Lord of the Flies | Chapter 9: A View to a Death | William Golding

TL;DR

Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies marks the decisive shift from civilization toward savagery when the boys mistake Simon for the beast and kill him. Simon had discovered that the supposed beast was a dead parachutist, while Jack used food and protection to challenge Ralph’s leadership. The storm heightens the horror and washes Simon’s body out to sea. Read on to understand how fear, immediate needs, and collapsing rules drive the tragedy.

Transcript

In chapter 9, the Lord of the Flies continues to speak to Simon, threatening him using frightening voices from his past and warning him that the other boys will do him. Simon faints, and when he wakes up, he climbs the mountain and realizes that the beast is actually that dead parachutist. He knows he needs to let the others know what's going on. M... Read More

Key Insights

• 😱 The storm symbolizes the intensification of horror and tragedy, reflecting the theme of the destructive force of human savagery.
• 🍉 The feast and Jack's leadership reflect the prioritization of immediate gratification over long-term survival and the erosion of order.
• 😥 Simon's death highlights the tipping point where savagery overtakes civilization, fulfilling the prophecy of the Lord of the Flies.

Questions & Answers

Q: What happens in Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies?

Simon discovers that the beast is actually a dead parachutist and tries to tell the other boys. At Jack’s feast, a storm begins and the boys work themselves into a frenzy with a chant of “Kill the Beast.” They mistake Simon for the beast and kill him with their bare hands and teeth.

Q: What does Simon discover about the beast in Chapter 9?

After waking from a faint, Simon climbs the mountain and realizes that the beast is a dead parachutist. He then sets out to tell the other boys what is really happening.

Q: Why do the boys kill Simon?

Simon crawls out of the forest exhausted and delirious while the boys are caught up in a wild dance and chanting about killing the beast. They do not hear his warning about the parachutist and may not recognize him. In their fear and frenzy, they beat and bite him to death.

Q: How does the storm contribute to Chapter 9?

The gathering clouds and intensifying weather heighten the horror and tragedy surrounding Simon’s death. During the storm, the dead parachutist is blown onto the beach, the boys flee from it, and Simon’s body is washed out to sea.

Q: How does Jack challenge Ralph’s leadership at the feast?

Jack appears with his face painted like a chief, orders that Ralph and Piggy receive meat, and asks the boys to join his tribe. He promises food and protection, while Ralph insists that he is still chief and reminds everyone about the fire. Their dispute shows that Ralph’s authority and the existing rules are being challenged.

Q: What happens to the conch and the rules in Chapter 9?

Ralph and Jack argue about whether the conch remains relevant, showing that the rules are being stretched and challenged. By the chapter’s end, the conch, the rules, and Ralph’s leadership are described as no longer relevant to the boys.

Q: What does Simon’s death represent in Chapter 9?

Simon is innocent and carries the truth about the supposed beast, but the boys kill him before he can deliver it. His death marks the point when the balance tips toward savagery rather than civilization and toward fear rather than order. It also fulfills the Lord of the Flies’ warning that Simon was getting in the boys’ way.

Q: How does Jack’s feast contribute to the boys’ descent into savagery?

Jack uses the feast to satisfy the children’s immediate need for food and offers protection to anyone who joins his tribe. The boys stop thinking about the future and focus on the immediate present. Their wild dance and killing of Simon show the dramatic consequences of that shift.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Simon is threatened by the Lord of the Flies and discovers that the beast is actually a dead parachutist.

• Piggy and Ralph debate attending a feast and ultimately decide to go, where Jack asserts his dominance and tries to recruit members for his tribe.

• A storm begins as chaos erupts at the feast, with the boys chanting to kill the beast. Simon tries to warn them but is mistaken for the beast and killed.