Filed under: Year of Wonders
As the book came to a close, there was a multitude of events that defined the book and the characters. Anything from Anna sleeping with Rector Mompellion (page 274) to Josiah’s death (page 207) . The ending was crazy to say the least. But if the reader steps back and looks at the events and how it changed the course of the book, it is VERY interesting.
I can say that the last week and a half have been full of emotional highs and lows. From the passing of my aunt, to finishing all of my make up work, to seeing family and reminiscing about good times. Through all of this I have found that this rollercoaster of highs and lows is how I know I am alive. This is the same with Anna. She had highs and lows. Her father passing, to being in a relationship with the Rector for a time. All of these things proved that she was alive. Not dead.
As this pertains to one of the major undertones of the book, I can say that life needs teh natural aspect of life inorder to realize and, to our uncomprehending minds, understand that there is a God. I have a philosophy that all things are defined by their opposites. Life is defined by death. Right is defined by left. And it is only through our understanding that we will pass, that we can fully live as Anna did.
Filed under: Year of Wonders
In an earlier post I said something that could have been very controversal and after reading further, I am retracting my statement. I stated that Josiah Bont, Anna’s dad, could have been a Christ-like figure. Which as I have read on I have found to be not true. However, there is a major turning point that seems to resemble Christ being resurrected. THIS IS NOT A CHARACTER THAT RESEMBLES CHRIST.
Elinor had come down with what had seemed to be the plague and became bed ridden. She had a terrible fever and as her condition worsened she slept more and more. Mr. Mompellion came in and asked Anna to leave. After Anna had tended to all of her duties, she returned to the room Elinor was in. Elinor had become very pale and Mr. Mompellion was laying at the foot of the bed as if she had passed (page 236). As Anna walked toward the bed Elinor opened her eyes and whispered to Anna, “The fever is broken.” Elinor was up and moving the next day (page 237).
This is interesting to me because Elinor got better on her own. She seemed to defeat the natural aspect of the book. She did not need any medication or herbs – Anna tried but she refused. This is very similar to the way Jesus had died but was able to defeat the natural processes of life by rising from the dead. This is the biggest argument in the book about God vs. Nature. It has been a MAJOR underlying theme and this event confirms it even more.
Superstition plays a major role in the villagers lives. They pay a “ghost” of Anys extreme amounts of money/possessions to get supposed fixes and cures for the plague. As Anna is walking along she happens upon the Mowbrays; they are throwing their small, infant child back and forth through a bush (page 214). According to the “ghost” of Anys, this is supposed to keep the child from getting sick. There are many other superstitions that were sold to villagers, such as a piece of paper with ABRACADABRA written on it.
Since I have been following the parallel between the book and the Bible, I will continue with it. When Moses goes up the mountain to recieve the Ten Commandments from God, the Israelites followed in almost the same pattern. They became impatient and created their own god. They did this because they didnt know what to do. They had no where to go and no one to lead them. The book and the story of the golden calf parallel because the villagers had no where to go and no one to get them out. They had what they needed but no way to escape. And because they could not go anywhere, they started believing ridiculous things.
I have continuously been amazed at how much Mrs. Brooks parallels the human, natural struggles of life. The ups and downs. She tells us that we often get trapped and have no way out and as a result we start thinking crazy things.
Filed under: Year of Wonders
Year of Wonders is jam packed with biblical references as I have mentioned before. Most people who have read in the book will not agree with the statement I am about to make but please read my argument behind why I see so much symbolism. Josiah Bont, Anna’s dad, represents a Christ-like figure, in a much more immoral way. Please understand that I do not mean that I agree with the fact that he digs graves for people and then takes everything they have. I do not believe that is a Christ-like attribute.
However, if you look at the situation that occurs in the latter stages of chapter ten (The Body of the Mine), the symbolism between Josiah Bont and Jesus. First of all lets take a look at how Josiah was punished. He was sentenced to have knives thrust through his hands into a wooden cross bar (page 203). Jesus was sentenced to crucifixion which entailed his hands being nailed to a cross. See the similarities?
Throughout Jesus’ life, he served the poor. He did the things no one else would do. He healed the people no one else would even be around. He did revolutionary things. The same with Josiah. No one else would help the people who had dead bodies that had to be buried. He did. He went and dug graves for them. He helped the people in need. And because he had a servant heart I believe that Josiah Bont represented Jesus in this book.
Filed under: Year of Wonders
As I read this book, the underlying theme of faith and God vs Nature is ever so present. Mrs. Brooks uses so many different things to symbolize the struggle. Bread is used on page 105. The bread symbolizes both the faith it takes to make it through the struggles and the struggle between God and nature. During the time Moses was leading the Isrealites through the desert, they lacked food. God provided when nature didnt. God provided mannah from the heavens when nature had nothing to offer the Isrealites.
