Similarly, the ‘brightness’ could refer to a halo, linking in with the idea that Simon is an angelic, Christ-like figure. The quotation ‘the water rose further and dressed Simon’s coarse hair in brightness’ highlights nature’s respect as it is symbolic of a crown being placed on his head, presenting him as a king who deserves maximum respect. The idea that the boys have gone against nature by killing Simon is emphasized by the huge contrast between their violence and disrespect towards him as opposed to nature’s gentleness after his death. ‘Scar’ evokes connotations of permanence, suggesting the shame of Simon’s murder will haunt the island – and perhaps the boys – forever. This word choice indicates the boys have wounded the island in a sense, and on a larger scale implies that humanity is a threat to peace and nature. ‘Scar’ mirrors the language used at the start of the novel, reminding the readers of the plane crash which was referred to as ‘the scar’. Golding suggests the boys have blemished the island, and this is made evident by the use of the word ‘scar’ to describe the lightning. Furthermore, the phrase ‘endless, outstretched hands’ mirrors biblical scenes in which people tried to touch Jesus, further indicating that Simon is Christ-like. The ‘littluns’ are presented as at the bottom of society and are dismissed by the ‘bigguns’, so it is significant that Simon is willing to help them despite their low social standing. His benevolent attitude is made clear when he is described as helping get fruit for the ‘littluns’ in the phrase ‘Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless, outstretched hands’. This links in with the idea that Simon is a Christ-like character, as throughout the novel he is the one boy who stands out as not partaking in violence and who is kind to everyone regardless of their social status. Historically, people used to believe thunderstorms were a sign that God was angry, so Golding’s use of thunder is significant as it portrays Simon as a divine figure with close ties to religion and God, suggesting his murder was not only against nature but against God as well. This idea is developed by the use of a thunderstorm, which are often associated with destruction and danger. We get the impression the boys are going against nature by murdering Simon as he is a character that appreciated the natural beauty of the island, and many beautiful descriptions of nature are positioned in parts of the novel where Simon is present. Furthermore, the imagery ‘tearing of teeth and claws’ is reminiscent of a beast. The phrase ‘no words’ has animalistic qualities, implying they have become savage, and this phrase highlights how their savagery has reversed their humanity until they are at the same level as animals.
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