Peace like a River- Annotation

Shocking. The ending to Peace like a River was completely shocking. It was nothing like what I had expected. When I closed the back cover, I sat in silence still trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. And only one thought kept running through my mind: Jeremiah Land is a representation of Jesus. Fully and completely. From the beginning of the book to the very last sentence. I sat trying to come up with a nice academic word to accurately describe what he did, but the only word that truly sums up Jeremiah Land's actions is one I feel is overused but necessary- sacrifice.

The definition of sacrifice is "the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim" (dictionary.com). Life is something we hold a lot of value in. Mr. Land viewed his life as nothing, or of little importance compared to the life of his son, Reuben. The Bible says in John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." Is that not what Jesus did for us?

We as humans have a hard time grasping the concept of that kind of love. A love that values and sacrifices ones own comforts, needs, or even in these examples, ones life. Jesus was obviously the ultimate example of sacrifice, dying so that we might have spiritual breath, so in turn we might have spiritual life. But what Jeremiah Land did for his son was almost as important. He gave away part of himself so that he may save his sons life by giving him new lungs and a chance at a new life free from the limitations his asthma brought upon him. In the death of his father, Reuben received healing. In the death of Jesus, we also have received healing.

The similarities of these two men are amazing. It made the life of Jesus so real and tangible. That what he did was not so far out after all; that love like that really can exist. It should change us. I imagine that Reuben was changed and lived his life differently knowing that his father sacrificed so much for him. I want to live my life differently for my father, knowing that he gave the ultimate sacrifice for my life as well.

Citations

"Sacrifice" Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 25 April, 2011. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sacrifice

The New International Bible. Ed. Print.

The Road- Reflection.

"I wasn't going to kill him" he said..."But we did kill him."

Those lines sent shivers up my spine. I sat in my bed reading and thought to myself, what does it honestly mean to kill someone? Are there different types of murder? Could this not just be a physical killing, but an emotional or mental one as well?

When the father and son found their thief, the father immediately threatened to kill this man. Not only did he threaten to blow his brains out, he forced him to take off his clothing and give it to them. These actions made the son very upset and angry. He wouldn't talk to his dad for a while. In the fathers mind he hadn't done anything wrong; he didn't actually kill the man. But the son viewed it differently. Was leaving the man naked, cold, and hungry any better than shooting him? No. In the sons mind they already killed him by refusing to help.

I sat there thinking of this situation. My thoughts began thinking of how far does wanting to survive go. Then they transitioned to the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And then that transformed into me contemplating my own murder. No, I haven't actually killed a man. But have I?

Does being uncompassionate to those around me make me on this same level? If I drive by a homeless man while eating McDonald's, am I any better than the father who threatened death? I don't believe its so much the action as it is the thought behind those actions. To not help someone is a choice. We make that choice by putting ourselves first and not being compassionate like we are called to be.

I don't want to be that persons who threatens death upon somebody else for my own comforts. I want to be like the son, weeping and angered when others aren't being helped. The golden rule really says it all. We as Christians, even as students, need to adopt the mindset of compassion and doing to others what we would want done to us. Compassion is contagious. I think maybe if we all took on the challenge, we just might start a revolution.

The Road- Reflective

Father.

Instantly upon seeing that word, several images and other words came to your mind. You picture your own father, or someone who is like a father to you. Fathers have certain character traits: strong, leading, reassuring, safe, protective, comforting, loving, able. I envision my own dad. When something goes wrong he's the first person I want. His strong arms make me feel safe. Knowing he's there I feel protected. One word from him and I feel loved. When I can't do something, I know that my dad can.

In our story The Road, we have a story of a father and son on this journey to the south. They are trudging through snow and woods, dragging along what little belongings they can hold onto. So far through the story, the son looks to his father for reassurance all the time. He's always asking him questions just to make sure of what is going on, and if something happened his dad will tell him and be there. The son never wants to be separated from his safety; his father. The journey they're taking is already one that makes you feel unsafe and insecure. Literally fighting to stay alive and all you have is each other. The two of them are up against so many dangers. They come across situations and have to make decisions that if it wasn't the end of the world, it would be morally incorrect. His son recognizes what is right and what is wrong, and he needs the reassurance from his father that they are still good people and they are just staying alive.

