This week we read the story “Salvation” by Langston Hughes. In the story the narrator talks about his childhood experience in religion and faith. When I was 9-12 years old, there is a church next to my house and I used to go very often. At that time I could not understand very well about religion, since in Dominican Republic people practice different religion, making the people who didn’t have any religion believe in theirs and act like the others religion are “bad” or “fake”. The church I used to go was a christian church, therefore my religion or believe was christianity. All my christian neighbors used to say that if you want to be save you have to repent and convert to christian. Once I was in church and the paster pointed at me and asked me if I was ready to repent and convert to christian and I said yes, even though I didn’t want to be christian yet. After i got home I felt so guilty because we can never play with god and his rules, and I ask for forgiveness, because I knew that what I did was wrong. In the story of ” salvation”, the narrator says “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved”, this connects with me because like Langston, I also lied to the church and everyone in the church, I felt guilty and embarrassed.
Also we read the story “Araby” by James Joyce. the story shows desilucion, emotion and sensitiveness. The narrator has an active imagination and a sense of wonder. He imagines that the bazaar he could get a gift for the girl he’s attracted to, he is met with the truth that life is often disappointing. In fact, he knows so little about her that he is unable to pick the right gift for her. He realizes that he has experienced physical attraction, not love, and is ashamed of his superficial and foolish behavior, and vanity. I feel a connection with the narrator because of the imagination, physical attraction and vanity. when I was younger, when I felt attracted to someone sometimes I didn’t know how to act, I started to create scenarios in my head with that person that I barely knew, and I used to buy new clothes and get a new hairstyle just to impress him, even though probably that person did not even notice me. Now that I’m grown I can tell everytime I think about it, I feel disappointed of myself I’m glad I have change.
3 thoughts on “Idalmi Abreu discussion 2”
Hello Idalmi, first of all I think your name is really unique and beautiful.
Even though I am not a Christian, I used to study at a Christian school therefore I had only Christian friends growing up. I think you and I have the same experiences growing up. Like you’ve mentioned that your neighbors told you that you have to convert to Christianity to be saved. No offense to anyone but I I remember my friends at school used to tell me the same exact thing. I also read somewhere that “Every time God forgives us, God is saying that God’s own rules do not matter as much as the relationship that God wants to create with us”.
Hello Idalmi Abreu, I used to go to a Christian church too when I was a kid. I used to lie when was going to confess to the priest so I could finish quickly and go play with the other kids. I used to tell him I was a good kid and helped people who needed help. Even though, I was a naughty kid. I never felt guilty and as of today, I don’t know why.
I think we all do that kind of thing when we are a kid or teenagers and we like someone.
Hello Idalmi, Regarding your connection with “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, it’s eye-opening to see how personal experiences can shape our understanding and connection to literature. The way you related your own church experience with the narrator’s was deeply touching. It reminds us that while times and cultures might differ, certain feelings and situations remain universally relatable.
About “Araby” by James Joyce, I couldn’t help but smile as I read your description of the ways you tried to impress someone you were attracted to. The story truly captures the essence of youthful dreams and the eventual realization that things aren’t always as they seem.