Penance

Guilt is a menacing monster that lurks in the conscience of one’s mind. It can remain in one’s conscience whether or not the person chooses to be aware of it. If one does not acknowledge their guilt, then the guilt will continue to linger and grow. Thus, when left alone too long, that monster can evolve and completely consume the person’s mind, eating them alive. One novel that most notably explains the consequences of a guilty conscience is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne’s…

attribute of being a “sex maniac.” Briony Tallis’ deception in Ian McEwan’s Atonement is driven by a youthful misunderstanding, jealousy, and the need for attention, ultimately causing the imprisonment of an innocent man and her continual life of penance. It is easy to pass instantaneous judgement on Briony after her…

He attacked the Church for its allowance of selling indulgences which contradicted the free gift of grace bestowed by God. Penance could not assure salvation only faith in God. This is much like when Jesus ran out the merchants in the temple of Jerusalem. In John 2:13-17, Jesus makes a whip of cord and drives out all the merchants selling sacrificial animals and condemns this…

1. The first wall used by the clergy to protect themselves from fair council is their assertion that the temporal state has no authority over them. Luther believes this to be a lie, where in fact it is the exact opposite, the temporal state has authority over the spiritual. He supports this by claiming all Christians are spiritually equal, destroying the hierarchy within the Catholic church. He also uses scripture, specifically Romans 13:1-4 which states, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of…

In the Novel The Natural by Bernard Malamud, the main character of the story is a fifteen year old boy named Roy Hobbs, who is very talented in Baseball. He has an incredible pitching arm and a very powerful hit when it comes to batting. Roy believed that he was on the path to fulfilling his dream considering that he had a scout who got him a private tryout with the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately, there were many obstacles that came across his way which prevented him from achieving his dream of…

Buddha’s cravings and pleasures. In the fourth edict, Asoka mentions that prisoners can give gifts or fast in order to “make merit for the next world”, but Buddha states that actions like “sacrifices to gods”, “offerings to priests”, and any other “penances” to receive immortality cannot help a man (3.13, 4.13). Asoka is…

slept with was in his kin as stated by Malory, “But all this time King Arthur knew not that King Lot's wife was his sister” (164), the fact that he slept with her while being married to Queen Guinevere shows just how inadequate he his. Seemingly as penance for his actions, this relationship produces the very man that has been prophesized to end of Arthur’s life. His gallant persona coupled with his contradictory actions provide a prime example of how even the best of people contain…

“So that’s how Rose found you that night?” Jasper asked, thoroughly intrigued by his brother’s story as they sat in those same woods beside Reedy Creek several decades later. Lazily, he kicked another log onto the fire in front of them. Not really needing the warmth the fire provided, it was more of a habit whenever Jasper spent time with Emmett out in the woods. “Then, why are we back at the scene of your death?” “Because…” Emmett shifted against the fallen tree that used as a back prop.…

Challenging, fighting, finding, and understanding are just some of the things that Martin Luther had done throughout his life. In The Freedom of a Christian by Mark Tranvik, Mark gives us insight on the works and commitment Martin Luther demonstrated throughout his life. This book walks the reader step by step throughout Luther’s life, and struggles with the faith of Rome. In addition, to the struggle Martin Luther found it important to express his feelings about the Roman Catholic Church.…

As humans oftentimes act in ways that are cruel or unfair, redemption is an important and recurring theme of life. This aspect of life is heavily present in the novel The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini. Hosseini uses many catastrophes and events to create a setting in which redemption is necessary for the characters involved. Amir, the protagonist and narrator of the story, experiences life-changing events that constantly shape and mold his character throughout the book. Through these…