✝️
so, i’m reading this book- “how to read literature like an english professor“ in preparation for this 4,000 word essay i’m writing. it’s about virginity, sex, and dicks- so of course when i stumble on the section concerning religion and religious symbolism, i read between the lines as if it was the new testament
THE CHRIST FIGURE
the definition of a “christ figure” is someone who is attempted, intended, or implied to be biblical to an extent and envelopes the hallmarks of jesus christ himself. however- as you will, in mere moments, see for yourself, such a list is anything but narrow.
• (roughly) 33
• good with kids
• sacrificial
• miraculous
• virtuous
• last seen in a company of thieves ( i get the reference )
• good with bread
• good with fish?
• good at carpentry / fishing
• humble ( especially economically )
• in agony
• crucific wounds
• wounds on the hands, sides, head and feet
• outstretched arms
• sent to redeem an environment
• rejected by society
• celibate
• in some sort of wilderness, perhaps accosted by the devil
woah! what a list. jeez, i know. so 22, why do christ figures exist in literature?
really interestingly enough- mostly in an ironic way. it’s supposed to make a character who’s very grandiose look tiny. otherwise, it’s a pretty regular reason, and the reason authors do anything, to make parallels. to deepen a sacrifice, or explore and substantiate why a character needs to redeem himself; or just to make a text biblical in general.
the point is more so that such a list is so extensive and applicable that any and all may be christ figures themselves. pull a character out of your head, and go back to the list, usually one will apply. off the top of MY head, Humbert Humbert.
He is
1 ) good with children ( lol im joking )
2 ) rejected by society
3 ) sacrificial ( tonally, in reference to how he portrays his story throughout his trial)
4 ) accosted by the devil ( implicitly argued )
5) last seen in a company of thieves ( prison)
6 ) in agony
now, no one here is arguing Humbert Humbert a “good” guy, or that he is in any way holy or similar to christ in his actions. that is the argument entirely. the requisites for a christ figure allow villains or just, bad people in general, to consist in the same realm, and that is the purpose entirely!!! i am a christ figure, as are you, and to see firsthand how so much of common intertextuality is rooted in the bible, which, let’s be fair, isnt the only religious work in circulation. so why? why the bible? why jesus?
well, in literature, the bible interestingly enough is kind of just a storybook with the first explicit references to basic human themes
love,
hate
good v evil
forgiveness
redemption
betrayal
power
it’s also rich with metaphorical elements, like the garden of eden, the lions den, earth ITSELF!
anyway, i was a hardcore hater of the bible and in its application i still kind of am, but it fucking rocks for literary analysis.
Related Recs
✝️
suddenly it's a really riveting (queer) read. the apostles and disciples were really writing novel-length passages about their collective crush on big J and i can't help but giggle at that notion. it's all about perspective babes 🤭
Nov 14, 2024
⚔️
Doing my apocalypse religion class readings and lowkey the book of Genesis is tea
Feb 5, 2024
Top Recs from @22
I've been told that people in the army do more by 7:00 AM
than I do in an entire day, but if I wake at 6:59 AM and turn to you to trace the outline of your lips with mine, I will have done enough and killed no one in the process.
- 6:59 AM by Shane Koyczan
we take love for granted, and i do more than anyone. i find it so beautiful that there is one pair of flesh and bones and eyes and a mouth that truly do belong at the top of the hierarchy. she is perfection and love in itself, and i remind myself that to be stagnant to unproductive may never be my fate if my day is long spent loving her.
Feb 11, 2025
Feb 13, 2025
i forgot my headphones at home. i was about to either
1) pump black country new road
2) watch brooklyn 99.
i miss being passionate about things, not being able to sleep, eat, speak,
or fathom anything beyond the apple
of my eye and the fruit of my thoughts.
i miss waking up with one thing in mind, how i would explore it that day, and how i would explore it the next
it’s been people
it’s been sewing
guitar
driving
religion
philosophy
photography
writing
filming
blogging
i think, regardless of any tik tok data explosion with the intention of ripping out each of my brain cells to keep me submissive and docile because of a wrecked attention span, i’m not a girl of her commitments- i get bored.
and i am bored. i feel this lack of passion so deeply in my body, its been a catalyst for the recent crashouts ive had ( and there’s been plenty) i don’t know how to stay, and work hard, and allow myself to grow to what i want to be right in this instance. not to shine my own shoes, but i’m not super used to being bad at things. i’ve always always always coasted, and now that im trying to be a gaf (give a fuck) filled girl, ive realized, sucking at something hurts a lot more when you’ve put in the work to be good at it.
if it wasn’t me writing this, and my best friend called me and told me this word for word, i would tell her how normal that feeling was, and that she herself knew what to do; commit. and that is my advice, dear sweet amalia, commit, commit, commit.
Feb 18, 2025