Comparing Simon and Piggy's Deaths in Lord of the Flies Essay

Whilst reading it can be seen that something was going to happen to Simon because he was different (like Piggy). He sees the beast in a rational way, and thought there must be more to it, as he discovered when he finds the dead parachuter. During the eighth Simon starts to hallucinate thinking that the Lord of the Flies is talking to him, although he still doesnt believe in the beast itself, but more as if the beast is within us. Also similar to Simon, Piggy is different in the term that he looks at things with a more mature mind, for example when everyone runs off to light a fire he describes them as a crowd of kids

I believe that the splitting up of the group was a large turning point in the story, towards the death of Simon and Piggy, because straight away it is obvious that there is going to be tension between the groups, and that Jacks group were looking for stronger minded people, good hunters, etc. But Jack sees Piggy as almost a threat, as although he is different in terms of being like the other children, he is clever and has strong views, which, further through the book, Piggy expresses more and more for example I was with him when he found the conch! Piggy is seeing how he is going to be left out unless he starts making himself heard.

The individual deaths of Piggy and Simon are quite different because, it is visible that the chapter, and partly the book build up to Piggys death but Simons death is quite unexpected. Although in the death of Simon the weather changes as the mood does, this is an example of pathetic fallacy. The ironic thing is that Simon had come down from the hill to tell the tribe the news that there was no beast, but in rushing in at the time he did, the children see him as the beast, and on a number of occasions at that point Simon is described as the beast. Another example of irony is that possibly two of the most useful people are killed. At the start of the 9th chapter, revolving masses of gas piled up the static until the air was ready to explode almost describing what is coming as in the chapter the tension builds up until it snaps and the killing takes place. An example, perhaps, of the use of a pathetic fallacy.

But unlike Piggys death Simons death is almost accidental as the children are overcome by a sense of wilderness, and are almost not them selves, as they have been given a new identity by their masks. And as they are described in the book they are almost as one, showing that they are not thinking for themselves but acting as one organism, whereas Piggys death seems more purposeful as Roger leaned all of his weight against the lever to force the large rock to come colliding down and ends up knocking Piggy off of the cliff, into the sea.

Before that, you can see that Roger has lost this sense of taboo, throwing rocks at people, as he starts to throw rocks at Ralph. But before there was a certain sense of restraint on him when he was throwing at one of the twins.

Although Jack doesnt you can see that Ralph still believes in fair play, but describes what is happening as not a game.

Throughout the scene where Ralph is confronting Jack you can tell that something is going to happen to Piggy because there is emphasis on Piggy being left alone and unable to fend for himself. And obviously this is true when he cannot see the ridge he falls off, or the rock that hurls him off of it.

Sadly Piggys death is described quite brutally as if the people are homicidal maniacs when they are actually just children, and are normally described as the tender age of innocents, but this shows how natural/primeval instinct can come into play, bringing me back to the idea of savagery and civilisation.

Although they are trying to hurt or even kill each other there is still that sense of withdrawal as whilst Ralph and Jack fight they refrain from using their spears to hurt each other but merely the butts of the spear. Although once Piggy has been killed that restraint seems to be broken and Jack throws the spear injuring Ralph. It is almost as if, even though they disliked him Piggy held the idea of civilisation (along with the conch which was broken when Piggy was knocked down).

In both cases of the deaths their bodies are carried out by the sea, but in different ways, as Piggy is almost unreachable and his death is described as the children would have seen it, his head opened and stuff came out and turned red it is a very vague detail but you still know what has happened. Almost reminding you about the harsh and unforgiving way of nature, and how the children who once lived in a place of civilisation and boundaries now have lost sight of that and fallen apart into a lower form of humanity. As if they have gone back from evolution, when there were tribes and wars, like how the stand off between the two tribes are described.

The hunters are described as if they have devils faces, so this brings me back to the religious context and original sin idea. As the story continues it is visible that the children are dropping further and further into savagery, as on page 202 when the twins samneric are captured they are prodded by Jack with his spear, this reminds us of when Simon was killed and there was a rhythm almost drum beat when the children chanted, kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood so it shows that the killing and savageness is becoming more frequent and easier to accomplish for Jack.

When Ralph reflects on past times he recalls how Bill was, and sees him as someone who refuses to blend with that ancient picture of a boy in shorts and shirt, so it is obvious that for Ralph, it seems like they have been on the island for a long time when what has happened probably took place in only a short space of time, maybe 1 or 2 months. But because if the intensity and huge change in personalitys and actions it makes things seem a lot longer.