The placement and timing of the parachutist in Lord of the Flies is extremely significant and must not be overlooked. When the parachutist is presented in the story, the twins think that it is the beast. In reality, this “beast” is simply a dead parachutist dangling from the trees. The parachutist drifts down to the island while the boys are asleep, and is animated through the wind. Although this parachutist can be seen as a literal manifestation of the beast and the fear that the beast brings about, the real meaning is much deeper. Although Simon eventually sees the parachutist for what he really is, he is never able to relay his message.
The main thing that the parachutist symbolizes is the war, the evil on the island, and the idea that the boys will have to fend for themselves. The parachutist’s fall to the island is ultimately because of the war raging on high above the island. However, the parachutist also represents the evil that is on the island. The parachutist’s death is ultimately caused by humans, and stands to show what humans are capable of doing to each other when they are acting with a group or idea. On the island, the boys are becoming more unstable and Jack is becoming more dangerous. Additionally, the fact that the parachutist arrives to the island serves to remind the boys that they are ultimately in charge of their own fate as adults are not there to help them.