The title of the essay you will be writing is:
What do you think is the importance of Simon in Lord of the Flies and what methods does Golding use to present him?
1. Prepare a plan for this essay
2. Write an introduction of no more than three sentences
Description of Simon
Simon is different from the other boys
Frailty, fainting spells, epilepsy
Concern for the Littluns
Secret place in the jungle
He has a certain presence
Simon tries to keep the peace and maintains a positive attitude throughout the novel:
Stands up for Piggy when Jack takes his glasses
Understands when Ralph is upset that the fire has gone out and the ship doesn’t see them
He is a good person whose character does not change
Simon’s actions throughout the novel:
Introduced as being friendly
Experiences the highs and lows of the boys experiences
Tries to express his views of the beast
Speaks to the beast whilst having a fit
Wants to tell the boys that they have mistaken a dead pilot for the beast
Death of Simon – his vision becomes a reality when the boys are taken over by their inner beast and kill him.
Introduction
What do you think is the importance of Simon in Lord of the Flies and what methods does Golding use to present him?
The main themes in Lord of the Flies depend upon the relationships which develop between Jack, Ralph, Piggy and Simon. These four characters are equally important to the novel however, there are particular traits of Simon’s character that set him apart. Simon could be seen as the boys’ conscience.
Simon is first introduced to the reader as one of Jack’s choirboys, almost immediately we are made aware of Simon’s frailty when he faints; ‘the choir boy who had fainted sat up against a palm trunk, smiled pallidly at Ralph and said that his name was Simon.’ Although we are never explicitly told Simon seems to suffer from epilepsy. It is because of these fainting fits that he is deemed strange by the other boys.
Whilst the boys are on the...