Compare Simon’s death in the Lord of the Flies to Cinna the poet’s death in Julius Caesar

The Lord of the Flies and Julius Caesar both contain a futile killing. In The Lord of the Flies, Simon is brutally killed. In Julius Caesar, Cinna the Poet is irrationally slayed. Both these killings are done because of a fervent mob. When Simon is killed, the scene is very dark and foreboding. It sets a very chilling atmosphere. Before Simon comes out of the forest, Jack makes a speech to the boys. The speech is about how they should get rid of the “beastie” the little ones are scared of. Jack makes a intimidating speech saying that they have to kill it to be able to be free from it.

This monologue excites the boys, making them want blood. They start dancing and chanting a war song that is very sadistic. It is at this time that Simon emerges from the forest. Since it is dark, the boys see him and think he is the beast. They run to attack him never realizing it is Simon they have killed because they are so into the killing. Only the day after do they realize what they have done. But by then, Simon has already been brutally killed. Cinna the Poet dies in a very unlucky situation. Antony has just said Caesar’s funeral speech.

Antony speaks to the crowd and convinces them that the jealous, but honorable, conspirators unjustly killed Caesar. He convinces them that Caesar loved Rome and its people and even reads them his will. He fires up the crowd against the conspirators till they are beyond their senses. The plebeians set themselves as guards of the gate of Rome and start interrogating all people coming to and going from Rome. This is where Cinna comes in. Cinna is a poet who has come to attend Caesar’s funeral. At the gate he is asked his name. He responds Cinna.

Now Cinna was the name of one of the conspirators so when the guards hear this, their fighting spirits are raised. They start to attack him and then find out he is not Cinna the conspirator but Cinna the Poet. Unfortunately, they are now thirsting for blood so they say they have to kill him for his “bad verses”. Thus, Cinna the Poet is irrationally slayed. Simon and Cinna’s deaths are somewhat alike. They are both killed by wild, out of control, mobs. In both stories, a persuasive speaker delivers a rousing speech that has a riotous effect on the crowd. Then these mobs attack and kill because they are so bloodthirsty and fired up.

The difference between Simon and Cinna’s deaths is the way it is carried out. Simon is killed by accident. The boys just want to kill and they think Simon is the beast they want. Cinna, on the other hand, is killed in a case of premeditated murder to please the mob. The plebeian guards know he is not a conspirator but kill him anyway just because they want to take blood. So, as you can see, both Simon and Cinna’s deaths are caused by excessively wound up mobs that are lusting for blood. Their deaths are just carried out in a different way. In the end, they have both been killed groundlessly.