LOTF-Ch9-Summary


 * Chapter 9 opens with Simon regaining consciousness from the night before. He tries to continue his conversation with the Lord of the Flies but has no such luck. Simon gets up with weak legs and staggered to the top of the mountain. Simon witnessed the parachutist "sit up" and wobble about, Simon saw that the flies had found the parachutist as well, hovering over him. As Simon got closer the mystery was revealed...the thing that everyone was so afriad of was nothing more than a lifeless body that had been held together by a parachute, with visible bones, and rotting discoloration to the skin. Simon freed the parachute from the rocks and slowly started to make his way back to camp to give the news. The beast was grotesque, but utterly harmless. It was just Ralph and Piggy left, the others had gone with Jack to take part in his great feast at the other end of the island. The two had decided there was no harm in joining as well, just to see what was going on. They found the boys eating, laughing, playing, and Jack was in the middle of it all, sitting on a great log as if it was a throne. Jack gave Ralph and Piggy meat, after everyone had their fill, he asked who would join his great tribe. Ralph quickly protested, reminding the boys that he was chief, and he had the conch. The storm was becoming more obvious and the boys realized, Jacks part of the island had no shelter, nothing to protect them from the storm. Jack then led a dance, the boys jumped and ran around in a circle chanting, "KILL THE BEAST! CUT HIS THROAT! SPILL HIS BLOOD!" Just when all this comotion became great and agonizing, Simon emerged from the jungle, crying out and struggling forward. The boys attacked, out of control, horribly mistaking Simon for the beast. When the massacre broke up the parachutist fell from the mountain and rolled down the beach and started out to sea, sending the boys screaming into the darkness. Simon is now dead, laying along the shore, the tide is coming in slowly, covering his body with tiny marine creatures. With the final bubble of air leaving his body, Simon made is final journey out to sea. ||