Thus I Go

Personal Legend, What an ultimate concept of a Blungrosoman! We all must journey through this world, facing obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. We limit ourselves by what we understand reality and security to be. Yet it is when we push past the known, past the comfortable, past the constructs of what is acceptable, then we truly see the possibilities. “All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me” what a deep truth that is infinitely hard to grasp, but when we are fully able to grasp this truth it is then that we find our personal legend, and most times it is bigger then we can conceive. I believe that personal legend is a choice. We can choose to attempt to create it in our own weak way, or we can seek through the Heart of the Living and Almighty God what our legend is to be. If we seek we will find a God worth dying for and a legend worth pouring our whole being into. Choosing to follow the Author of our Symphony, taking on the crescendos and solos placed before us is truly a step toward coming of age, of truly seeing the world and self in a more true and real way then we ever have before. God’s ways are higher then our ways, His understanding is perfect and complete, thus I will lean not on my own understanding but I will follow, obey, trust, serve, love, and live life to the fullest beside the very Author of my life.

Happiness

What is true happiness and where can it be found? The shepherd boy begins a journey following omens to find a treasure he is sure exists. Yet what will he really find? Will this treasure truly bring happiness? Was the sacrificing of his sheep a worthy cost for what he might find? Will he discover happiness? Happiness is fleeting, an emotion that comes and goes with circumstances. It is joy that is lasting, joy that envelops ones whole being and never lets go! What about joy? Does the shepherd boy have joy? Where can this joy be found? Let us journey onward with this lad and see if he discovers the contentment he is so set on finding…

Poverty leads to understanding

During her time on Mango street Esperenza indeed journeys to maturity for she is faced with difficulty, like each past character and is transformed by her response to her circumstances. Being in critical years for identity formation Esperenza struggles with all aspects of growth and the pain that comes with it. From realizations of sexuality of her being to the harsh reality of life on Mango Street Esperenza is removed from a sheltered environment and forced to open her eyes to the terrors and beauties of the world. This is the beauty of poverty, for the rich can attempt exclude themselves from the realities of the horrors of the world in which we live, as a result missing the greatest beauties, and thus do not fully form their identity due to lack of understanding. Yet the poor not only see this reality, they experience it. The oppressed not only understand oppression they have to face it day in and day out. Her experience leads her to begin to build her understanding of the world in which she lives.

Esperenza and Pi

Esperenza and Pi have more in common then first meets the eye. First one can see their similarities as one witnesses their struggles with their names. They both long to somehow fit the mold of society. Pi finds ridicule in his name; Esperenza feels that her name is telling of her circumstances. Identity is found for Pi and Esperenza beginning with their name. Both are at a key age in identity formation. Thirteen through sixteen are extremely challenging years as one truly develops into an adult. Identity crises sets in at this age and both Pi and Esperenza experience hardship and difficult circumstances during this critical time. Yet both grow through it all and eventually use their circumstances to guide their growth. I relate to this, for I too faced hardship at this stage in life and see this time of hardship as truly defining in my identity formation.

Cultural expiriance

Culture! What an amazing element of life! In House on Mango Street we again enter the realm of a culture unlike our own. We get to walk in the shoes of a woman living in the inner-city apartments surrounded and enmeshed in the Hispanic American culture. She opens our eyes to the deep struggles of life as she experiences each day on Mango Street. She reveals to us the small moments of life as if showing us a photo album all the while sitting beside us explaining the elements present within each picture. Highlighting important smells, sights, touches, sounds, and tastes. She takes us on a beautiful journey through her life as a Hispanic American woman growing up in America. This cultural journey is valuable to a middleclass American culture to journey, for it is present in every city. The value of experiencing and learning about cultures that differ from your own is priceless.

