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Your Name Teacher CLass Date here Parallels Between the Lives of Simon and Jesus Christ in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies First published in 1954 Lord of the Flies received some of the best reviews of any first novel of its time. This book is full of symbolism, still applicable today. In this essay will look at the similarities between the characteristics of Simon and Jesus and the similar events and the surrounding circumstances. Similarities of Characteristics One of the central themes in Golding’s Lord of the Flies is the presence of a ‘Christ-like’ figure, Simon.
Golding reveals similarities between Simon, one of the choir-boys , and Jesus Christ as the novel progresses. This section will take a look at three of the main similarities. These similarities being: periodic social withdrawal, a selfless attitude, and an understanding of things as a whole. Simon is often said to go to “A place in the jungle. “(Golding 85) to be alone. In the same way, Jesus “often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. “(New Living Translation, Luke 5:16). Both would willingly withdraw themselves, to be alone.
Even though Simon is eventually rejected by Jack, self proclaimed leader of the choir turned hunters; he shows acceptance is not his top priority when he continues to withdraw from the others despite what they think. Both Jesus and Simon display their selflessness by going out of their way to help others. Simon stayed to help Ralph, the elected chief of the island, build huts when all of the other boys had left. Shortly after, Simon again displays his selflessness when he fed the littluns: 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. When he had satisfied them he paused… ” (Golding 56) Simon was not at all required to perform this service, yet he did. Even going as far as giving them the best he could give. Jesus’ whole life was spent in service to others. Golding tells us “However Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human… ” (103) Simon is shown to posses an understanding; a view of all the events on the island as a whole.
Simon even tries to explain to the others “maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us. “(Golding 89). Jesus receives the same reaction from his disciples when he tells them of his imminent death and resurrection (Mark 9. 31-32). The main similarities between the character of Jesus Christ and William Golding’s Simon should now be evident; both made a point to periodically withdraw themselves from others in order to be alone, showed a concern for the well-fare of others, and both exhibited a remarkable understanding of things as a whole.
Similarities of Events and the Surrounding Circumstances In this novel there are several specific events which further the view of Simon as a Christ figure in William Golding’s Lord of the flies. This section will look at two main events from Golding’s novel, and show the similarities between the experiences of Simon and Jesus. We will first look at the actions of Simon during and after his feeding of the littluns. Second is a comparison of the death of both Jesus and Simon.
Simon feeding the littluns before continuing on to his quiet place; is one of the best examples of the similarity of events between Christ’s and Simons’ lives. It is on his way to his quiet place Simon meets the needs of the littluns. Jesus and his disciples were also on their way to “… a quieter spot” (Mark 6. 32) when people who had followed him caught up with them. Simon was also confronted by followers, “Here [referring to the fruit grove] the littluns who had run after him caught up with him. “(Golding 56) and proceeded to obtain the best fruit for them.
Here Golding makes an interesting remark about the fruit: “… where the least energetic could find an easy if unsatisfying meal. “(Golding 56) Yet we see Simon puts forth the effort to get the best fruit for the littluns, who are the least important group on the island. In the same way, Jesus blesses the available bread and fish: “… breaking the loaves into peices, he [Jesus] kept giving to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. (Mark 6:41-44) Notice, Simon handed out all of the fruit himself just as Jesus did. Also notice the large quantity of food left after the disciples gathered the leftovers. In Lord of the Flies there is also a surplus of food after it is passed out, Golding writes: “The littluns watched him inscrutably over double handfuls of ripe fruit. “(Golding 56). Mark 6:46 reads: “Afterwards he went up into the hills by himself to pray. ” Simon also continues up to his own quiet place, where he is alone.
Certainly the most similar event between Jesus Christ and Simon is their deaths’. It should be noted; Simon and Jesus both predicted their own deaths (Golding 111; Mark 10. 33-34). Simon is found to be alone in his quiet place before his murder, and is said to be “… very thirsty”(Golding 133). This thirst can be used to imply Simon was fasting. Which Jesus often did during his life. Both Simon and Jesus are found to be alone before their deaths’. Jesus is alone in the Garden of Gethsemane right up until his arrest.
Looking at both Simon’s and Jesus’ deaths, other relationships may be seen. Simon was killed while trying to tell the other the other boys the ‘truth’ about the beast. Jesus’ entire life was dedicated to spreading The Word (Truth) of God, and he was persecuted and ultimately killed by his own people because of this. “…the world didn’t recognize [Jesus] as he came. Even in his own land and among his own people he was not accepted. ” (John 1:11) When Simon came out of the jungle, the boys mistook him for the beast, and killed him.
These are just two events out of several found in Golding’s book. This section has clearly pointed out all similarities between William Golding’s Simon, and Jesus Christ. In review, this essay has covered the similarities between Simon and Christ thought examining the character of both, along with an in-depth review of two specific events from William Golding’s Lord of the flies. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: The Berkley Group, 1954 The Rock, NLT ed. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Inc. , 1998