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Allegory
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Chapter 7
Explanation and Analysis—Simon's Prediction:
Simon is a uniquely wise character, and he seems to understand things the other boys don't. In this prescient moment in Chapter 7, containing allusion and foreshadowing, he predicts Ralph's safe return:
“You’ll get back to where you came from.” Simon nodded as he spoke. […] Ralph was puzzled and searched Simon’s face for a clue. “It’s so big, I mean—” Simon nodded. “All the same. You’ll get back all right. I think so, anyway.” Some of the strain had gone from Ralph’s body. He glanced at the sea and then smiled bitterly at Simon. “Got a ship in your pocket?” Simon grinned and shook his head.
Ralph becomes angry with Simon for, as Ralph sees it, offering hope without any proof behind it. But Simon's prediction is foreshadowing: not only does Ralph eventually "get back all right," but Simon does not. By saying "you'll get back" instead of "we'll get back," Simon predicts only Ralph's safe return. Nor does Simon say "you all" or "you and Piggy," since Piggy too dies before he can be rescued.
This is another moment in which Simon seems Christlike. Like Christ (and like powerful figures from other religions), Simon is able to prophesy, even though he will not live to see his prophecy fulfilled. When he hears Simon's prediction, Ralph's bitterness is understandable; but his unwillingness to believe also means that, in this scene, Ralph is not unlike one of Jesus's disciples who doubts or repudiates Jesus during the most difficult moments in the Gospel narratives.
Related Themes:
Chapter 8
Explanation and Analysis—Christlike:
Often, Simon is compared to Jesus Christ or called a "Christ figure." But the book never explicitly says he is like Christ. How do readers understand him as similar to the Christian Savior? This scene, in chapter 8, creates a strong allusion using imagery and metaphor:
He went on among the creepers until he reached the great mat that was woven by the open space and crawled inside. Beyond the screen of leaves the sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced in the middle their unending dance. He knelt down and the arrow of the sun fell on him. That other time the air had seemed to vibrate with heat; but now it threatened. Soon the sweat was running from his long coarse hair. He shifted restlessly but there was no avoiding the sun. Presently he was thirsty, and then very thirsty. He continued to sit.
This meditative moment evokes Jesus fasting in the desert for 40 days. Despite his thirst and his discomfort with the sun, Simon does not move. What is he waiting for? This moment of suffering and waiting is something many figures in the Bible undergo, including and especially Jesus. Simon kneels as if in prayer. Even if the novel is not explicitly Christian, Golding seems to use Jesus as a model for Simon's character.
The metaphor "arrow of the sun" suggests indicating Simon is receiving divine guidance or seeking it. The sun often represents a deity, and in this novel the sun and heat are often painful. This is once again true here, where the heat is explicitly described as uncomfortable and also metaphorically called an "arrow." In a Christian understanding, being close to God does not mean one's life will be free of suffering; in fact, quite the opposite often occurs, not only in the story of Jesus's crucifixion, but also with Christian martyrs. Simon's position as a Christlike figure in the book does not only depend on his spiritual awareness and wisdom, but also his suffering, unique exposure to death (when he frees the parachutist's corpse), and eventual "sacrifice," when the boys kill him.
Related Themes:
