Chase Trautwein

English Lit: Research Paper Outline

Section 1
February 27, 2018
God First

Broadcasted on airways for the first time ever, the 1924 summer Olympics in Paris

hosted 3,089 athletes who competed in 126 events in 17 sports, attracting around 1,000

journalist. (“Paris 1924”) Because World War I had only ended eight years prior, the Olympic

Committee commented on the purpose of the competitions saying, “In bringing young people

from every country together, they help foster this sense of cordiality that teaches men to become

acquainted with each other better first and then to hold each other in higher esteem, a process

that the Paris Games will have greatly aided, thanks to the sheer number of people they attract.”

(“Paris 1924”) Inspired by Eric Liddell's performance in the 1924 Olympics, Oscar winning film

Chariots of Fire portrays Liddell’s journey alongside Harold Abrahams, a fellow athlete.

Furthemore, the children's book Eric Liddell Running for a Higher Prize depicts Liddell’s

experience, as well as his life before and after the history making Olympics. While Chariots of

Fire highlights Eric Liddell’s devotion to God by contrasting him with fellow Olympic athletes,

the children's book Eric Liddell Running for a Higher Prize focuses solely on Eric Liddell

emphasizing his faith.

To begin, Liddell, known as the “Flying Scotsman” or Li Mu Shi, meaning the pastor

(Levin) in Chinese, experienced a unique childhood which shaped him into the man known for

putting his faith before fame. (Levin) Reverend and Mrs. Liddell, who formed part of the London

Mission Society, welcomed their second son, Eric into the world in Tianjin, China. At age six,

Eric and his older brother, Robert, went to a boarding school for missionary boys named Eltham

College near London. Jenny, Eric’s younger sister, returned to China with their parents as girls
typically did not receive formal education. Moreover, Liddell attended Edinburgh University

achieving exceptional careers in running and rugby and graduating with a BSc in Pure Science

shortly after the 1924 Olympics. (“A Short Biography”) Ironically, when he ran in the 1924

Olympics, his family had no idea he entered the Olympics, much less won the gold medal in the

400 meter race, due to the inefficient mail service of the 1920s. (“Biography”) Additionally, the

athlete’s faith proved essential to his being as Liddell’s niece Sue Liddell Caton noted, “Without

the Christian element in him, it just doesn’t sound like Eric Liddell” (McDonald). Furthermore,

Liddell’s spiritual mentor D. P. Thompson claimed Liddell tried to live out the Sermon on the

Mount (Matt 5-7) and added, “He [Liddell] blended a rich devotional life and desire to serve God

with a love of fun and people” (Putz). Eric Liddell proved an extremely extraordinary man, not

only for his physical capabilities but also for his rare faith.

Determined to keep the Sabbath holy, Liddell’s presumed Olympic destiny to run the

100m abruptly changed and he competed in the 400m instead. Unfortunately, the qualifying

heats for the 100m race fell on a Sunday, so Liddell felt compelled to withdraw and became

reassigned to the 400m competition with only a short time to train for the longer race. With the

100m considered his strongest event, followed by the 200m (Golden Scots), Liddell’s dedication

to God’s Sabbath became widely known gaining him respect or contempt. England hoped to

claim their athlete as “The Fastest Man in the World”, the winner of the 100m, and thus when

Liddell prioritized God over country, many considered him a traitor and unpatriotic.

Additionally, because Liddell did not fully train for the 400 meter race, most competitors and

coaches viewed him as unthreatening. Not only winning the gold, Liddell set a record in the

400m and won the bronze in the 200 meter (A Short Biography). He claimed, “The secret of my

success over the 400m is that I run the first 200m as fast as I can. Then, for the second 200m,
with God's help I run faster" (Golden Scots). America’s gold-medal hope, Horatio Fitch broke

the world record in the 400m semi-final and reflecting on the final race observed, “I couldn’t

believe a man could set such a pace and finish. But Liddell pushed himself like a man possessed.

. . . With the tape only 20 yards away I again spurted closer but Liddell threw his head farther

back, gathered himself together and shot forward.” (Burnton) Conversely, England’s Harold

Abrahams had no problem running on Sunday and ultimately claimed the gold in the 100m.

Liddell’s commitment to God not only resulted in an unexpected record-setting victory, but also

gave teammate Abrahams an opportunity to bring home a gold medal as well.

