Simon Lord Of The Flies Essay

Throughout Lord of the Flies, Golding shows that all of mankind has a potential for evil although a select few can overcome this with reason and sensibility. Golding expresses this through the biblical parallels of the similarities between Simon and Jesus and the comparison of the island to the Garden of Eden and the story of original sin.
There are multiple characters in Lord of the Fies that relate to people in the Bible. However, one character in particular embodies the teachings and life of Jesus. Simon possesses many of the same traits and qualities of Jesus. Simon shows compassion and an unselfish attitude to his peers in the same way that Jesus did. Each of them also serves as the primary voice of reason and “prophet” in their societies.

Lastly, Simon’s time on the island parallels the story of Jesus.
First of all, Simon shares Jesus’ kindness and passion for helping others. This is evident when Simon helps Ralph build the huts on the beach. Ralph wanted to build the huts so they could have shelter for the group. He explains to Piggy that nobody would help except Simon. “‘People don’t help much.’ He wanted to explain how people were never quite what you thought they were. ‘Simon. He helps.’ He pointed at the shelters.” (Golding 54). While all the others were playing on the beach or hunting like Jack, Simon decides to go out of his way to help someone. This is something that Jesus would do. Jesus put others first just as Simon does in this instance.
Another example of Simon demonstrating his sympathy is when he helps the littluns collect fruit.

Most of the older boys disregard the littluns, but Simon cares for them just like he would anyone else. When the littluns can’t reach the higher fruit, Simon picks it for them. “Then, amid the roar of bees in the afternoon sunlight, 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.” (Golding 56). Unlike the other boys, Simon tries to help others no matter their age or stature. Jesus teaches not to discriminate and to help everyone

too.
Similarly to Jesus, Simon represents the voice of reason and prophet on the island. For instance, Simon demonstrates this when he comforts Ralph about rescue. Ralph is staring off into the ocean thinking about his chance for rescue when Simon appears and says he believes Ralph will get back to where he came from. Then Ralph answers, “‘You’re batty.’ Simon shook his head violently till the coarse black hair flew backwards and forwards across his face. ‘No, I’m not. I just think you’ll get back all right.’” (Golding 111). Simon displays his prophetic ability because in the end, Simon was right about Ralph being rescued. Jesus often foresaw events throughout his life. One example of this is when Jesus foretold his own death. There is uncanny connection between Jesus and Simon because of their role as prophets.
Perhaps Simon’s most valuable quality is his ability understand the boys’ potential for sin. It’s almost impossible for a group of young boys to keep their order and purity and Simon understands that. Originally, the boys believe that they are perfect because they are English. According to Jack, “‘We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things.’” (Golding 42). Being English doesn’t change anything on a deserted island. They have just as much of a chance of sin as any other human. Jesus teaches that man is not perfect and therefore will indefinitely sin as it’s human nature. When they do sin, they try to deny and ignore it of course. After all, they are human. As an excuse, the boys come up with this idea of a beast on island as an excuse for their sins. There isn’t really a beast, it’s just a figment of their imagination. Simon is the only one that isn’t naive enough to believe this, he knows the truth about the beast. An article from the Children’s Literature Review explains, “As Simon understands, the only dangerous beast, the true Lord of the Flies, is inside the children themselves.” (Cox 1). Basically, the beast represents their sin. That’s what they’re so scared of.
The final connection between Simon and Jesus is the resemblance of Simon’s time on the island and the story of Jesus.

The first example of this is when Simon “talks” to the Lord of the Flies. Simon is wandering in the woods when he finds a pig head the hunters put on a stick for the beast. As Simon stares at the pig head, he falls into a trance. The head starts talking to Simon and identifies itself as the Lord of the Flies. Then it tries to tempt Simon to accept that the savagery of the boys will take his life. ””--Or else,’ said the Lord of the Flies, ‘we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?’ Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness.” (Golding 144). This _____ is _____ to satan tempting Jesus in the desert. A passage from an article written by Marjik van Vuuren describes the relationship, “Simon's confrontation with the Lord of the Flies corresponds with the temptation of Christ: as unwieldy a scene as it is, it depicts a direct confrontation with evil by one who has the capacity to penetrate the spiritual realm.” (16). Both Simon and Jesus are tempted by a devil-like character to give in. They also both stand their ground and refuse the temptation

given.
The deaths of Simon and Jesus also relate to each other. In Lord of the Flies, Simon is killed because the boys fear he is the beast. They only find later that the creature they killed was a boy, not a ruthless monster. Jesus was crucified because the Roman officials feared Jesus would be a threat to their power. Neither of them did anything wrong. Their deaths had nothing to do with their faults; in fact, they were innocent.