From the Board

The idea of power in the novel is a great subject. Who has it? Who doesn't?

Arguably none of the boys have power as they are all at the mercy of the island and its effects on them; or they are at the mercy of instinct.

An interesting discussion might be whether Jack uses instinct as an excuse to actively descend into savagery and chaos having been at the antithesis (other end of the scale) of this at the beginning of the novel. He is certainly an extreme character, after all he will not allow his choristers to take of their gowns despite the fact it is baking: Ralph is so hot he trails his sweater behind him. One of the boys is close to passing out when they dutifully line up, in chapter one, as Jack demands to know where the "man with the trumpet" is.

So, does Jack actively descend into savagery? Do the other boys merely follow him from a sense of fear?

Ralph is naturally powerful: he is a natural leader, but this is not enough. Good leadership does not mean peace, harmony and safety will follow.

The conch is a symbol of power, but what does its destruction signify towards the end of the novel when it explodes "into a thousand white fragments and [ceases] to exist?


Simon is also arguably a powerful figure as he realises what the pig on the stick truly represents. It speaks to him, but this can be seen as his crazed imaginings or as a true supernatural event: that the pig is actually a devil made flesh by the boys. He has the ability to bring reason and understanding to the boys, to remove the power of ignorance and fear. He knows that the 'Beast' is just the body of the parachutist for instance and he also realises that the boys are worshipping a figure of evil that seeks to control and destroy them.

Does the need, by the author, to kill off Simon show that the author believes reason and freedom from ignorance and fear is not within the grasp of Mankind? That Mankind is doomed?

Simon can be likened to a Christ-like figure.  The important thing here is the word 'like'.  Christ was a saviour, but is Simon?  Christ died for our sins so that sin did not have authority over us and Christians believe that he accomplished that.  Now you don't have to be a Christian to appreciate that htis was the intention and is believed to be the outcome and then apply this to 'Lord of the Flies'.  Christ was successful, but is Simon successful in the same way?

Christ's death rescued our souls, but does Simon rescue the souls of the boys?

Eventually Ralph says 'That was murder', in relation to Simon's death.  He recognises that he partook in the murder of his friend despite the frenzied nature of the attack, he acted savagely and killed another person.  Perhaps this revelation rescues Piggy and Ralph, but the other boys don't seem to be bothered by the death or simply try to escape the truth by ignoring it.