Through the children’s book Eric Liddell Running for a Higher Prize, Renee Taft

Meloche depicts Liddell’s Olympic journey and his faith through a poem. Comprised of 4 line

stanzas with an ABCB rhyming pattern, Meloche briefly describes Liddell’s childhood writing,

“A Scottish boy named Eric Liddell thought the greatest fun was moving fast just like the wind:

he simply loved to run”. Certain details of his youth remain unmentioned, such Liddell’s birth in

China to missionary parents. Mainly focusing on Liddell’s faith and journey through the

Olympics, the poem does include Liddell’s withdrawal from the qualifying heats on Sunday and

also portrays Liddell as fair and upright. For example, Meloche describes Liddell sharing his

trowel and shaking the competitors’ hands. Additionally, Meloche recounts the famous race in

which Liddell got tripped, got up, and won the event despite having to makeup the distance,

revealing Liddell’s ability and determination. Surprisingly, the poem also reflects England’s

disappointment as a British Lord who refused to shake the runner’s hand complains, “He may

have had a chance for gold and thrown it all away” (Meloche). Ending with Liddell’s death as a

missionary in China, the book remains true to Liddell’s life while highlighting his faith.
 Moreover, Eric Liddell Running for a Higher Prize clearly portrays Liddell as a

Christian hero who sacrifices fame and self-glory as he strives to always put God first.

Committed to loving God more than anything else and living for Him, the poem explains that

Liddell takes every opportunity to share about Jesus while giving God all the glory. Liddell’s

faith is clearly exhibited and highlighted from the start. “He knew early on he was blessed by

God with speed and he planned to use this gift to help inspire and to lead.” (Meloche)

Throughout the poem, God plays the central reason for Liddell’s life. Ultimately, Liddell proves

a hero yet chooses God over worldly fame as recounted in the poem, “while Scotland hailed

young Eric as its new heroic star, he chose to leave his land behind and go to live afar”

(Meloche). Liddell honored God before anything thing else “and now he lives with God since he

has finished this life’s race, and when he was a champion here he put God in first place”

(Meloche). Meloche illustrates Liddell’s Olympic journey for children with a focus on his faith

in God and valuing Him over any earthly recognition or gain.

In the 1981 award-winning film Chariots of Fire, directed by Hugh Hudson, Eric

Liddell’s journey to the Olympics, with advice from his family, parallels that of his fellow

Olympic teammate Harold Abrahams, highlighting Liddell’s Christian faith and desire to honor

God above all else. Abrahams, running to prove himself and his value as a Jew, provides a sharp

contrast to Liddell’s motives and goals. Speaking about his running, in the movie Abrahams

explains, “I’m more of an addict. It’s a compulsion with me, a weapon I can use” and Abrahams,

at another time expresses, his lack of purpose in life after achieving his dreams, “I’m forever in

pursuit and I don’t even know what I am chasing”. Joining part of an elite group of runners at

Cambridge, Abrahams also hires a personal coach. On the contrary, the movie depicts Liddell

simply running solo across the rugged Scottish terrain and selflessly encouraging children in
sports and faith. Liddell, in the film, claims his goal is to honor and glorify God as he shares, “I

believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His

pleasure.” Although he did not actually say this, the actor’s words truthfully convey the runner’s

motives and faith. Additionally, the film inaccurately portrays Liddell’s sister Jenny as his

angelic conscience and his friend Sandy as his worldly, fallen conscious which affords excellent

opportunity to accurately present Liddell’s motivation. However, in reality, the teenage Jenny in

China would not have been as influential as a younger sibling living on another continent.

Moreover, Liddell’s father likely did not know he ran in the Olympics until afterwards, but is

portrayed in a scene prior to his race giving guidance to his son accurately highlighting Liddell’s

faith. Finally, in the end, the movie correctly portrays Liddell’s victory not simply in the

unexpected win of a gold medal, but in the greater scope of remaining faithful to his God.

Additionally, Chariots of Fire presents the contrasting English and Americans views of

Liddell as the former labels him a traitor and the latter stand in awe of him. Truly, citizens of

both countries both opposed and supported Liddell’s decision. When Liddell chooses not to run

on Sunday in the film, many of England’s royalty and press call the runner selfish, unpatriotic,

and disloyal. In one scene, a reflective conversation between several royal men of England

reveals the intense pressure Liddell receives:

Duke of Sutherland: The "lad", as you call him, is a true man of principles and a

true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life, its force. We sought to sever

his running from himself.

Lord Birkenhead: For his country’s sake, yes.

