Overcoming Adversity In Victor Hugo's The Book Of Job

The “Book of Job,” written in the period between the 7th and 4th centuries BC, is one of the most remarkable pieces of literature ever known to humankind. It also is a moral tale of leadership. It tells the story of Job, who retains his trust in God, in spite of the series of horrific trials he is exposed to. To emphasize the importance of this masterpiece of Hebrew poetry, the famous French novelist Victor Hugo allegedly has said that if all the world’s literary efforts were to be destroyed, and he could save but a solitary sample, it would be “Job.” The question in the story is “why bad things happen to good people?” Although bad things are happening to Job, he remains steadfast when everything around you is falling apart. No wonder, there exists the universal expression to be as patient as Job. But shouldn’t his …show more content…
Due to his deeds, he became the symbol of freedom and democracy in his home country and far beyond its borders. For almost 30 years, from 1964-1982, he was imprisoned on the Robben Island penal colony, sleeping in a tiny, Spartan cell, or working in the blistering sun, chipping rocks at the limestone quarries. In spite of the indignities inflicted on him, he used his 27 years while imprisoned to grow as a leader; to persist in his belief in human dignity and equality. Like Job and Churchill, he didn’t give up, relentlessly pressing for social change. He would say how the poem Invictus (which is Latin, meaning undefeated) by William Earnest Henley, would give him hope when the future looked very dark. What the poem tells is that life is not smooth and flawless; that everyone’s life is full of troubles. But in spite of it, we should not give up; we should stay strong, remain the master of our faith, remain unconquered by anyone. We should look for the solutions to overcome the troubles of the life. And if we are able to maintain a strong faith in ourselves, we can do anything in