What I couldn't help but think about was all the books I read and how most
of them (especially the classics) always seem to have some religious theme. Some are more blatant about their association with religion, while others may take more of an effort to uncover the religious connection, but all in all, more times than not religion seems to be coming out in some form or another in many of the books I have read. A few of the classics that came to mind were; The Scarlet Letter, Les Miserables, Crime and Punishment, and Tale of Two Cities. I'm guessing that most of you have probably read at least one of these books and you were probably able to pull out some religious connection.
Why is it then that religion has been used so much in literature? Was it just that these "classics" came from a time period when religion was much more prominent in society?
I than started to think of books with obvious religious themes that are perhaps a little more recent. East of Eden which is closely related to the Cain and Able Bible story was published in the 50's along with C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia- which we all know has an obvious religious connection. People have even said Harry Potter has some religious archetypes. So it is clear that religion is still a theme maintained throughout literature, no matter the time period. But is this still because it's a reflection of a religious society or do people just enjoy the good message and archetypes that religion adds to literature?
My last thought to the recurring religious themes in books is wondering why books get far less complaints about religious content than any other medium (Internet, music, TV, etc)? You
mention God or Christ too many times in a song or a movie and people start getting antsy, and yet in many books Christ has become quite a popular archetype to use. I recently read a popular book, The Poisonwood Bible, and as you can imagine it had many religious connections. It wasn't a religious book by any means, but clearly had some religious ties. As far as I know, however, there were no protests or complaints towards this book- in fact it was New York Times Bestseller!Overall I just feel that when I think about the relationship between religion and books, a flood of books come to mind. From classics to contemporary, religion finds itself in books all the time. So my question again is why is religion so prevalent in literature? And why does it seem that books get away with a lot more when it comes to mentioning and using religious themes and content in its medium?
books are not as popular now, in days that we have more different and accessible forms of media. i think that may be the reason we don't hear as much about critiquing books alone. books are not required to read, they are picked out, bought, and read by choice whereas other forms of media are kind of forced upon us.
ReplyDeleteIf we look back in history, the message of Christianity got its start after Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. Once the Bible could be more easily disseminated among the populace, people were able to study Christianity's message and share it with family and friends. Thus, after looking at written religion's origin, it makes sense that religion would be a common theme in written form.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I think it's important to remember that while the Internet has been around for a few decades, books as a medium have been around for a few centuries. We're just used to this way of communicating and fleshing out messages, knowledge and ideas. Religion has also been around for quite a while. Thus, the two kind of go hand in hand.
So, why is religion in books so popular? I think it's a function of societal habit. Also, books allow the writer to flesh out ideas and provide deeper explanation. This is something that is missing in today's "get to the point" internet/blogosphere/Twitter mentality. Not that those things are bad, it's just that they don't provide the space.
I think that the reason religion is so prevalent in books is because writing is one of the earliest and most basic forms of communication, and religious ideas and philosophies has been around ever since people were put on the Earth. I agree with Jessi, but I think this desire to discuss the idea of a higher power, and to write things down has been around ever since man was put on the Earth. Therefore, this expression and belief of religion was only able to be recorded for generations upon generations by the written word. Having said that, I think that that is why there is still the connection between religion and writing today. Writing, when it comes to religion, is a more personal medium that allows for inner thought and reflection. It doesn't aim to force the reader into anything they don't want to do, it instead is there as a guide or tool for those searching for religion as well.
ReplyDeleteBooks seem to get away with more religious content when compared to other mediums because books are seen as a more sacred medium than television and the internet. When you read a book, you usually are alone, and you interpret and comprehend the writer's words in your own personal way. Nothing about reading is for the masses. Even with Oprah's book club, each and every person that reads one of the books she's endorsed reads them with their own personal and intimate experiences. I also think that books get away with more because people are more aware of what they are getting into when they pick up a book, and if religion is what they want then religion is what they'll get. I don't think in our society that we don't like hearing about religion in the media, I just think we don't like it forced upon us. With a book, it is usually blatantly obvious what it is about, and if someone is uncomfortable with that, then they wont read it. People have more of a choice when it comes to books and the amount of religion that they choose to expose themselves to.
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ReplyDeleteBooks probably have a wider range of interpretations by the reader, and therefore may be interpreted according to the reader's religious views. Books are not broadcast publicly in public theaters or across public airwaves. With so many books available, readers have the option to choose books that would not offend them. People who are interested in religion would be interested in reading books with religious themes. There is a much greater selection of books than there are of television shows or movies.
ReplyDeleteI like the title of this post, "Do books get away with more?" I think it is true that as a medium, books can usually get away with more than other media like TV or Internet. This can be for both positive and negative effects.
ReplyDeleteBooks can talk more openly about religion, just as books can address more controversial topics such as prostitution, homosexuality, homicide, etc. Sex, violence, and swearing can easily find their way into novels in ways that would have a tough time being accepted on the big screen.
I think the reason for this is, as mentioned about, books are slightly less "in-your-face" than the messages that stream across the airwaves, through the cable, or onto our computer screens. Even when streaming a video on the internet, it may take a second or two to press the pause button or navigate to another page; however, if someone is offended by a book's content, they can stop reading immediately.
I would just like to add that books are a unique medium that I hope never gets forgotten in an age of new media. As mentioned, books give authors an opportunity to discuss an issue in depth, and to really "flesh out" the details- details for which TV, movies, etc. rarely offer adequate time to fully develop or understand.