The traits that fathers have are naturally survival instincts. In this story, there is an incredible demonstration of a selfless father/son relationship. Giving up your own comforts for the sake of another, carrying your child when they can't continue, holding them when they're afraid, and pushing them beyond their limits. Even though this story is dark and gruesome at times, it still paints a beautiful picture of what a loving family relationship should be. It makes me appreciate my own father and how willing he is to go for the sake of my needs.

Peace like a River- Annotation

Author Leif Enger, of Peace like a River, uses strong motifs throughout his book. Each motif is almost like a symbol and a foreshadowing of an event to come. From the start of the book we see miracles and biblical analogies, such as the spiritual relationship Jeremiah Land has with God and the ability for miracles to flow through his life. We also can see a water motif, taking form in snow or fog. Even the recurrence of dreams is symbolic. But what I would like to focus on is the symbolism behind Enger's crow motif. There are a lot of birds mentioned in this book, but more specifically I wanted to narrow in on the significance of the crow.

According to Vanya, an online author, the crow "teaches us how to learn from situations and to feel 'guilt free' when we are assertive. Crow is the bringer of harmony" (Vanya, Web). Another online source refers to crows as showing "integrity and doing unto others as we would have them do to us" (theearthangelconnection.com). And as another informational source, in class throughout this semester we have had to read poems that also use birds as a motif, and through class lectures and discussions we talked about birds being this symbol of freedom and release.

Along the journey to find Davy, Jeremiah and his children- Reuben and Swede- are driving through North Dakota and along the road they see something that appears to be a piece of trash. Upon getting closer, they realize it is a dead crow. Jeremiah makes a statement that it was the first crow he "ever saw hit on the road" (Enger 133). Later on when Reuben actually finds Davy and is keeping it a secret from the rest of their family, the two have a conversation and while talking, crows gathered above them tutting and cawing. These are just two of many examples, but I found these two to have the most depth with the situations surrounding them.

Now knowing the real meaning behind the crows, I can look at these passages and think “how did I not see the ending?” When the Land family sees the dead crow in the road, it is as if they are looking at Davy and his life. Davy has committed a crime that has no excuse; he’s gone and killed two boys. Not only that, he has run away and escaped from jail. So now Davy is wanted for more than one crime. As the crow is a symbol of being guilt-free and doing to others what you wish they do to you, this is no longer just seeing a crow that got run over by a vehicle. It is this moment where the thought of Davy being guilt-free is put to death. We could even venture to say it symbolizes his freedom being taken away.

Tutting, which means “contempt, disdain, or impatience” (dictionary.com) also adds another level to the next scene. While Davy and Reuben are talking, this symbol of freedom and integrity is flying and soaring above them with contempt and disdain. Is this possibly a view of how we should be looking at Davy? It may be. It certainly gives the story an attitude. This bird that is supposed to be guilt-free and bring harmony is now cawing out cries of contempt above him.

Davy never gets caught. But his brother Reuben had the pivotal moment in realizing that his brother is not as innocent as he thought he was. It may have been a slight letdown, you always want to believe the best of someone you love. But in the end, they manage to restore a relationship that lasts throughout the rest of their years.

Citations

“Bird Symbolism. Working with Bird Energies” Sacredearth-Sacredart.com. Vanya. Web. 2007.

Theearthangelconnection.com

"Tutting" Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 6 April, 2011. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tutting

Peace like a River- Reflective

The story Peace like a River has so many themes and topics I could write about. The underlying theme is clearly faith. But within that one theme alone is a thousand subjects. For this blog I want to zone in on fog- walking by faith.

                I love the story of August and Reuben horseback riding early in the morning while it was foggy. Fog creates and alludes to things unseen, mystery, and even apprehension. But the fog dissipates the more the light comes and the stronger the day gets. When the light rises, it puts to rest the apprehension, mystery, and the unseen. Things become clearer and you can be more confident of where you are going.

                This is a perfect analogy for faith. We go through different seasons and trials in our lives, and things become a little foggy. Sometimes the road God calls us to walk on is filled with things that are mysterious. It’s like walking blind. Walking without seeing where you are going can cause some apprehension; I know it’s not just me. You’re afraid you’re going to run into something, stub some toes, fall down, or get lost. But you keep going, because you know you have a destination. And you realize the more you walk into the fog, the closer you are to the light; Jesus. The closer you are to Jesus, the more the fog lifts, and your road starts to come to focus.

