Talk:Heliotropes/@comment-6418997-20131109025955/@comment-7706473-20131111140816

For me - this story symbolizes the way the world was, and likely never will be again. You're right, the old man is essentially giving up on life - even if the swamp had not existed, he probably would have tried to find some other way to seek out his own death. This way, at least, he could tell himself he was doing something for his son, however...

Yet, the old man respected the old ways, at least. Chances are he would've never felt to crush the spider, even if he hated what she whispered to him. The son did it without thinking - and it is worth mentioning perhaps, that any guilt he had left quickly, as did any ties he had to his father - to say nothing of the rest of his family... Perhaps I am just bitter and cynical, ahaha. Thank you so much for reading, and for enjoying however! I rather love the Lord of the Flies, so I'll take that as a high compliment! :D