Salvation by Langston Hughes

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The difference between interpretation of the language in youngsters and adults is not a new topic of discussion. There has been a considerable difference between the interpretation between of historical facts between adults and children (Barbradozier). Moreover, it is a commonly observed trend that the children perceive the texts in their literal meanings while adult communication mainly consists of the metaphors and references. Unfortunately, the adults always want the young generation to grasp their interpretation of the language or text without considering the mental level of the children and their linguistic developments (Barbradozier). The author of this short story Langston Hughes also highlights this difference in the text, and this essay aims to formulate an analysis of the book, Salvation. Langston, the author of the document, identifies this lapse of judgment from an adult when his aunt told him that Jesus would come down as a light to offer his salvation. The author as a young child interpreted the message in its literal meanings and always expected to see Jesus and associated light in the salvation prayers of his town (Barbradozier). His childhood interpretation resulted in a lot of struggles and sacrifices in his search of salvation. The young child was not able to understand why Jesus is not coming to rescue or save him during his struggle or troubled times. The immediate result of this misinterpretation was the fact that the main character started to consider himself not liked by Jesus and consider other children lucky who were saved by the lord. Moreover, the main character was not able to understand the basic concept of punishment as he and his best lied to the community about viewing Jesus and being saved by him (Carillo). The main character had believed that sin like lying is always punishable by God (Carillo). The main character, however, was able to sustain his belief and the main lesson learned from this essay is to stand on your beliefs regardless of your personal and community's experience (Carillo). The main character in the short story, despite multiple failures, to see Jesus was able to strengthen his belief. The book highlights the anxiety and sense of cynicism in the early age of many children. Initially, the main character takes a cynical and skeptical approach. For instance, I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not saved (Carillo). The author's approach of cynicism is set in this sentence and carried out although the book. The author's feelings remain uncertain about his salvation and ultimate relief throughout the text. Different pressure situations and resulting instances impacted the author's belief and created some doubts about the concept of salvation. However, it should be noted that to make life-changing like believing in the bible's concept of salvation; one has to remove any doubt (Carillo). The bible's relationship between man and God is extremely strong and based on faith and purification of the soul from any sin or doubt on the man's behalf. This relationship is stronger and more demanding than any other relationship established by humankind (Carillo). Throughout the book, the author is afraid of his doubts and its implications of the relationship between God and himself. In addition to effective use of the text, the author can develop imagery aimed at making the readers imagine themselves in the main character's shoes and the associated feeling of touch and emotions. One of the significant examples of the effective use of imagery by the author are given below: The preacher preached a wonderful rhythmical sermon, all the moans, and shouts and Lonely cries and dire pictures of hell in this sentence the author can paint a picture, which facilitates the reader, relate to the reason and emotions resulting in the sudden changes of main character's belief (Tukes). The author also relates to the childhood feeling of the main character when he was going to commit sins and hoping to see Jesus or the Holy Spirit appear and save him. The child was expecting to see the lord to come and save him, but nothing happens. The review of the text affirms that the intended readers of the book are strong believers in the rhythmic church. Hughes narrates most of the instances after the saving of Westley (Tukes). However, the author never explains or hints about the reaction of people and their emotions when Westley claimed to be saved. As stated earlier, the author who is the main character of the book was able to sustain his belief in the appearance and ultimate salvation of Jesus. He placed himself in the last rows of the church and considered the entire community around himself to be waiting for his ultimate salvation. The entire community seems to relate their own beliefs on the fact whether the main character is saved or not as he is the only left in the community to be saved (Tukes). These circumstances create the author to be responsible and remove any doubts regarding the ultimate salvation process and become a saved member of the Christian believers around him. The fact that the community is relying on his salvation depicts extreme pressure experienced by him throughout is life. It resulted in him lying to the community that he has been saved by the lord while at the same time thinking about the consequences of his lies and associated punishment. The major lesson learned from the book is the fact that the religious concepts like salvation should not be enforced on someone, especially on the young children. They should be allowed to experience and develop their own beliefs which then can be empowered by educational institutions and the culture of the community. By enforcing the ultimate believes like salvation create extreme pressure on the young children and results in making them sinful as the author lied to the community about his salvation (Tukes). Salvation by most of the Christian community is considered as the process of ultimate removal of the sins, saving of a human by the hands of God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. However, the right interpretation of the process reveals that salvation is a process of committing personal lives and emotions to the Lord (Tukes). Therefore, such commitments should be made at personal levels and not enforced by the outside forces like parents and the community. The questioning of one's beliefs regarding the Lord, God, and salvation can result in the diminishing of faith in the youngsters owing to their lack of interpretations of universal concepts like religion in the early age. All in all, the review of the book reveals the extreme pressure and emotional stress faced by the youngsters in religious communities. They are told things for which they have no clue at all. It is not only observed in the Christian communities but almost all religions of the world. The children from their early ages are educated and transformed into individuals which have not idea about the real meaning of the religion and most of them continue to act as a puppet or continue to commit sins like lying and deceiving themselves and the people around them. If we review the book and the ultimate concept of salvation in the context of the global socio-political regime, we can easily see people being miss-guided and performing activities which are no way near their religions. The terrorism and associated Islamophobia are the current examples of such attitudes. The main Islamic extremists and the people labeling Islam as a terrorist factory is the prime example of such educational regimes in the religious communities. The ?Islamic Terrorists' are not able to understand the literal meaning of Islam (Peace) and people advocating to take strict actions against Muslims are not able to interoperate basic meaning of Christian Faith and Judaism, which is to act in a way to eliminate religious and other types of discrimination from the global society.
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Salvation by Langston Hughes. (2019, Dec 04). Retrieved March 29, 2024 , from
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