Coming To Jesus By Langston Hughes Analysis

I thought Langston’s use of point of view in the essay was very interesting. By telling the story from his younger selves point of view, he was able to take a very individualized view of religion- for him, belief in Jesus came down to seeing or feeling his presence. This conditional belief was really interesting to see, because, almost to counter it, Hughes originally believed in Jesus, was excited to see him, and couldn’t wait for him to come. He was still unwilling to ‘be saved’, however, until he had actually seen or felt Jesus. Rather than merely believe in his existence, Hughes wanted to see or feel his presence, to truly find him.
This desire can be seen through the repetition of the essay. The lines “waiting for Jesus to come to me”, “waiting to see Jesus”, “waiting serenely …show more content…
Very few essays or books discussing religion seem to show this factor without becoming derogatory or disparaging towards religion. Hughes' understanding of the factor peer pressure plays in churches, and subsequent account of his experience of it gave me a greater understanding of his situation, and the emotions he felt at the time. Though “coming to Jesus” was meant to be a positive, exciting event, it was made clear to the children that eventually, they would have to give in. Whether through eager willingness, bored weariness, or-like Langston-simply shame, each child would eventually find their way onto the platform. Hughes’ willingness to show how he truly saw the event was part of why I really enjoyed this essay. It also has a rhythm and tempo that makes it enjoyable to read, and is written clearly and expressively, making it simple and easy to understand. This simplistic style of writing, however, only helps to make Hughes’ writing more effective, and to emphasize the feelings and struggle his twelve year old self faced, coming to the conclusion that Jesus was not real, and that he was not