Now a great wind blew the rain sideways, cascading the water from the forest trees. *On the mountaintop, the parachute filled and moved; the figure slid, rose to its feet, spun, swayed down through a vastness of wet air and trod with ungainly feet the tops of high trees; falling, still falling, it sank towards the beach and the boys rushed screaming into the darkness. The parachute took the figure forward, furrowing the lagoon, and bumped it over the reef and out to sea. Towards midnight, the rain ceased and the clouds drifted away. The beast lay huddled on the pale beach and the stains spread inch by inch. The water rose further and Simon's dead body moved out towards the open Sea, where it was surrounded by a swarm of fish.
Question 1: How does the weather change as the events unfold?
Answer: A great wind blows the rain sideways, cascading water from the forest trees. Towards midnight, the rain ceases, and the clouds drift away.
Question 2: Describe the movement of the parachute and the figure it carries?
Answer: The parachute fills with wind, causing the figure to slide, rise to its feet, spin, and sway down through the wet air. It then treads ungainly on the tops of high trees before falling towards the beach.
Question 3: What is the reaction of the boys to the figure carried by the parachute?
Answer: The boys rush screaming into the darkness as the figure descends towards the beach.
Question 4: What happens to the figure and the parachute after it lands on the beach?
Answer: The parachute takes the figure forward, furrowing the lagoon, and then bumps over the reef and out to sea. The beast's body lies huddled on the pale beach, and stains spread inch by inch.
Question 5: What natural event occurs after the rain ceases?
Answer: The water rises further, and Simon's dead body moves out towards the open sea, where it is surrounded by a swarm of fish.
Question 6: How does the passage create a sense of foreboding and tragedy?
Answer: The description of the figure descending in the stormy weather, the boys' panicked reaction, and the eventual fate of Simon's body being carried out to sea contribute to the sense of foreboding and tragedy in the passage.