John's LiteraTarot Deck Card - V

V The Hierophant
John Glock
Lord of the Flies

(Disclaimer: Interpretations herein are my own and may not necessarily reflect your own interpretation of the Hierophant.)

I've depicted Simon in the scene which gives the book its title. A mother pig has been hunted and killed by a group of boys who are stranded on an island after a terrible plane crash. They stake her head on a stick as a gift to what they call "The Beast". Simon watches the incident in the shadows of the surrounding jungle. Flies gather around the pig's head.

"You are a silly little boy," said the Lord of the Flies, "just an ignorant, silly little boy."
Simon moved his swollen tongue but said nothing.
"Don't you agree?" said the Lord of the Flies. "Aren't you just a silly little boy?"
Simon answered him in the same silent voice.
"Well then," said the Lord of the Flies, "you'd better run off and play with the others. They think you're batty. You don't want Ralph to think you're batty, do you? You like Ralph a lot, don't you? And Piggy, and Jack?"
Simon's head was tilted slightly up. His eyes could not break away and the Lord of the Flies hung in space before him.
"What are you doing out here all alone? Aren't you afraid of me?"
Simon shook.
"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast."
Simon's mouth labored, brought forth audible words.
"Pig's head on a stick."
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?"
The laughter shivered again.
"Come now," said the Lord of the Flies, "Get back to the others and we'll forget the whole thing."
Simon's head wobbled. His eyes were half closed as though he were imitating the obscene thing on the stick. He knew that one of his times was coming on. The Lord of the Flies was expanding like a balloon.
"This is ridiculous. You know perfectly well you'll only meet me down there -- so don't try to escape!"
Simon's body was arched and stiff. The Lord of the Flies spoke in the voice of a schoolmaster.
"This has gone quite far enough. My poor, misguided child, do you think you know better than I do?"
There was a pause.
"I'm warning you. I'm going to get angry. D'you see? You're not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island! So don't try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else --"
Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a blackness that spread.
"--Or else," said the Lord of the Flies, "we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?"
Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness.

Although Simon looks at us in the card, he is also looking at himself, who is looking at the Lord of the Flies. The Lord of the Flies gazes toward the sky. The three elements of the soul present the conflict between the nature of wisdom and the nature of mercy. This is the journey of the Hierophant. How can we know the darkness in our soul? How can we forgive it? How can we share this wisdom with others? How can we forgive them? What can we do with our silent voices? Do you. See?

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