“Think of our bread, husband! If we take to the road, who will feed us? Like as not, we will starve there. Here, he says we will have it surely.” Does that not sound strikingly similar to the passage from Exodus 16:2-3 which says, “‘If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,’ They moaned. ‘There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve is all to death.'” See the bread not only symbolizes the lack of faith of the Isrealites at the time, but it also shows us just how God is wins the battle over nature any time there is an encounter.
Geraldine Brooks does a fantastic job of hinting the reader about how the end of the book will come. I am not sure how it ends because I am not there yet but I can predict an ending, based on my knowledge of the Bible. I can predict that the rector will not make it, just as Moses did not make it into the promised land. I can also predict that the people will make it through. They will go through many times of struggle and many times of somewhat better. But in the end, they will survive because they trusted in what the rector told them to do. Just as the Isrealites trusted Moses and followed him to the promised land.
Filed under: Year of Wonders
This book is entirely an argument about God vs. Nature. There are numerous references that infer this. From the seemingly Garden of Eden opening to the cold, terrifying winter that Anna Firth is experienceing. I think this book parallels the Bible, or at least the Exodus story, and because of this foreshadows the rest of the book.
The short progression of the happy, peaceful times is very similar to the corruption story. Adam and Eve were in the garden and perfect for what seems to be a short amount of time. Just as Anna introduces the book for a short time of happiness. In pages 95-96 when Anna is describing just how cold it is and how much destruction has come from the plague, it reminds me of how the Isrealites went through a very difficult time in the wilderness following Moses.
The similarities of the cold, trying times and the struggles of the Isrealites in the wilderness are important to the argument of God vs. Nature. In the wilderness, while following Moses, the Isrealites were able to come through with Gods help. I believe that due to the similarities, I can predict that the Rectors decision to have everyone stay in the village will end with great success (page 104). Not success in saving lives, but success in the sense that people are closer due to what the experienced.
As the book as progresses I see more and more similarities not only to the corrutption in the Garden of Eden, but also the corruption of the earth and all its inhabitants being humans, plants, animals, and so forth. Throughout the next few chapters George Viccars is introduced. He is an interesting man. He is cunning, he helps out Anna a lot, and he is great with Tom and Jamie – Anna’s children. However, despite all of his great looks and appearances, he brings forth a disease that could wipe out the entire village – The Plague. This is interesting to me because, in a way, he represents the devil in this book. He makes everything look fantastic on the outside but decieves everyone and brings in death. Just as the serpent did in the Garden of Eden.
Another important event in this story of God vs Nature and the corruption of His world are the happenings that occur between Anys and George. Or should I say the events that WENT on between Anys and George. Mrs. Brooks makes it crystal clear the Anys had been sleeping around with Mr. Viccars (page 48). Interesting isn’t it? That a man who came across so great and so very well polished, was sleeping around? Something to ponder. Red is typically the color we use to represent sin as in the song Jesus Paid it all. The dress that Mr. Viccars had so neatly crafted for him mistress was red. I believe that there is some major symbolism in that dress. The color, risqueness, and the fact that the dress was hidden symbolizes the sin and corrutpion of the earth and how we tried to hide it from the Lord.
One final event that took place during these first few chapters that had some major symbolism was the happenings with Anys and Mem (page 88). There were a group of people that were angry and accused Mem of being a witch and began beating her. I find this important because it depicts the people who are suffering beating the one who is trying to help them. Does that sound biblical or what? I think this event could possibly forshadow some one who plays a Christ-like role in this story, possibly Mr. Mompellion. But as I read I will find out more.
Throughout most of time, books are written with an underlying theme that expresses a much deeper and more controversal topic. For example, The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck tells the story of a mentally handicapped person (Lennie) ends up being killed by George. While the topic of killing a mentally handicapped person is controversal enough, it shows the progression of how Lennie consistently brings George down. So they underlying theme would be, is it ok to leave someone, handicapped or not, in order for self gain. Throughout the first chapter of Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, there seems to be a common theme of the Garden of Eden.
Right in the very beginning of the book the narrator, Anna Firth, describes this lovely place where everything is great. Wood piles are big, apples are falling off the trees in huge bunches, there was hay and food for the cattle and people were happy. These were all things that were necessary for survivng the winter, warmth and food for all. However, shortly after she describes this lovely place of the past, she describes the time now. Quite different. The wood piles are low, the apples are brown, and the hay piles were sparse. People were not happy, “His eyes are the same, but his face has altered so, drawn and haggard, each line etched deep” (page 1-2). This is a description of the rector, or minister, Mr. Mompellion. I find it interesting that the author describes the minister right after Anna offers him a rotten apple. Could that be symbolism of human the corruption in human life? I guess I will have to read on and see, but for the moment the book seems to have this theme of just how corrupted human life is.
The author takes a very interesting approach to communicating my supposed theory of the theme of this book. The events of the Plague are not only interesting, but emotional and factual as well, which makes a variety of people want to read this book. I am enjoying this book immensly, especially as the book progresses and I find more things to support my theory.
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