Chapter 9: Summary and Analysis

A View to a Death

As is the case with Shakespearean tragedy, nature reflects human action in this novel as well. As Jack’s rebellion gathers force, the island comes under intense cloud cover and is plagued by hot winds.

When Simon wakes up, he notices that the severed head no longer communicates with him. He then decides to climb the mountain to investigate the boys’ claims about the beast. When he reaches the spot, he sees the dead soldier and his parachute and realizes that the group has mistaken the corpse for a living beast. The body is swarmed by flies, and as Simon disentangles the parachute from the rocks, he vomits. He leaves to inform the group of his discovery.

Meanwhile, Ralph and Piggy have managed to locate Jack’s crew. Upon seeing the two, Jack asks his crew to give them some meat, which Ralph and Piggy happily accept. Though it is evident that Jack is in now charge of the group, Ralph attempts to regain some authority. He reminds the group that they had elected him as their leader and that Jack and his crew are only hunters. Jack remains unmoved by Ralph’s appeal to the group. Jack is intoxicated by his newfound capacity for force and violence and asks Ralph if he can match his force. Ralph is surprised by Jack’s demeanor, and the thunder grows loud enough to startle the littluns.

Ralph gathers himself and reminds the group that his camp has built huts, which can provide shelter from the imminent storm. Jack dismisses Ralph’s argument by derisively performing his hunting dance. The boys soon partake in the dance and yell, “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!”

With the hunting crew in a frenzy, Simon dashes out of the woods to announce that the “beast” is really just the body of a dead soldier attached to a parachute. His sudden appearance, however, startles the boys, and they respond with violence. They seem unable to recognize that it is Simon. As Simon tries to escape, he trips over some rocks and the boys attack him believing him to be the “beast.” Simon is killed.

As the tide washes away Simon’s body, the wind lifts the parachute and the dead soldier off the mountain, and the boys are terrorized by the sight.