Portugal, Nicholas AP English Lit/Comp B8 September 7, 2013

Understanding Literature: Biblical Allusions Quest

Allusion

Definition & Connection to Literature The Fall of Man alludes to the original sin committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden during the initial creation of mankind and the Earth. When Eve consumed a

The Fall of Man

fruit by temptation of the Serpent, she sinned against Gods will because God specifically told her and her husband to not eat from it. In real life and in literature, this means everyone has sinned and no one is perfect. Cain was Adam and Eves first son, and his name meant, acquire, get, or possess. Later, when Cain murdered his brother Abel, God put a curse on Cain, proclaiming him a restless wanderer. He could no longer grow food to sustain himself, as whatever he would try to grow, the land

The Mark of Cain

would not yield crops. When Cain added that becoming a restless wanderer would leave him in danger of someone killing him, God placed a mark, possibly a physical scar, protecting him from anyone seeking vengeance upon him. In general, Cains scar symbolizes the fact when humanity sins, they face the consequences of their actions to compensate. When God flooded the Earth and ordered Noah to construct an ark, which granted him, his family, and the animals, salvation. When the flood subsided, God placed

The Flood & the Rainbow

his bow in the sky, and established a covenant with him to never flood the Earth ever again. The flood represents the destruction of humanity, or a common perception of the apocalypse. The rainbow is a symbol of happiness and peace and the everlasting covenant of God. God desired the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because he felt their inhabitants had gone against his will and committed horrible sins long enough. When he found only one good family there, that of Lot, he sent an angel Sodom & Gomorrah to advise them to evacuate, as quickly as possible and not to look back at the demolition God was to impend. As Lots family was departing, his wife looked back for a second, and she turned into stone. This represents the nostalgic feeling humans can contract when they recount a memory of some sort. Holding onto the past will cause the person to be left behind and unable to advance. Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac. Esau was the first-born son, and when Isaac was to die, he wished for him to prepare a meal from hunting his own food, so that he can bestow his special blessing upon him. Previously, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob, and when Jacob heard of Esaus blessing, he presented a meal he Jacob & Esau made to his father, tricking him into believing he was Esau. When Isaac blessed him, and he went away, Esau brought in the meal he was asked, and the father was confused. Esau realized that Jacob had twice outdone him. This shows how appearances can be deceiving and how trustworthiness is one of the most important assets an individual possesses. Joseph and the Multi-Color Coat Of all of Josephs many brothers, Jacob loved him the best, and so he made Joseph a long tunic. He was the most virtuous, and had wonderful dreams, which he would

tell to his family. The dreams hinted at the possibility Joseph would be bowed down to, and so the brothers became jealous of him and began a series of dreadful acts against him. The tunic with many colors was one of extremely high value, since it was a full head-to-toe garment; these clothes were seamless and typically only worn by royalty. This represents the fact that those who have true faith and are positive assets to society will be rewarded, as with the tunic and Josephs miraculous ability to accurately interpret dreams with Gods assistance. After three months since the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, they camped in the desert adjacent to Mount Sinai, while Moses ventured up the mountain to see God. God ordered Moses to make the area sacred, by telling the people to sanctify themselves and wash their garments for Mount Sinai two days, and to prepare for the theophany on the third day. On the third day, God visibly approached Moses and delivered to him the Ten Commandments. It shows how God gave us his Law to demonstrate our love for him and to restore the broken relationship between God and his people. During the Exodus, Moses parted the Red Sea to save the Israelites from the Egyptians, who were in pursuit of them. Parting the Red Sea He received help from God and with Moses staff in hand and his hand outstretched towards the sea, God blew a powerful gust of wind to separate the waters of the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to cross. The parting symbolizes that miracles can happen with enough faith and devotion. The two people named Lazarus appear in the Books of Lazarus (Both of Them) Luke and John in the New Testament. In Luke, the character named Lazarus is a beggar, while in John; Lazarus is a deceased man whom Jesus brought back to

Lazarus is represented as a beggar who was always toiling through life and struggling to survive, while the rich man wore purple garments of fine linen and ate sumptuous meals everyday, having the least bit of interest to aid Lazarus. Eventually, when they both died, in the netherworld, while Lazarus suffered his whole life on Earth, he now lived in comfort, while the rich man was now tormented. This shows how those who do not give back to the poor and are excessively greedy will face consequences later on. Next, in the second story in John, fallen to illness. Jesus loved all Martha, her sister, and

life. In Lukes The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus,

The Raising of Lazarus, Lazarus from Bethany has recently

Lazarus, so he came to Bethany. He told them to believe in his power, because he is the Resurrection and the life, and even if a person dies, if they have true faith, they will be risen and live. When Lazarus was risen, Jesus thanked God for listening to his prayer, and everyone was shocked. This also shows how miracles can happen when people The thirty pieces of silver are present in The Betrayal by have true faith and devotion to God.