                I think this is a subtle moment of foreshadowing for the rest of the book. The Land family is on a journey through the fog. Not just in the moment when Reuben was riding with August through literal fog, but they are embarking on a spiritually foggy journey. They have no clue what is one step ahead of them. But they are willing to run into things, stub some toes, fall down, and get lost. Because the goal of finding the lost one is more important to them than what happens along the way.

                Well that’s challenging. I had to sit and reflect that if the way I am living is with the ultimate goal and destination in mind or if I am more concerned with the falls and bumps along the way that will hurt. I want to find the joy of the destination before I even reach it. That’s some real faith. 

Peace like a River- Problematize

"People fear miracles because they fear being changed- though ignoring them will change you also."

The reoccurring theme of miracles in the book "Peace like a River" is obviously noticeable, but I feel as if it is that topic we hear about but don't listen to. Miracles are talked about like they can happen; not that they still are happening. We use the label of miracle for material things. Example, Miracle Grow. What's so miraculous about dirt enhanced with chemicals? Or, Miracle Whip. What's so miraculous about fluffy mayonnaise?

Miracles are more than plant food and sandwich spreads. Miracles are pieces of God's power being shown to His creation. They are taking an impossible situation and turning it around and doing what man cannot do in his own strength. I believe that we tone down the word miracle so it's on a level we can handle and are comfortable with. Because Swede is right, we fear by allowing God's power to openly flow, we might actually be changed and taken out of our comfort zone. But isn't that the point? We ask God for miracles to take us out of the zone we're in. We're sending God mixed signals...

I am a miracle. When I was born, I almost died. The doctors found a fluid in my lungs and they were sure I was not going to make it. But through prayer and petitioning God for the impossible, I am healed and whole. I've seen so many miracles throughout my life; blind eyes opened, deaf ears opened, lame people walking, sick people healed, people released from demonic possession. And it has changed me. But I strongly believe had I never experienced that, I would not truly believe that with God all things are possible.

Heaven is jam-packed into our souls. It's part of our spiritual DNA. Which means that as Christians, miracles are also apart of our DNA. Jesus has given us the authority and power to tap into that at any moment. Not to be reckless, but to show God's goodness. The realization of just how much God wants to do in and through us should be releasing, changing. We should fear the Lord more than we fear losing our comfort. That in and of itself would be a real miracle.

The Silence of a Woman- Annotation

Over the course of Spring break, I had the chance to sit down and look at the poems my group was doing for our project. As I was looking at the poem "The Silence of a Woman" by Liz Rosenberg, I read the word Sybil and I had absolutely no idea what that word even meant. Since I was at my home, I asked my brother, who is a literal genius, what the word meant, and the meaning of it and the related meanings shed a whole new light on this poem.

"Oh lifetime of silence!
 Words scattered like a Sybil's leaves."

Sybil, in classic mythology is a Prophetess, witch, or fortune-teller. I was so excited over this newfound definition I couldn't contain myself. It is ironic how the sentence starts out saying a lifetime of silence, and then proceeds to compare it to the scattered words of a Prophetess like leaves. According to an online source, House of Names, leaves have a symbolism for happiness (internet). And for those who don't know, a Prophetess is someone who speaks, and upon speaking, they know their words will either fall on deaf ears or attentive ones. And the words that they speak are the life of the Prophetess; her happiness. In essence, Rosenberg uses this drastic simile to say that living in silence is just as bad as having the words of a Prophetess scattered about, almost as if they are falling on deaf ears and not being heard.

Upon knowing this information, I feel as if the text has a new layer of drama. It's so easy to read over that sentence and not give it a second thought, but the depth and seriousness of what Rosenberg is trying to convey in the poem I believes lies in these two lines. Every woman has a voice. Every woman deserves to be heard before she's lived so long her voice becomes just a soulful wind that hopes it can keep up. Every woman has something worth being heard. I hope the world starts listening.

                                                          

                                                                 Works Cited
                      Houseofnames.com. Swyrich Corporation, 2010-2011. 15 March 2011.