Lord of the Flies

In Lord of the Flies, Jack shows no real regret for Simon’s death. Instead, he folds the killing into his growing system of fear and power.

Simon is murdered during a frenzied ritual when the boys, whipped into a mob, mistake him for the beast, and beat and claw him to death. This violence isn’t treated as an individual crime but as a collective eruption. The next day, there is no moment where Jack reflects or expresses guilt. Rather than confront what happened, he reinforces the illusion that the beast is still out there. He tells his tribe that the figure from the forest was the beast but insists they didn’t actually kill it, because it cannot be killed. This claim conveniently avoids responsibility and keeps the boys dependent on him for protection.

This response contrasts with Ralph and Piggy, who at least recognize, however uneasily, that Simon was the victim and that they took part in something terrible. Jack moves in the opposite direction. He deepens the tribe’s fear, demands obedience, and plans further violence, including raids and hunts. His authority depends on denying the truth Simon died trying to reveal: that the “beast” is inside them.

Jack’s lack of remorse signals a shift on the island. By refusing to acknowledge the killing, he helps turn it into a foundation for his rule, where violence is normalized and guilt has no place. That refusal captures the tension between facing the darkness within (as represented by Simon’s character) and surrendering to it.