Lord of the Flies Group

Question:

shepherdemily
shepherdemily
Student
High School - 11th Grade

In chapter 9, what is the tragic irony of Simon's death? Explain what the children have become.

When you look at the language which describes the murder, explain what the children have become.

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Posted by shepherdemily on Tuesday November 3, 2009 at 5:18 PM and tagged with children have become, death, lord of the flies, simon, tragic irony.

Answers:

  1. ask996
    ask996 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    In the William Golding novel, The Lord of the Flies, the tragic irony of Simon's death lays in the discovery of the beastie. Simon is the one who discovers the dead pilot and the parachute that when it billowed in the winds is what the boys thought was a beast. It was this perception of an unknown beast that lead to the increasingly chaotic attitude and behavior of the boys.

    In addition, when Simon drags the parachute out of the jungle, the boys, are still in a  primal frenzy after their first kill. When they see Simon and the parachute in the dim light, they do not recognize him. Thinking it is the beast, the boys attack Simon like animals, and they kill him with their hands and teeth.

    So in reality it was Simon's discovery of the true nature of the "beast" that revealed who the real beasts were, and that discovery lead to his death.

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    Posted by ask996 on Tuesday November 3, 2009 at 6:25 PM