Deanna3

    In Lord of the Flies, William Golding states the theme as, �� an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature� (Golding 204). When a plane crashes and leaves a group of young boys alone on a desert island, chaos breaks loose. Without the structures of society, the savageness and wildness of human nature prevails on the island and two boys are killed. Golding portrays Simon, the first boy to be killed, as a symbol of a Christ-figure.
     The symbolism of Simon as a Christ-figure is shown in Simon�s positive attitude and in the way Simon sees the good in every situation. When Ralph feels like he will not ever get home, Simon tells him, �I just think you�ll get back all right� (111). In this statement, Simon tries to cheer Ralph and lift his spirits; the statement also foreshadows Simon�s death. Simon upholds peace and harmony by encouraging Ralph to remain chief although Ralph feels like giving up. Ralph becomes despondent at times, but Simon�s goodness brightens the darkness of confusion. Even amidst the confusion and turmoil of landing on a desert island, Simon sees the goodness and beauty surrounding them. He refers to the bushes as being �Like candles. Candle bushes. Candle buds� (30).
     In addition to Simon�s goodness and appreciation for beauty, the consistently expressed concern for the more vulnerable boys portrays Simon as a Christ-like figure. Simon feels passionately about helping the boys. For example, in helping Piggy find his glasses, �Passions beat about Simon on the mountain-top with awful wings� (71). Besides expressing concern for Piggy, Simon also helps the littluns by picking fruit for them that they are unable to reach. When Simon is concerned about the other boys, he is not afraid. He does not have any fear of the beast on the mountaintop; he goes to confront it. Simon is also not afraid to walk through the forest at night when they are searching for the beast. Ralph wants somebody to go back to Piggy and the littluns and Simon says, �I�ll go if you like. I don�t mind, honestly� (117).
     Symbolism of the Christ-figure appears in Simon�s insight. To be a boy of only ten years old, Simon has unusual insight and knowledge; he is the only one who really understands what the beast is. He tries to explain when he says, �� maybe there is a beast.��what I means is�maybe it�s only us� (89). Simon realizes that the beast is hidden in each boy�s psyche; the beast is the evil nature inside them. Although the boys think that the dead parachutist on the mountain is the beast, Simon knows that the supposed beast is actually a human. Simon tries to get them to confront the parachutust by saying, �I think we ought to climb the mountain� (128). He wants the boys to see the true identity of the parachutist and face the beast within themselves; however, they are not ready for the truth. Simon is killed for trying to tell the boys the truth just as Christ was killed for trying to tell people the truth.
     Overall, Simon is a compassionate, fearless, insightful, positive, and pure character; these characteristics are some of the most common characteristics of Christ. The pureness in both Simon and Christ prevents them from submitting to the beast-like nature. Christ and Simon both try to get people to see the truth, but they will not accept it. Ultimately, both are killed. Most people will not face the truth that they are basically evil and savage; therefore, they get rid of the person trying to expose the truth.