Thirty Pieces Of Silver

chief priests and told them that what would be the price for him to hand Jesus over to them. They paid him thirty pieces of silver and Judas was now looking for a good opportunity to hand Jesus over. This shows how people will do anything for money, even betraying Christ. David the Ephrathite and Goliath, the Philistine champion, had an epic battle determining the fate of Israel. When

Judas in the Book of Matthew. Judas Iscariot went to the

David & Goliath

David tried to fit himself with armor and sword, he felt uncomfortable because he never fought with armor, so he went to battle with only a staff, 5 stones, and sling at

hand. When David fought Goliath, he managed to hurl the sling with a stone, striking him, then stood over him, dispatched him, and cut off his head. This event demonstrates the fact immense courage can overcome any obstacle, how David was risking his life to save the Israelites from Goliath. The story of David and Bathsheba is a famous story, which its plot techniques have been utilized for several romance novels, movies, and dramas. When King David observed Bathsheba taking a bath outside, he sent messengers to find more about her and bring her to him. Through David & Bathsheba inquiring, he learned she was married to Uriah the Hittite, who was off at battle. When Bathsheba came to him, he had sexual relations with her, and committed sin against Commandment Seven, which told to not have adultery with other women. It is unclear as to who seduced whom, but it is clear that even the most virtuous of individuals have their faults, and no one is truly perfect. The city of Jericho at this time was under siege by the Israelites, and Joshua was observing the city. He said to the Lord he had delivered Jericho and its king into His power. After Joshuas Israelite army marched around Joshua & the Battle of Jericho Jericho blowing their trumpets for about a week, the walls fell and they stormed in, destroying everything, and executing everyone except for Rahab and her kin. After its destruction, Joshua declared Jericho a cursed city, and anyone who would try to rebuild it would be cursed. Having obedience to God supported Joshua and the Israelites in destroying Jericho and winning the battle. Golgotha, or Calvary, is known to be the exact location of Golgotha where the Crucifixion of Jesus and the criminals with him took place. There are about four to five references in the

Bible, defining Golgotha as the Place of the Skull. Cemeteries in general, mean that they are places of burial for the dead. All people have their place in life, and when they die, the burial spot is where they go. During the second month of the Israelites departure from Egypt, they were toiling in the Desert of Sin for several days, between Elim and Sinai. When the people thought they would die by starvation, the Lord said to Moses he would send down bread from the heavens so the people could have their fill of bread. He then told them at the Manna evenings to eat flesh, so he sent quail to cover the camp at night. On the sixth day of manna gathering, the Lord wanted the people to gather two times the amount they would on the previous five. This was a test to see how devoted the people were to Gods command, testing them to see how much manna they gather and consume. The lesson is when there is abundance, do not take it for granted, and practice moderate consumption. The Road to Damascus was an important part of Paul the Apostles conversion experience to a follower of Jesus Christ. Along the way to Damascus, he countered a light from the sky, which fell to the ground and a voice sounded The Road to Damascus Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? (Acts, 9:4) When he arrived in Damascus, he was unable to see, and wasnt eating nor drinking. Through this, he achieved the conversion experience, along with baptism and preaching. This shows that those unbelieving in the power of Jesus Christ can be blinded and maimed. Barabbas is the prisoner who was freed at the expense of Barabbas Jesus Christs Crucifixion. When Jesus was being crucified, the people in the crowd chanted Give us Barabbas! So Pontius Pilate listened to the crowd and so they said

Crucify Jesus! Even though Barabbas had committed a crime, they believed that for people who said they were the King of the Jews and tried to convert others to a cause, they paid a higher price than those who committed a crime such as murder. This represents the injustice in societal verdicts, placing blame upon the innocent and releasing the guilty. Beelzebub was considered to be another name for the Devil in the Philistine city of Ekron. His Hebrew name means lord of the flies. He is referenced once in the classic novel The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, in Beelzebub (Meaning & Reference) which the monstrous fly represented Beelzebub, or another form of the devil. Another reference of Beelzebub is made in Paradise Lost, by John Milton, in which Beelzebub is the name of Satans chief lieutenant. References in the Bible are in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What Beelzebub symbolizes is Hades, or ruler of the underworld. Evil and the nether are omnipresent in the world. The Ark of the Covenant is a chest containing the original tablets of stone God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Inscribed upon these stones are the Ten Commandments. Ark of the Covenant This ark had served as an accompaniment to the Jews travelling in the desert, through the battle of Jericho with Joshua, and for a number of other spiritual and pragmatic principles in the Bible. In many ways, the Ark symbolizes the fact that God is always present with us here on Earth. This was the tower the Hebrew peoples attempted to construct to reach heaven and visit God. God was Tower of Babel displeased with these efforts, so he decided to deter the construction process by making the people speak several different languages, so that they could not understand each other. This represents the curiosity of humans to expand

