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Illustrated portrait of The dead parachutist

A character in Lord of the Flies

The dead parachutist

The airman is killed in the adult war and lands on the mountain.

The book

Cover of Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding, 1954

Schoolboys build a society from scratch and discover how quickly rules can give way to fear and violence.

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Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

The airman is killed in the adult war and lands on the mountain. Wind inflates his parachute, making his body appear to rise and fall. The boys mistake him for the beast. Simon identifies the truth and frees the lines. The body is blown out to sea during the storm.

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