The story’s beginning exposes readers to a young and innocent character Lanston. Langston’s aunt wants his nephew to be saved and tells him he will see Jesus once he is saved. With his aunt’s ideology, the young boy joined other young sinners who knelt in front of a congregation to be prayed for and get saved. However, to his dismay, Langston did not hear, see, or feel Jesus in his heart despite church members’ efforts to pray for him. He was convinced that the only way to be saved was by seeing Jesus. Langston ended up giving up his beliefs to save his aunt and other church members the trouble in praying for him. After getting up, the whole church cheered him, not knowing he had lied. That night Langston was furious that he had lied to his aunt and the congregation and cried a lot. His aunt believed that he was crying because the Holy Spirit had filled his heart. However, it is ironic because Langstone was crying because he could not stomach that he had lied. Langston had also made up his mind that Jesus does not exist.
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2 thoughts on “Zachary Yudenfriend Discussion 3”
Langston shows the differences between different generations. Adults force children to accept Jesus as a natural thing to do, but they don’t realize how easily children can obey even if they haven’t accepted or seen Jesus. Langston and Westley proved this because Westley, tired of sitting there, said, “Let’s go up and be saved.” Westley went to the church and “was saved.” He wasn’t really saved, but pressure from the congregation affected the boy. The same thing ended up happening to Langston, the little ones just trying to appease their elders.
I find it interesting how everyone tells young Langston that they see and hear Jesus in their souls. At the end of the story, we find Langston abandons his belief as Jesus never comes but it also raises the question, is this the same for everyone else who tells Langston this? Langston only gets up and affirms his belief in Jesus because everyone else already did and is waiting on him to do so. Also, what would have happened had he just told the truth right then and there? He would not feel guilt for lying about not meeting Jesus but perhaps he would feel guilt at having disappointed everyone for not being a true believer.