It is not about our love of God, but about God's unconditional love for us

We see in Pi’s journey a heart of discovery, a significant piece in the puzzle of identity formation. He is searching for truth, yet instead of challenging each faith he embraces them whole-heartedly. Unlike past characters Pi creates an inclusive identity. Yet what does it truly mean to form ones identity? What limits can we put on this act? God has given us free choice, so that we may choose who we become. Yet I believe that God has a perfect purpose for our lives, He alone is able to see the fullness of our potential and though we can live our life choosing to follow good or evil, for me the choice flows much deeper. The choice is in weather I choose to follow my own way of ‘following God’ or if I choose to obey the Author of life, learning God’s best for me, allowing him to steer the boat of my life, and allowing Him to show me the wonders of His glory and love. One of the major differences missed by Pi in the different religions is the love of God for us. In Christianity God loves his creation, loves us to the point of death. Pi chooses how he would see God, but my question to Pi lies in the importance of our small view of God. Does our perception change the truth of God? It is not simply about us choosing to love God, for our love lacks depth we are as dust, but about God choosing to love us, without His love our lives our without hope.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Death and Life

Death, an interesting concept; one humans fear, deny, ignore, face. For an Atheist and Agnostic death must be a depressing idea, for in their view we die and are no more… we cease to exist. It is as if they find an escape in this idea. For Pie death has become a true possibility. He is trapped within its grasp and he is fighting to escape it. Yet for all the lengths the human race takes to stay alive we all will die. Death for a Believer in Jesus Christ is a blessing. We live in a world marinated in and controlled by sin. Physical death brings us into the place our soul longs for, into the very presence of the Author of life. It is spiritual death that has great power, Pie in this statement captures both of these deaths, spiritual and physical. To be spiritually dead, is to be without life, physically one can exist without truly being alive. Pi is faced with being in a place of truth about life and death.

Loneliness

Loneliness is a deep theme in the Life of Pi. For a young boy is faced with life alone in a vast sea where he is left with no control over his situation or the elements at work around him. How does one deal with the depths of loneliness? Pi comes up with a daily routine; he keeps himself occupied with something to do every hour of the day so that life does not seem so meaningless. When we are faced with utter loneliness we feel rejected by the world and left with out purpose. Left without interaction Pi’s survival must surpass lack of physical necessities but also lack emotional and spiritual support. He lives with out anything and his spirit becomes extremely fragile. This loneliness is seen today, it surrounds us. People are faced with this loneliness even while surrounded by people. Pi finds coping mechanisms similar to Paul Berlin and his company in war. He is also faced with the same fear and needs. How is Pi's reaction when he faces his situation different from how Paul and his company deal with the horrors of war? Can Pi be seen as an allegory for the war faced in Going after Cacciato?

Fear

Fear is a powerful emotion that lies in the very nature of a human being. This fear, faced by Paul Berlin and those of his company is a key element as to why I would declare Going after Cacciato as a Blungersoman. For when we face fear we have to decide how we are going to face it and handle this fear. This, weather we choose a positive or negative method, leads to a deepening formation of our identity. I spoke in previous blogs about the importance of experience in coming of age. If one has never had to deal with all of the implications that fear brings into a human heart then one has not truly formed a complete identity. In the novel we watch the characters cope with fear, Caciatto fishes in craters, Paul Berlin attempts the justification for his actions that have resulted from fear, drinking, drugs, coping mechanisms. One grows and matures by being faced with heartache, fear, despair, difficulty. Suffering leads to endurance and perseverance. Yet, I would argue that the only true and healthy response to suffering is to fall into the arms of God. This is where suffering must lead; this is where we see who we were made to be. I believe Randal revealed to us the importance of Christ in his walk through sufferings. Suffering and pain lead to growth of character.

Fear Not

Does Christianity remain true; does faith shine through, in the deepest heart of tribulation and hardship? Pr. Randal O’Brian proclaims this truth loud and clear… yes it does. When you are taken beyond human capacity, faced with the valley of the shadow of death, God is there. God is a faithful protector and guide, and even when you find your self in ‘hell’ on earth He is walking beside you. Many nights I have spent asking the hard questions. God is sending me into desperation; He is preparing my heart to face the limit of self and to fall beyond that point fully into His glory. Yet His hand has removed all fear. During the spinning of our car when I was hit by a dump truck over Christmas God spoke, He told my heart that it had no grounds for fear for Christ is my foundation. It was in being faced with death, experiencing God’s peace, and watching His providence that led me to the point of being able to obey His call to leave America and walk out into the unknown, in faith, trusting that God will prevail. Part of my heart wonders how it will withstand the depths of hardship, the Holy Spirit answers that my heart cannot withstand, I can not accomplish this task alone, but with Christ within me all things are possible.

