Lord of the Flies Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Simon recovers and gets up after his encounter with the Lord of flies. He runs back to the mountain to tell them about his encounter. On the mountain top, he finds the pilot's body, and he understands that it was the pilot's body that they mistook for the beast. He runs down to the beach to tell everyone the reality of the beast, but Ralph and Piggy have gone to Jack's camp for the feast. Jack behaves as if he is a savage chief. He wears a crown made of leaves, and his face is painted with charcoal. He is like a master ordering the other boys around and, they are obeying him. When Ralph arrives, they both start struggling for power. Ralph says that he is chief, as he has the conch, but Jack negates him, saying that the conch has no value at this camp. Although Ralph tries to win everyone's favor by mentioning the importance of the signal fire, everyone joins Jack. They start dancing and chanting “Kill the beast! Cut his throat,” while Roger acts like a pig. Suddenly, Simon appears from the forest and tries to tell them about the reality of the beast. They confuse him with the beast and start beating him. When they realize what they have done, it is too late. Simon is dead from his injuries. It starts raining, and the wind lifts the pilot's body up and carries it into the sea.