We know by the language and perspective of the narrator that “Salvation” is a coming-of-age story told by an adult looking back on a painful childhood experience, which results in an epiphany. In what ways is the young narrator different from the way he was at the beginning of the story?
In the short story “Salvation,” it is told from a first-person point of view as if it is taking place the same moment. Hughes wants to show how a huge event in his childhood has changed his life forever. He wanted to show what and who changed his life. His experience of being saved only caused him to be disappointed in himself. He lied to the church, to Jesus, and to his aunt and this created a feeling of guilt. He pretended to be saved and that led him to lose his faith in Jesus because he felt nothing as the others felt saved.
He is different now because he learns and shows us how the pressure an adult can have on a child, can cause so much damage to the one who is not aware of what is exactly going on. As a child Hughes only got up because he became impatient for waiting on Jesus to come to him and save him. He felt that since he was the last one left, the whole church was waiting on him to be saved. He lied also because he saw God did not punish Westley for lying. This affected him after when he realizes what he had done, and it resulted in his belief that Jesus does not exist because he did not help him. Hughes salvation was not what he was expecting to be and as an adult he realizes that it is all up to the person and how they interpret the notion of salvation.
One thought on “Shameza Discussion 3”
Hi! Couldn’t have said it better myself. I think it is beautiful the hopefulness and purity the author has in the beginning. He is bright and full of hope waiting for this amazing event but some of the most beautiful things end in tragedy. As an adult everyone experiences a moment in which they realize some things in fact are not what you may have thought and this experience can be traumatizing. I believe this is why the author felt such a sense of abandonment, the people around him left a damage so deep.