War

The Vietnam war was incredibly difficult, and has left many soldiers behind who having faithfully fought for their country lie now forgotten on its streets. This book dives into the depths of this war and the ironies, sorrows, and pains that flow from it. The characters are searching for Caciatto who has gone AWOL. This journey is symbolic of the nature of the war. Does this novel find connection with the soldiers at war today? We are separated from the sufferings that our men and women in arms are facing overseas for our safety and we show very little respect for their sacrifice. How should war be perceived? Should we look upon it as positive? And if we do not then it soldiers be forgotten? This novel follows the lives of a group of soldiers struggling through the war. What lessons are presented which can be applied to today?

Now for the big question, is Violence Bear it Away a bildungsroman?

Now for the big question, is Violence Bear it Away a bildungsroman? In many ways one could argue that it is indeed, though not in a positive light. Francis grows up under the influence of Old Tarwarter and Rayber becoming very much as they were. Thus in this world he came of age in the sense that he was influenced by and leaned from those whom surrounded him. Yet in another very real sense one could argue that he never truly came of age. For Francis never truly was able to question the environment he was in much less leave it. Unlike Lucy he was not able to find a room with a view and enter society. In the same way he is unable, partly due to insanity, to understand himself. Though he grapples with the concept of love he is never truly able to experience it. Love is a key factor when discussing coming of age for can one truly mature when love is missing? I am not left convinced that this novel is a bildungsroman, however I allow for the fact that many generations have fallen into this pattern of isolation and in a sense have grown up under extreme values and ideals.

Isolation

Tarwater is faced with a very unusual upbringing. Ones culture and upbringing has a significant and permanent impact on how one view the world and self. For Tarwarter his kidnapping and upbringing separated him from society and placed him with a man whose violence and ‘religion’ defined his existence. This life truly affected Tarwater in ways even he could not understand. Moreover Tarwater has been denied knowledge. Due to his kidnapping at such a young age he was never given the opportunity to learn about the world. In fact the world in which he grew up was created for him. He was told who he was to be and what that meant. Thus when he is finally freed from this isolation his reaction to society surprise others, and confuse his caretakers. How does this extreme isolation impact Tarwater, how would it impact a child in todays society?

Identity and Chapter 4

The Bear is indeed a bildungsroman novel for in the beginning we are introduced to a young immature, inexperienced boy named Isaac. We are given the opportunity to watch Isaac face the wilderness and through this encounter find himself. This journey begins within Isaac the formation of His character and identity. When he leaves the wilderness he leaves a man who has a deeper sense of what his place is in the world. Then we see him take a step into his identity that will bring him to a more complete sense of self. He in essence walks backward through his families past to discover from whom he came, and then is faced with the decision as to whether or not to accept or reject the identity to which he has been born. By rejecting it Isaac further enters self to discover who he truly desires to be. The novel shows the reader that we have a choice when it comes to our identity. We have to choose what parts of our cultural upbringing to accept and which parts to reject, and yet there will always be parts that though we wish to reject are an innate part of us.

Wilderness

What is the wilderness? Is it a place? A construction of our imagination? In The bear the wilderness is defining for Isaac. It is in a sense a powerful force that without he would have never truly become a man. By ‘overcoming’ this wilderness or some how allowing himself to be lost with it was critical to Isaac’s formation of character. Here again we are brought back to the elements of nature. There is something to allowing oneself to be engulfed by something that is unknown and unfamiliar, a place made of entirely natural elements with no human touch. It is here where God is found, and thus it is here where the core of oneself is found. It is one place where the soul can be put in perspective among the majesty of creation.

