Pure Goodness in a World of Darkness
In William Golding’s allegorical novel, Lord of the Flies, each of the characters symbolizes an abstract human quality. The boys are trapped on a tropical island and are faced with the reality of survival. In the beginning, the boys attempt to build a civilization similar to the one that they came from. As time goes on, the boys gradually become detached from their civilized ways of thinking and give in to their primal savage instincts. Unlike the rest of the boys, Simon does not result to savagery. In this novel, Simon symbolizes human goodness and purity due to his selflessness, his courage, and his connection with nature.
Simon displays his selflessness through his kind and thoughtful actions towards …show more content…
As the boys fall to savagery the longer they remain from civilization, Simon is the only character to hold on to his goodness and civility. Simon was able to be “secure in the open space” despite the raging war around him (47). Golding uses imagery in order to develop the beautiful and serene haven that secures Simon’s innocence. Simon would go out into the jungle just to marvel at the beauty of nature. He possesses a basic human goodness that comes from his attachment with nature. While the other boys lose the goodness and civility that they developed in society, Simon has the natural world to contain him. He possesses the ability to see and understand the things that the other boys are unable to comprehend. Simon is able to realize that the beast is not something that the boys can dispose of. He is able to confront the Lord of the Flies and confirms the fact that the beast “is a part of” him (128). Simon’s confrontation is a manifestation of his mind. He is able to do so due to his connection with nature. He would go out into the jungle in order to find solitude and isolate himself from the war around him. The solitude and confinement allowed Simon to see the good and evil parts inside of himself and in human beings as a whole. Despite the power of savagery and the loss of civilization, Simon’s goodness and purity remains untainted from the clutches of evil. Simon is the light in
In William Golding’s allegorical novel, Lord of the Flies, each of the characters symbolizes an abstract human quality. The boys are trapped on a tropical island and are faced with the reality of survival. In the beginning, the boys attempt to build a civilization similar to the one that they came from. As time goes on, the boys gradually become detached from their civilized ways of thinking and give in to their primal savage instincts. Unlike the rest of the boys, Simon does not result to savagery. In this novel, Simon symbolizes human goodness and purity due to his selflessness, his courage, and his connection with nature.
Simon displays his selflessness through his kind and thoughtful actions towards …show more content…
As the boys fall to savagery the longer they remain from civilization, Simon is the only character to hold on to his goodness and civility. Simon was able to be “secure in the open space” despite the raging war around him (47). Golding uses imagery in order to develop the beautiful and serene haven that secures Simon’s innocence. Simon would go out into the jungle just to marvel at the beauty of nature. He possesses a basic human goodness that comes from his attachment with nature. While the other boys lose the goodness and civility that they developed in society, Simon has the natural world to contain him. He possesses the ability to see and understand the things that the other boys are unable to comprehend. Simon is able to realize that the beast is not something that the boys can dispose of. He is able to confront the Lord of the Flies and confirms the fact that the beast “is a part of” him (128). Simon’s confrontation is a manifestation of his mind. He is able to do so due to his connection with nature. He would go out into the jungle in order to find solitude and isolate himself from the war around him. The solitude and confinement allowed Simon to see the good and evil parts inside of himself and in human beings as a whole. Despite the power of savagery and the loss of civilization, Simon’s goodness and purity remains untainted from the clutches of evil. Simon is the light in