Duke of Sutherland: No sake is worth that, least of all a guilty national pride.
Key to the movie, this exchange highlights the difficulty of Liddell’s decision and also the God-

honoring effect of his faithfulness. Moreover, in the film an American coach encourages his

runners to overlook Liddell, but American competitor Jackson Scholz says to his teammate

racing in the 400m, “he has something to prove, something personal, something guys like coach

would not understand” (Hudson) realizing Liddell had more than just physical capability,

although it is unclear if he actually said this. Furthermore, in the movie Scholz hands Liddell a

note which states “It says in the Old Book: He who honors Me, I will honor.” (Hudson) Though

this action reveals support for Liddell’s decision, in reality the note came from a British coach.

Chariots of Fire, though not completely accurate to Liddell’s life, portrays the key events of

Liddell’s experience at the Olympics and his underlying faith while emotionally engaging the

audience to walk with Liddell through the persecution and victory.

Working together to fully understand the significance of Eric Liddell’s journey to the

Olympics, Chariots of Fire and Eric Liddell Running for a Higher Prize emphasize key points in

his story and accurately portray his loyalty to God. Both the film and the children’s book clearly

highlight Liddell’s determined faith and reveal his dedication to God and running regardless of

external pressures and influences he encountered along the way. While the book concisely

focuses solely on Liddell and his faith, the film captivatingly employs the contrast of Abrahams

and his college comrades to give a broader context to Liddell’s life and choices. Similarly, both

the film and book reveal Liddell’s Christ like character as seen by shaking hands with

competitors, in refusing to run on God’s Sabbath, and in his calm, persevering actions when

demeaned. But by solely focusing on Liddell along with the sing-song rhyming, the children’s

book allows for no distractions in its clear message of the runner’s Christ-honoring life.

However, through the various characters and their interactions, the film skillfully portrays
intense feelings of joy, pain, determination, pride, and many more through the nonverbal facial

expressions, body positioning, and camera angle, adding depth to the very human elements of the

struggles and victories Liddell experiences. Finally, together the two accounts highlight Liddell’s

journey to the 1924 Olympics with a clear message of praise for this hero’s faith and selfless

dedication to God.

Ultimately, forever remembered for his extraordinary dedication to God as well as his

running ability, Eric Liddell has left a legacy which comes to life through the film Chariots of

Fire and in the children’s book Eric Liddell Running for a Higher Prize. Throughout his life,

Liddell stayed faithful to God and sought to glorify Him with all thoughts, words, and actions.

These two accounts, through different mediums and focuses both challenge and encourage Christ

followers to remain faithful in all circumstances, confidently surrendered to God’s will,

especially in difficult and painful times. Although not the focus of either story, Liddell’s life

after the Olympics remained consistent to his character. He continued on to China with the

London Mission Society in 1925, married, had children, and sent them home when China

became unsafe during World War II. Placed in a Japanese concentration camp, Liddell died in

1945, months before the war ended. Eric Liddell remains to this day an inspiration for all to live

for God completely, especially when hardship and pain strike.

 Work Cited

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www.ericliddell.org/about-us/eric-liddell/biography/.

Avila, Michael. “Who Are the World's Fastest Man and Woman?” Live Science, 10 June 2010,

www.livescience.com/32640-who-are-the-worlds-fastest-man-and-woman.html.

“Biography.” IMDb, IMDb.com http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0509171/bio

Burnton, Simon. “50 Stunning Olympic Moments: No8 Eric Liddell’s 400 Metres Win, 1924.

“The Guardina,” Guardian News and Media, 4 Jan. 2012

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jan/04/50-stunning-olympic-moments-eric-

liddell

Ebert, Roger. “Chariots of Fire Movie Review (1981) | Roger Ebert.” RogerEbert.com, 1 Jan.

1981, www.rogerebert.com/reviews/chariots-of-fire-1981.

“Golden Scots: Eric Liddell, Running to Immortality - BBC Sport.” BBC News, BBC, 20 July

2012, www.bbc.com/sport/scotland/18534524.

Hudson, Hugh, director. Chariots of Fire. TCF/Allied Stars/Enigma, 1981.

Levin, Angela. “Eric Liddell, the Lost Olympian.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 15

Aug. 2008, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3637689/Eric-Liddell-the-lost-

Olympian.html.

McDonald, Toby. “Family of Eric Liddell Fear His Christianity Will Be Downplayed in New

Film.” Dailyrecord, 16 Aug. 2015, www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/movies/family-

olympic-hero-eric-liddell-6261298.

Meloche, Renee Taft. Eric Liddell: Running for a Higher Prize. YWAM, 2002.
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May 2016, www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/for-the-glory/.

“Paris 1924: The Olympic Games Come of Age.” International Olympic Committee, IOC, 13

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The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “Harold Abrahams.” Encyclopædia Britannica,

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“Quotes.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0082158/quotes.