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What happens in Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies?
Simon discovers the dead body of the parachutist and realizes that the boys mistook it for the beast. While at Jack’s feast, a storm hits the island, and the boys begin dancing frantically in the rain. When Simon emerges from the woods hoping to tell them about the reality of the beast, he is attacked and murdered by the boys who mistake him for the beast.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies. (3-minute read)
What important motif from Lord of the Flies is introduced in Chapter 9?
The motif of Biblical Parallels appears as Simon, having arrived the novel’s moral truth, is killed sacrificially by the other boys, a parallel to Jesus’s death on the cross.
Read about Biblical Parallels as a key Motif in Lord of the Flies. (1-minute read)
What allusions appear in Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies?
Further textual evidence exists of Simon as a Christ figure in Chapter 9, including his walk across the island to his inevitable doom, an allusion to Christ walking to the crucifixion.
Read about religious and literary Allusions in Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies. (1-minute read)
What important themes from Lord of the Flies are developed in Chapter 9?
Themes such as The Dangers of Mob Mentality and Civilization versus Savagery appear in this chapter, as the boys tip the scales toward savagery and lose control of themselves, resulting in tragedy.
Read about the key Themes of Lord of the Flies. (3-minute read)
How does Simon die?
Simon, after making his way across the island to tell the other boys about his discovery of the paratrooper, arrives at the height of their frenzied chanting and dancing. The boys are reenacting their pig hunt, and when they see Simon, they declare him to be the beast and tear him apart in a fit of bloodlust, killing him.
Read about Simon’s death in our Q&A section. (1-minute read)
What is the significance of Simon’s death?
Symbolically, Simon’s death signals the death of goodness, and the fact that mankind’s inherent evil has prevailed.
Read about the meaning behind Simon’s death in his in-depth Character Analysis. (2-minute read)