and explore new heights, as shown with the construction of the Tower of Babel. The separation of languages represents the diversification of the many cultures present throughout on the planet. During the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, God allowed Adam and Eve to explore the entire Garden of Eden and consume any fruit they desired except from that of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is said the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil tree was planted in the center of the garden, symbolizing the deep central connection we associate with God, life, and obedience. The act Eve committed against Gods will, eating a fruit from the forbidden tree due to temptation by the Serpent, is coined The Fall of Man. The lesson the forbidden tree teaches is the fact that temptation drives humanity away from what is good and serves as a major distraction from a certain task or will. Abraham is the man whom God made a covenant with in the Book of Genesis, in which he assured Abraham his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Since Abraham was dismayed his wife was barren and Abraham & Isaac could not bear him a child, God made the covenant with him. When he had relations with his slave Hagar, she bore his first son Isaac. When Isaac got older, God put Abraham to the ultimate test, verifying his true faithfulness in God almighty. He told him to offer Isaac up as a holocaust. When Abraham literally took to the test his word, God knew how devoted he was to him. During the Book of Exodus, in the land of Midian, at Mount The Burning Bush Horeb, Moses witnessed a burning bush that did not burn up. From this bush, Moses heard God communicating with him. God claimed he would make miracles happen to force the Egyptians to release the Israelites. God appointed

Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and that he would be with them the entire way. This represents the power of God to appear in different ways to communicate with man. The Exodus is considered to be the story of the enslavement of the Israelite peoples, their extensive journey The Exodus made to escape the slavery of ancient Egypt under the guidance of Moses, encounters at Sinai, and experiences along the borders of Canaan. The Exodus symbolizes freedom and natural human rights. Also known as the Parable of the Lost Son, the story of Prodigal Son represents a quotation mentioned by Jesus: A man welcomes sinners and eats with them. The story is about a man who has two sons. Younger son asks for inheritance of part of the land on his familys estate, and when he gets it, he sets off on a trip to a distant land. He wastes his money and began to feed pigs for a living. Prodigal Son When famine strikes, he is desperate enough to eat the pigs food. He realizes the foolishness of his actions, and returned to his father, pleading for his forgiveness. The father accepts him compassionately, throws a large celebration for his lost son, and the older brother is jealous of the attention being focused on the younger brother. This story represents the fact God is merciful and forgiving of sinfulness. Samson falls in love with deceptive Delilah in this story. Delilah was a woman from the Valley of Sorek. Samson Samson & Delilah was an excessively strong person in Israel at this time, and so Philistine leaders proffered Delilah money to help them understand Samsons fabulous strength. Samson had made the Nazirite vow at birth, meaning no razor was to touch his head, so his hair was never cut. By falling in love with

Delilah and eventually falling for her enticements to lay with him, he did not realize she was going to deceive him and discover his secret. When he slept on her lap, Delilah got his hair cut and his powers of strength disappeared. Henceforth, he was subjected not to death, but to labor in the prison of Gaza. He regained his strength as his hair grew back, and was able to destroy the temple with all his might. This symbolizes the concept of temptation, how when humanity disposes to tempting thoughts or actions, we pay the consequences, but God forgives us as he does with the rest of the sins of the world. John of Patmos describes a vision he has in the Book of Revelations, the last book of the Bible. God holds a scroll or book, containing seven seals. When Jesus opens the first four seals, the Four Horsemen ride out from the sky on white, red, black, and pale horses. These four horses Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse represent Conquest, War, Famine, and Death. Conquest held a bow and wore a victors crown, on the White Horse, riding out as a conqueror during conquest. War rode on a fiery red horse, and had power to wage war with humanity to slay each other. Famine held a pair of scales in his hand, and requested for certain items of food through harvest. Death rode in with the power to kill by sword, plague, famine, and by wild beasts of earth. The final battle between the good and evil forces in the book of Revelation. Armageddons location is located in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which is next to Jerusalem. In this Armageddon battle, the armies of the East and the West will submit to this valley by demons lying, and will then march into Jerusalem and fight Jesus Christ. In the real world, several individuals perceived World Wars I or II to be when Armageddon would occur. In literature, authors utilize

Armageddon symbolically to manifest the potential annihilation of man through nuclear, chemical, or biological warfare. Thomas was skeptical in believing Jesus was truly resurrected, because he wanted to be able to see and touch him physically. The reason why he did this is Doubting Thomas because he felt assured when he could see to believe. He said only if he could feel the wounds Jesus felt during Crucifixion could he believe he was resurrected, since he didnt witness the resurrection himself with the rest of the disciples. The main lesson is you do not need to see to believe, but to have faith.