Can someone sum this quote up for me?

Question

It’s hard to teach American literature without Bible references, pints out one English teacher.[5] Here is how another high school English teacher put it:

“Today we discussed The Old Man and the Sea … when he carries the mast, he falls, he lies spread out on the mast, it’s just like Christ crucified… Most of the class didn’t have any idea … A Tale of Two Cities—one man is sacrificing himself for another, just as Christ sacrificed himself for mankind. Sidney Carton walks through the garden before he decides just as Christ walked through the garden. I tell the students, I’m not any particular religious persuasion at all. I’m not a Christian. You just have to know the Bible.”

Thank you!!

The majority of you, the "atheists" or "agnostics," are idiots.

Answer 1

"You just have to know the Bible.”

It’s hard to understand some English or American or European literature (especially the older stuff) fully without a working knowledge of the Bible.

The Bible is one of the key books of the world (whether or not you believe in Christianity) and many writers use Christian images in their work - not necessarily because the writers themselves are practising Christians, but because the images are part of their mental landscape, formed by their education and upbringing in a Christian country.

When I did my literature degree, the Bible was one of the books that were "required reading".

Answer 2

Dear John Doe,

It's hard to really pinpoint what you are asking, because the statement is so broad. (I'm speaking as both a Pastor and an English Major who graduated from UCLA with an English degree).

American literature is such a large genre that you will find large chunks of American literature which does not have any religious symbolism in it. For example Steinbeck and Faulkner really don't make allusion to Christ- but other authors like the ones you've mentioned: Dickens, Hemingway, Joseph Conrad, etc. often share themes which have religious symbolism.

i guess in terms of your English teachers they are recognizing that in some English novels there are Christ-like figures or themes which are centered around some of the things that Jesus taught. First i would say that these works of fiction are not the best works to evaluate or treat as teachings of theology (because a lot of these themes are underlying and are greatly colored by the author's personal background).

This differs from the Bible which tells one story about Jesus Christ (with 40 authors, and 66 different books, but amazingly the Bible has been found to be historically and prophetically accurate), and is not written as a story book but as God's instructions as to how to have a relationship with His only Son Jesus- and how to know and please God.

i think that a knowledge of the Bible might help with some of these certain themes and will help in terms of analyzing the paticular works of literature- but just saying that you should't analyze the Bible based on these works of literature.

I hope that helps. Feel free to email me if you need any help with your homework.

Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 3

WHY do you HAVE to know the Bible? Why not draw analogies from OTHER "books of fiction"? Why not tell the kids that the drunk driver crashed his car into the tree "just as Harry Potter's Ford Anglia crashed into the Whomping Willow" or perhaps you could describe a whirlwind crashing (fortunately) through the mid-west Bible Belt, "just as it did in The Wizard of Oz".

If you are any sort of teacher - ANY sort, you will get out of this pseudo christian thing, and TEACH the children to actually THINK for themselves. The more you encourage RATIONAL, INDEPENDENT thought, the greater this world will become. It is teachers who espoused the religion thing, who would (no doubt) still assert that the world is flat!

Answer 4

In most things if not all things today the bible is referenced one way other the other. A guest on Oprah said that the bible needs to be taught as historical book if they are unable to teach it as a religious book.

He said and I believe him that the bible is mentioned in almost all political speeches. Such as gay marriages not being aloud cause of in the bible it say 'one man and one woman' how is someone suppose to know that if they have never been taught the bible.

He even said it should be taught to better understand some books, like the ones you stated in your question. Oprah has a book in her book club that is called book of Ruth. some who do not know enough about the bible that it is about Babe Ruth.

I do not think or feel that you or anyone needs to be religious to have to learn more about the bible. If only for the historic facts about it and that it is used in other books that people read.

Answer 5

My 'reading' on any kind of literature intrepretation is to put the piece into context. Therefore if the author was a strong Christian or lived in a Christian dominant culture why avoid it? You're not properly interpreting the literature if you do! However if the author clearly didn't intend any Chrisitian parallels and you are interpreting them as such - then that is wrong!

Answer 6

The fact that the old man was a fisherman also plays into the bible. Yes, there are many references to Christ, and you must know the bible to distinguish them.

Answer 7

To understand american literature you must understand they all wrote based on their backgrounds. All were raised with stories from the Bible and used them as background references.

Answer 8

i see your problem...

youre taking metaphorical and symbolic actions and comparing them to your religious beleifs.

theyre not getting it because what youre teaching makes no sense.

american literature has nothing to do with your religion. if you want to teach religion go teach it but if youre going to teach american literature you have to teach AMERiCAN LITERATURE. trying to inject religions connotations into literature is a sure way to confuse your students.

the things you typed of also have nothing to do with jesus. do you even HAVE a degree in literature? what are you doing teaching that class? if i knew where you lived id make a complaint to the school board. not because of your beleifs but because youre not teaching the students what theyre trying to learn.

(thats american literature, not implied theism)

i really hope this isnt a college class. then youd just be wasting everyones time and money

Answer 9

if you view the bible as literature, then this is fine.

i view the bible as a work of fiction and evaluate it like any other work of fiction.

Answer 10

Sure: It’s hard to teach American literature without Bible references. You're welcome.
;)