Chapters 7-9 in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies are crucial in that they introduce a key quote in story. In fact, this quote and idea is so significant and such a central theme that the entire book was named after it. The quote “They were black and iridescent green and without number; and in front of Simon, the Lord of the Flies hung on his stick and grinned” (Golding 152) is the first point in the novel that introduces the idea of a physical manifestation of the “Lord of the Flies” (152) as a symbol.
The “Lord of the Flies” (Golding 152) refers to the head of a pig on a stick that is surrounded by a swarm of flies feasting on it. This symbol and thus quote are so important that I believe Simon’s encounter with the “Lord of the Flies” (157) is the most integral part of the story so far. The “Lord of the Flies” (157) refers to itself as “the Beast” (158) and it can be inferred from this that the “Lord of the Flies” (158) is actually a symbol for the evil and barbaric instincts that lie within all humans. The “Beast” (158) also suggests that “I’m part of you” (158) which further shows that this evil and despicable “Lord” (158) is an evil instinct or force rearing its head and confronting Simon.
Furthermore, when the beast tells Simon that “You know perfectly well you’ll only meet me down there” (Golding 158) it can be inferred that this “Lord of the Flies” (152) is actually the devil himself and that in fact, this scene is an allusion to a biblical idea. The “Beast” (158) is the devil confronting and tempting Simon (who could be representative of Jesus) just as in the New Testament of The Bible. Jesus was tempted by Satan when he spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and in prayer just as the pig is tempting and mocking Simon and calling him “a silly little boy” (157) and threatening him to not “try to escape” (158) from the evil within him “or else-“ (158). This quote is an integral part of the story and provides further insight into one of the main themes of the novel: the evil that lies within us all.
