Lord of the Flies

In Lord of the Flies, Simon is killed when the other boys mistake him for the beast and attack him in a frenzy. After discovering that the “beast” is actually just a dead parachutist, Simon rushes down the mountain to tell the others the truth. But by the time he reaches them, they are gathered at Jack’s feast, whipped into a storm-fueled, ritual dance. Chanting “Kill the beast! Cut his throat!” they form a tight circle, caught up in fear and excitement. When Simon staggers out of the darkness, disoriented and struggling to speak, the boys don’t recognize him as human. In their panic and mob mentality, they believe he is the beast itself and fall on him, beating and clawing him to death.

What makes Simon’s death especially disturbing is that all the boys participate—not just Jack’s hunters, but even Ralph and Piggy, who had tried to stand for order. The moment shows how completely fear and group hysteria have overtaken reason. Simon dies trying to deliver the truth—that the beast isn’t a real monster but something that exists within them—and is killed precisely because the boys cannot face that truth. His death marks a turning point where the last hope of understanding and moral clarity disappears.