Lord of the Flies
Christian Symbolism
Lord of the Flies is an allegoric novel, meaning that the characters and the environment have an indirect symbolic meaning. This is especially true with the case of Simon and the island the boys are stranded on. Simon symbolizes a Christ figure on the island, while the island itself represents a sort heaven on Earth. But these depictions are not complete and are not meant to be the main focus of the novel.
Simon as a character is much different than the other boys, namely Ralph and Jack. Simon represents an intrinsic spiritual goodness because he acts morally not out of some guilt or shame but because he believes in its inherent value. This behavior parallels that of Christ, who is innately perfect. Although Simon in not a perfect being, many events in his life do correlate. Simon is the only boy that dawns upon the moral truth when he propounds "What I mean is...
Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Ch...
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Fliesmaybe it is only us." (89) Also, Simon's conversation with the Lord of the Flies, who symbolizes primordial chaos and terror, is a suggestion of the conversation in which Satan tempts Christ. The invidious Lord of the Flies tempts Simon by saying, "There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast ... Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! ... You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are the way they are?" (143) One last allusion to Christ through Simon comes from his death, a sacrificial death by the ignorant yet brutal boys that do not want to see the truth behind Simon's words. Simon is not the only source of Biblical allusions though, as...