Lord of the Flies by William Golding is about a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island.
Their attempt to govern themselves is disastrous.
One of the novel’s major themes is savagery vs. civilization; as the boys descend into savagery, they lose sight of what it means to be civilized.
This eventually leads to conflict and violence, ultimately resulting in death. So, who dies in Lord of the Flies?
Lord of the Flies Quotes With Page Numbers
Who Dies In The Lord of the Flies in Order
In William Golding’s novel, “The Lord of the Flies,” five characters meet their untimely demise. Listed in chronological order, the deaths occur as follows:
The Pilot: The first casualty occurs off-page before the story begins. The plane’s pilot, transporting the boys, died in the crash.
The Parachutist: The second death is of an adult parachutist, whose body is mistaken for the “Beast.”
The Kid with the Birthmark: The third death is of an anonymous littlun known only as “the kid with the birthmark.” He is presumed dead after disappearing during a wildfire.
Simon: The fourth death in the storyline occurs when Simon, one of the boys stranded on the island, is brutally killed by the others who mistake him for “the Beast.”
Piggy: The last death is that of Piggy, the group’s intellectual, which Roger kills in a struggle for control.
Each of these deaths symbolizes a step towards the abandonment of social order and the descent into savagery by the boys on the island.
Who Dies In Lord of the Flies Chapter 2
In Chapter 2 of ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding, no character meets their demise. This chapter is primarily about the boys trying to adjust to their survival scenario on the island.
They establish a democratic system where they conduct meetings and make rules to maintain order on the island.
Notably, they begin their first collective task of creating a signal fire using Piggy’s specs as burning glasses, an idea suggested by Jack. The fire becomes uncontrollable, symbolizing the boys’ inability to control their wild instincts.
However, the tragic deaths occur in later chapters, marking the novel’s dark turn and depicting the loss of innocence and civilization.
Who Dies In Lord of the Flies Chapter 9
In Chapter 9 of “Lord of the Flies,” Simon, one of the younger boys, meets his demise. This tragic event is significantly foreshadowed in Chapter 8 during Simon’s conversation with the pig’s head, identified as the ‘Lord of the Flies.’
Following this unsettling encounter, Simon awakens in a dark, humid air, indicating an upcoming storm. Bleeding from his nose and disoriented, he stumbles upon a feared object by the group —a ‘beast.’ The ‘beast,’ in reality, is a harmless object — a dead pilot entangled in a parachute.
The group’s misunderstanding of this entity drives them into panic and chaos. Simon, however, realizes the truth and disentangles the parachute lines, hoping to share this revelation with the group.
He makes his way toward Jack’s feast to clear the misconceptions. Sadly, amidst the frenzy and excitement of the feast, Simon is killed by the boys, who, in their state of delirium, mistake him for the imagined beast.
Does Piggy Die In Lord of the Flies?
Yes, Piggy dies in “Lord of the Flies.” The incident occurs in Chapter 11 when Piggy and Ralph attempt to make peace with Jack and his tribe.
This leads to Piggy being hit by a boulder, resulting in him falling off a cliff and dying. This event marks the downfall of rationality and civility on the island, for which Piggy was a primary advocate.
“The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, traveled through the air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went. The rock bounded twice and was lost in the forest. Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across the square red rock in the sea. His head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed. Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and when it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies, (The narrator about Piggy), Chapter 11, Page 181
Piggy Lord of the Flies Quotes
How Does Simon Die In Lord of the Flies?
Simon’s death on pages 152 to 154 in Chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies is a tragic and pivotal moment in the narrative.
Simon and Piggy are among the schoolboys stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash during what appears to be a subsequent World War.
Initially, the island presents a semblance of tranquillity, allowing the boys to construct shelters and obtain sustenance. But things gradually descend into chaos.
The boys’ primal instincts surface as time lapses, causing them to evolve into a disturbingly savage state.
Amid their transformation and a celebration of a successful hunt, a weakened Simon emerges from the undergrowth. In fright, the boys mistake Simon for the ‘beast’ they fear, attacking and killing him unintentionally.
Piggy initially dismissed The unfortunate event as an accident. Not fully comprehending the gravity of his actions.
“Somewhere over the darkened curve of the world the sun and moon were pulling, and the film of water on the earth planet was held, bulging slightly on one side while the solid core turned. The great wave of the tide moved farther along the island and the water lifted. Softly, surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon’s dead body moved out toward the open sea.”
~William Golding, Lord of the Flies (The Narrator about Simon), Chapter 9, Page 154
Simon Lord of the Flies Quotes
Who killed Piggy in Lord of the Flies?
In William Golding’s novel “Lord of the Flies,” Piggy is killed by Roger, a member of Jack’s tribe. During a confrontation between Jack’s tribe and Ralph’s group, Roger dislodges a boulder from a cliff, which hits Piggy, knocking him off a cliff to his death.
Was Piggy’s death an accident?
In “Lord of the Flies,” Piggy’s death was not accidental. In a clear display of malice, Roger dislodged a rock that struck Piggy, causing him to fall forty feet onto a rocky outcrop, resulting in his instant death.
Given the clear intentions and malicious behavior, Piggy’s death was murder, marking an end to the civilization on the island.
What did Piggy’s death symbolize?
Piggy’s death symbolizes the downfall of civility and rationality and the end of attempts to prevent the descent into savagery.
It signifies the victory of violence and brutality over wisdom, kindness, and civility. Additionally, it marks the destruction of law, power, peace, and control, as symbolized by the shattering conch, leading to a turn toward violent authoritarianism.
Who was killed first in Lord of the Flies?
In the novel “Lord of the Flies” Simon is the first to be killed. Mistakenly, the boys assumed him to be the beast, and in their panic, they brutally beat him to death, led primarily by Jack’s tribe.
Who killed Simon LOTF?
In LOTF, Simon was killed by the other boys on the island, who had mistaken him for the beast when he came down from the mountain.
This tragic incident points towards the extreme savagery that has overcome even the seemingly innocent boys like Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric, all of whom participated in Simon’s murder.
Is Simon eaten in Lord of the Flies?
In “Lord of the Flies,” Simon is mistaken for the beast by the other boys and is killed by them in a savage ritual. While it includes a violent altercation, no explicit information is given in the text to suggest that the others ate Simon after his death.
However, his body is described as moving toward the open sea, implying that it eventually got swept away.
Who has Jack killed in Lord of the Flies?
In “Lord of the Flies,” although Jack does not directly kill any character, he is significantly involved in two deaths. Jack and his group, the hunters, lead the charge in mistakenly killing Simon, whom they mistook for the beast.
Jack’s savage and violent leadership indirectly contributes to the murder of Piggy by creating an environment fostering violence and lack of order.
Does Jack Die In Lord of the Flies?
Jack Merridew does not die in William Golding’s novel “Lord of the Flies.” Despite his cruelty and antagonistic role throughout the story, he survives until the end.
Is Jack Guilty in Lord of the Flies?
In “Lord of the Flies,” Jack does take on questionable actions that can be perceived as guilty. He resorts to violence and even murder to reinforce his leadership among the boys, prioritizing power over the survival needs of the group.
Nevertheless, ironically, his ruthless pursuit of control and self-destructive nature indirectly lead to their rescue, offering a complex aspect to his guilt.
How Does Ralph Die In Lord of the Flies?
In “Lord of the Flies,” Ralph does not die. Despite facing various challenges and threats from the other boys, he is ultimately saved by the arrival of a naval officer, who brings him and the remaining survivors back to civilization.