The Bear

The Bear approaches many deep themes. One of which is man verses nature. It reveals mans desire to constantly have control over their lives. This innate pride that lies with in man, a result of sin, is challenged when the elements of nature strip man of his ability to control his existence. Death, being the ultimate natural event that leads man to question his ability to control his own world. Are we truly able to control our path? We were created by an omniscient God who is all-powerful. He has given us free will, but ultimately we all will leave this earth through death. What is the significance of death?

Janie

Experience is one key element that brings about ones maturity and coming of age. This element is what I would highlight in this novel as we look at it as a bildungsroman. Janie at the beginning of the novel is very sheltered by her grandmother and then by Logan. When she makes the decision to leave with Jody and subsequently with Tea Cake she enters experiences she would have never had while sheltered under her grandmother. In part the process of maturity comes when one takes risks and steps out into the reality of the world, as Janie does. It is through trial and error that Janie begins to form her identity. The climax of this formation occurs during the storm when Janie realizes that she is not in control of life and death, this realization brings Janie to a peak in her discovery of self. I do see this novel as a bildungsroman, due to the depth of character we form within Janie as the novel progresses. The author lets us journey with Janie through tough life experiences that help her form her sense of self in the world.

The Hurricane

They sat in company with the others . . . They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God. -Chapter 18
It is within this quote and the surrounding chapter that we find the climax of the novel. Laced throughout the novel is the presence of a struggle with unseen forces. Janie, a black rural woman from the south, is forced by her status to live in a world, which by its nature ostracizes her. Janie is unable to change the forces that surround her. This struggle is painted symbolically as we watch Janie and Tea Cake fight for survival amidst the hurricane. Neither can control the storm but must learn to survive within it. Janie is unable to control the ‘storm’ constantly raging around her but she must decide how to live within it. Janie does not see suffering in a negative light but instead she realizes that through endurance and acceptance of the bad with the good one is truly able to experience the fullness of life. This concept of struggle against the unseen, this idea of human nature when compared to God leads to the powerful title given to the book.

There Eyes were Watching God #1

To Janie Stark, a beautiful young African American woman growing up after the Civil War, love in marriage is vital. After her experience under the pear tree she becomes frustrated by her mothers decision to make her marry Logan due to the stability he offers. Yet Janie never comes to love him, and so she leaves him for a passionate traveler. The stark contrast in the two marriages reveal the different views of the purpose of marriage and how, with the move toward a more free society, these views change. Nanny’s decision for Janie was due to her love for her and hopes that she would live better, due to the security offered by Logan. Marriage in this sense was used to move your family up in society. Janie, more independent growing up then Nanny, wishes to marry for love, caring little about stability. This shift is portrayed today, as marriage in America is no longer arranged. This transition can also be seen as countries around the world; specifically Muslim countries are slowly allowing their people more independence.

Lucy and the Window

Lucy changes dramatically from the beginning of the novel. At the beginning of the story we find Lucy ‘trapped’ in a room without a view. When a room with a view is offered and her Aunt is finally convinced to allow her to move in to it Lucy gets to ‘see’ out into society for the first time. The novel then walks along side Lucy as she wrestles with weather or not to climb out the window and join society. Countless episodes draw Lucy out of the Window for a time, each event causing more growth as her understanding of the world around her broadens. Her initial journey out of her window left her faint at the sight of death, and elated at her walk with George. Symbolically each time she ‘climbs’ out of the ‘window’ she journeys a bit farther away from the ‘safety’ it offers. The kiss in the violets and seeing George swimming nude were both times in which she traveled far from the window of society. Eventually she decides to leave the window as she elopes with George. Thus Lucy is a good example of a Blugersoman for we watch her grow and change dynamically throughout the novel.

A room with a view #1

Lucy represents woman’s struggle to receive freedom from the oppression of society. The irony laced throughout the novel reveals the true social norms that held woman bound to rules and silly norms. Two key examples of this irony come both during the discussion of changing rooms when the Emersions enter the story and again when Charlotte argues over paying the cab fair. The face/words that is given is a mask to cover true desires and feelings. It is a society caught up in a mesh of having to present oneself in a certain way in every situation. Lucy is not allowed to form her own identity by society but unlike other woman who allow their identity form secretly or allow their identity to mold into the definition society has drawn, Lucy allows her independent identity begin to show and shine through the mask of society.

