain. While many people would believe that media skews the public’s understanding of how often plea bargains occur, however, this is actually an appropriate representation. According to Heumann, approximately 10% of criminal cases actually continue on to trial (Heumann, 1975). Similarly, as stated by Menkel-Meadow, plea bargains are the reason why there may be congestion in the courts, but a low number of criminals are actually jailed (Menkel-Meadow, 2005).
Simon is a symbol of peace who sees only good in the world. The name Simon itself means, listener, and depicts Simon's character well as he always listens instead of giving an alternative opinion. Although at times his opinion differs from the others, he never complains. Simon's great sacrifice for the boys, dying for their sin, is a trait of a martyr. Simon's death results in a change of his affect on the boys and on the reader. Because he is killed by the other boys, he begins to represent the evil that has dominated over the good on the island.
...o prove that Simon has innate goodness because he helps the littluns get fruit, not because he wants them to worship him, but instead he does it because it is the right thing to do. Simon is a righteous leader who possesses positive leadership qualities such as innate goodness, insightful and helpful.
One of the first things that Simon does that depicts a Christ-like action, is found in chapter 3 when he helps the littluns get fruit, “Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach” (Golding 56). During his lifetime, Jesus often aided the hungry, one example being when he turned 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish into enough food for thousands of people. Later in the chapter Simon finds himself in the wilderness. While there, Simon was calm and enjoyed the solitude of his surroundings; “He came at last to a place where more sunshine fell” (Golding 56). Right after Jesus’ Baptism God spoke to him and “the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God decending like a dove, and lighting upon him” (Matthew 3:16). The light that Simon encountered can also be seen as God speaking to him, which can help to explain why Simon seems so serene in the wilderness.
One reason Simon is regarded as the Christ figure in Lord of the Flies is that he commits many selfless acts just like Jesus Christ did. Simon chooses to stay and help Ralph build huts rather than go play with the other inhabitants. Ralph compliments Simon by saying “Simon. He Helps. All the rest rushed off. He’s done as much as I have” (54). Golding also illustrates Simon’s generosity when “Simon pulled off the choicest fr...
Symbolism is defined as the representation; treatment or interpretation of things as symbolic. In society and in particular, literature, symbolism is a prominent component that helps to illustrate a deeper meaning then perceived by the reader. Symbolism can be anything, a person, place or thing, used to portray something beyond itself. It is used to represent or foreshadow the conclusion of the story. In William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies symbolism of the main characters Ralph, Jack and Simon plays a very important role in helping to show how our society functions and the different types of personalities that exist. An examination of Simon as a symbol of good, Ralph as a symbol of the common man, and Jack as a symbol of evil, clearly illustrates that William Golding uses characters as a symbol of what is really happening in the outside world throughout the novel.
Simon was the first and only one to realise the real beast on the Island. He could be compared to someone like a priest or a good samaraton – someone who tries his best to convince everyone of what’s right.
Imagine a group of young boys who have just crash-landed on a deserted tropical island with no adults or supervision. William Golding showed in his ground breaking novel Lord of the Flies, what may happen in just those circumstances. In his very complicated and diverse novel Golding brings out many ideas and uses many literary devices. Above all others though comes symbolism of three main important objects being the conch, fire, and "Piggy's" eyeglasses. Through each of these three symbols Golding shows how the boys adapt and change throughout the novel. These symbols also help to show each of the boy's ideals on a variety of elements from human nature to society and its controls. All three of these symbols also change and are one of the most important elements of the story.
... scream these words. Lastly it displays the savagery of the boys because Simon was Christ symbol; the symbol of innocence. By killing Simon they killed the innocence of the boys simultaneously.
Simon is a Jesus figure, Ralph and jack are like Cain and Abel, and the boys start to have a Pagan religion and treat the beast like a god; supporting the theory that Lord of the Flies can best be read as a religious allegory. Golding was trying to demonstrate that references to God and religions are everywhere. The need for religion and hope causes many people to show religious symbols in their art. Everyone worships something; everyone needs religion and religious symbols.
...ctions. Peter answered with the Spirit. The power by which the crippled man was healed was that of Jesus of Nazareth. Not only that, but Peter accused the Sanhedrin of responsibility for rejecting and killing Christ. He also noted God’s power in raising Jesus from the dead. Peter’s speech to the Sanhedrin summarizes his other two sermons. Although they were unable to deny the apostolic miracle, the Sanhedrin felt compelled to stop the apostolic preaching. Before the power of God that transformed unschooled, ordinary men into powerful proclaim of the gospel, the Sanhedrin was unable to punish the apostles. This chapter ends with a report of the church’s prayer in gratitude for God’s deliverance of the apostles from the Jewish authorities.