Abstract
Behold, A Son: An Analysis of Theme and Narrative Perspective in Peace Like a River
Peace Like a River is Leif Enger’s widely recognized Christian Fiction prose. In this famed story, the reader is guided through a literary adventure by an eleven-year-old narrator and protagonist, Reuben. Through analyzing his narration, along with the recurrent themes which he encounters, such as, the journey from childhood to adulthood, justice, consequences and religion; it is revealed that each element plays a significant role in the reader’s ability to understand Reuben’s character, perspective, transformation and growth throughout the course of the novel. In Peace Like a River, (2001) Enger has crafted a tale of human experience and situated …show more content…
4).
This novel begins situated around the events surrounding Reuben’s miracle birth and more importantly, how we interact with those miracles. Peace Like a River directly compares Jeremiah to Jesus. The miracles relating to Jeremiah are similar to those associated with Jesus, such as, walking on thin air and feeding multiple people from a modest amount. To the reader, Reuben appears almost as disciple to his father. Reuben grows up understanding that despite the condition of his lungs, his father is primarily responsible for his survival the first few minutes of life.
This initial miracle lays a solid foundation for additional miracles to appear in and around Jeremiah throughout the rest of the novel, and often situates Reuben as the primary recipient and witness of these miracles. For example, he is the only one to witness his father walk on thin air, and he is the only one to notice that Jeremiah's small kettle of soup miraculously manages to feed five people. Reuben describes himself as weak and therefore in need of a fatherly God to watch over him and treat him mercifully. Reuben is clear in his need for God in his life and is simply unable to forget the fact that he is alive because of God’s
Behold, A Son: An Analysis of Theme and Narrative Perspective in Peace Like a River
Peace Like a River is Leif Enger’s widely recognized Christian Fiction prose. In this famed story, the reader is guided through a literary adventure by an eleven-year-old narrator and protagonist, Reuben. Through analyzing his narration, along with the recurrent themes which he encounters, such as, the journey from childhood to adulthood, justice, consequences and religion; it is revealed that each element plays a significant role in the reader’s ability to understand Reuben’s character, perspective, transformation and growth throughout the course of the novel. In Peace Like a River, (2001) Enger has crafted a tale of human experience and situated …show more content…
4).
This novel begins situated around the events surrounding Reuben’s miracle birth and more importantly, how we interact with those miracles. Peace Like a River directly compares Jeremiah to Jesus. The miracles relating to Jeremiah are similar to those associated with Jesus, such as, walking on thin air and feeding multiple people from a modest amount. To the reader, Reuben appears almost as disciple to his father. Reuben grows up understanding that despite the condition of his lungs, his father is primarily responsible for his survival the first few minutes of life.
This initial miracle lays a solid foundation for additional miracles to appear in and around Jeremiah throughout the rest of the novel, and often situates Reuben as the primary recipient and witness of these miracles. For example, he is the only one to witness his father walk on thin air, and he is the only one to notice that Jeremiah's small kettle of soup miraculously manages to feed five people. Reuben describes himself as weak and therefore in need of a fatherly God to watch over him and treat him mercifully. Reuben is clear in his need for God in his life and is simply unable to forget the fact that he is alive because of God’s