Huckleberry Fin #3

When I first thought through whether or not Huckleberry Finn fell under the title Blugersoman all I saw looking through the story were characters who show no dynamics for change. When I look at a character like Huck I, as the reader, expect to see dynamic change in his character to reveal that he has some how learned from his adventures and reached maturity, yet, I instead see a boy who repeatedly commits the same acts falling back again and again. Yet there is a struggle that occurs within Huck’s mind that encompasses the struggle of society at the time. And though I don’t see dramatic growth, instead I see moments in time where he does indeed make the right decision or when he sees things more clearly. Yet overall his changes and growth lie in the same plane never truly advancing from where he starts. When we compare Harry with Huck when considering their growth as characters we see in Harry lasting changes that seem to build upon themselves, where as Huck seems to fall back to where he began and learn again. With this I see Huck possibly representing the changing society in which he lived. The uncivilized in fact representing civilization.

Huck and Jim

When one first glances at the two characters sitting on a raft, lazily traveling down the river one believes them to be quite different; one a tall black man and the other a short thirteen-year-old boy. Yet there are similarities between Huck and Jim that surpass these obvious differences. The instant connect comes when they both unite in running away from society as it were, and as their friendship builds it becomes apparent that they fit together quite well as they journey through society invisibly. Both are running from the civilized world for in their minds it is a harsh and unjust world. Both being mistreated and abused within ‘civilization’ they connect with the feeling that comes with great freedom. Yet within their adventures they are still under societies rule, for without entering it Huck is unable to get what they need to survive. We get the sense of their teamwork as we watch Jim instruct Huck to go into the towns to achieve what they need done.

Huckleberry Fin #1

Huckleberry Fin is a great model of resilience. Though faced with abandon, neglect, and abuse both from his father and from the society in which he lived he is able to maintain his resilience. Justice did not prevail in the trial over his custody in that it was seen that his father had the ‘right’ to care for Huck no matter how abusive he was. In essence the law (judge) saw his father as his rightful owner. Huck also shows wisdom when he gives away his money knowing that his father would simply use it to harm him. Huck relates to Jim in that in a way they were both abused by society, facing oppression and discrimination. Jim was discriminated for his color, Huck by his age. They were viewed more as property then as people. I think that Huck’s adventures are one way in which he continues to cope and maintains this resilience.

Harry Potter a bildungsroman?

I think that Harry Potter does indeed fall under the definition of a bildungsroman. For you can pick out almost any character and follow their growth as they face challenges and live out their lives. One character I believe showed the most dynamic transformation as he came of age was Neville. Neville, at the beginning of the series was full of fear and timidity. He was an outcast and easily bullied by Malfoy and his gang of friends. However as the story progresses Neville is thrown into to tough situations again and again where he is forced to make difficult decisions. One great strength, that parallels with Harry’s is Neville’s memory of his parents and their bravery. This memory gives him the courage to do the right thing. The last novel truly shows his growth as he is the key piece in bring together the army that is willing to fight for Harry. The climax of Neville’s character is seen when Harry instructs him to kill the snake, imparting knowledge, and Neville’s ability to do just that when the time came. This growth can be seen an each character as they all face extreme challenges in which they have to make choices. This theme of decision-making is key when deciding weather or not a book is a bildungsroman.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love." --1 John 4:18

Throughout the novel one key theme reappears consistently as Harry battles with the evil Lord Voldemort. That theme is one of love, the love formed between friends so great that death itself cannot overcome it. In fact it is indeed this very love that in the end overcomes even death itself. Harry’s selflessness in death is testament to the love he had for all. His love overcame the fear of evil and the fear of death. This love can be seen as a metaphor to love of Jesus Christ as written in the Gospels. The love of God for us sending Him to the cross to die, a love that overcame the power of death forever.

Harry Potter #1