OK, so I was stumped for a little while. It wasn't easy to think of a character in a story I think could be a Christ figure. .
This chapter, like many others in this book, does one main thing--it makes me think. It makes me think back over books, stories, and poems I've read to try to identify some of the issues this author has discussed. It's amazing how much you miss if you don't read closely. Is Hamlet a Christ figure? No. Macbeth? No. The one character I came up with (and don't exactly agree completely) is the little boy character from The Road. The sacrifices he has to make and the relationship with his father have led many critics to say he is a Christ figure. when we read it next semester, you guys will have to help me decide...
For this chapter, just tell me what you think about it. Also--can you think of any stories where there is a Christ figure?
This chapter made me think too. I started to go back and think about characters from other books that I've read to see if there were any Christ figures in them. I couldn't think of any. But, after reading this chapter I'll probably pay more attention to books that I read and see if I can pick any out.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this chapter made me think too. I have gone back in many books to try and see if there were any characters that I could pin point out as being a Christ like figure, I couldn't really think of any that were in all ways Christ like but in a way Dumbledore from Harry Potter is by his actions and the way he makes sacrifices, as well as takes care of his students more like family.
ReplyDeleteAnytime i read something like this chapter it makes me think, "What if I missed something?" Just like you I start listing and checking off all the characters that i read from previous books, and one finally jumped out at me....Frodo. Yea even though it doesn't seem like it just think about it. He has a group of followers, travels all over the land, and ultimately sacrifices his life taking on the responsibility of destroying the evil ring that tempts people to taking it back to the Dark Lord....hmmm, kind of sounds like Frodo is trying to keep people from turning to the Devil.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have read stories in the past, I have never really thought about characters being a Christ Figure. When we had to read the book, "The Old Man and the Sea," I had no idea that he was actually a Christ Figure until I read this chapter. So I will be looking in to characters more when I read a book.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter had me completely stumped. I couldn't think of a single character that seemed to me like a Christ figure, and I haven't ever really thought about characters being Christlike. I've thought about it for awhile, and I still can't think of any characters in any books that I have read that seem like a Christ figure.
ReplyDeleteI had to reread this chapter just to fully understand the significance of it all. Even reading it twice did not help me to think of a character in a book as being Christ like. Honestly, The Bible is the only one I can think of, and of course the character would be Christ.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter kind of confused me. I've never really thought of a character being Christ-like before. Probably the character that first comes to mind would be Jesus himself in the Bible. I don't really see how another character can amount up to deserving the name Christ-like.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was really interesting to me. It makes me want to start looking for "Christ" figures in all the books that I have read and will read. But one book that sticks out to me is My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Piccoult because throughout the book Anna does all she can to help her sister Kate with her disease and in the end Anna dies and "saves" her sister. That is as close as I can get to a "Christ" figure.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read books I hadn't thought to much about there being a Christ figure. I guess in a way that Harry in Harry Potter is something like a Christ figure. He risks his life to protect other people and in the last book he actually died and came back to life so that he would protect his friends.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter got me to really start thinking. I haven't really thought about Christ figures in any books or movies i've seen. The first movie i thought of that has a Christ figure ia My Sister's Keeper where a young girl sacrifices a lot for the life of her sister. I see where this isn't a great example because the girl became opposed to donating so much herself to her sister.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this chapter I was a little confused and started to contradict myself on characters that could possibbly be a Christ figure. I have yet to think of one but I will probably pay more attention to the books I read just to see if I can find one.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter got me thinking as well. I really haven't noticed Christ figures in books, or such but when I started to think and go back and think about books I have read, I thought of the Chronicles of Narnia, the lion witch and wardrobe to be exact. I know the whole book has god-like characters in it, but the Christ one I found to be Aslan, the lion.
ReplyDeleteThis book, especially this chapter, makes me analyze books more. Before this book I would have never looked for a "Christ" figure. Trying to recall books in the past, I can only think of a Jodi Picoult book called A Change Of Heart. There is a character who actually acts or refers to as Christ but I cant remember his name because its been awhile since I have read it.
ReplyDeleteThe one movie or movies that i think of when i am wondering about a Christ figure are the Matrix movies. The way Neo is portrayed and the sacrifices that he has to endure make him out to be almost Christ like, and he even has the power to heal people in the movies (he doesn't know he has the power until midway through the 2nd movie). There's a few more Christ like figures in other movies that i can think of, but i believe that other people have already mentioned them.
ReplyDeleteI liked this chapter made me think of those types of characters differently.
ReplyDeleteFirst one that poped into my head was lord of the rings the way gandalf sacrifices his life for the fellowship only to come back later and help them when they need him most as gandlaf the white
I think Katniss from The Hunger Games can be considered a Christ like figure. She sacrifices herself to try and protect her sister. This can be seen as a christ like act. It took a lot of thought to think of these characters, I will have to start thinking more about the characters try and see if I see these connections.
ReplyDeleteSo the book i remember the most having a christ figure in it was the book The Lion, The witch, and the Wardrobe. In this book, there is a chapter where Aslan, "the lion" sacrifices himself to save the little girl from being killed. Then he resurrects himself to show the power he has. This is just like jesus dying for everyones sins in the bible. There are plenty of other christian allusions in this book considering that the author C.S. Lewis was a diehard catholic. Such as Prince Caspian being David from the bible in the second book of this trilogy.
ReplyDeleteOne of the books I remember most as having a Christ figure is House by Ted Dekker, a little girl dressed in a white dress saves them but they don't believe that she can because the evil people in the book tell the couple that she is evil then in the end she dies to save the couple.... Just like Jesus. This was a good thinking chapter I must say. I know a lot of books where there is a Christ-like character, where in that they save the world from some great evil but they never seem to die like Christ did, the author has to continue to the next book so they are kept alive.
ReplyDeleteA Christ figure i automatically think of in a story is "The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" Aslian (idk if i spelled that right) is the Christ figure, he takes the place of someone who had done something wrong and was to be killed. He was pure and innocent but made the choice to take the place of a sinner.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter made me think more about what goes on in the books that I have read. As others have already mentioned Aslan from "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is the character that I automatically associate with being a Christ figure.
ReplyDeleteChrist figures are everywhere. For example in the Lion King, Mufasa acts as a Christ figure as he sacrifices himself to save his son, which in turn would serve a great purpose for the kingdom.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to think of a book that there is a christ figure and I can't think of any. This chapter just makes you realize how much you miss in a book. I have already learned more to look for when i am reading literature. I would of never thought of half of the things the author talks about. After finishing this book, hopefully we can all understand literature a little bit better.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, this chapter reminds me of the whole archetype lesson in English class last year. Christ figures are common in literature-they are characters that selflessly sacrifice themselves for the good of everyone, not for fame or recognition. Most of the time, the Christ figure will be one of the main characters, if not the protagonist. Of course I'm going to reference my favorite movie, Donnie Darko. In his own way, Donnie plays the part of the Christ-like figure, the sacrificial redeemer. He has to sacrifice his own life (and sanity?) to close the tangent universe, and has to go through several tribulations to do so.
ReplyDeletei agree with sarah those religious archetypes! since ive mentioned before that i dont read many books and i really can not pin point a Christ figure. i really dont think authors try to put a Christ figure but what they do do is they surround the main characters with different Biblical allusions
ReplyDeleteI thought that this was an interesting chapter. I liked it a lot. I believe Christ figures are found quite often in literature. This goes back to Chapter 7 and Biblical allusions. I can think of several characters throughout literature that can be considered Christ figures. Examples of these include: Uncle Tom from Uncle Tom's Cabin, Santiago from The Old Man and the Sea, Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia, John Coffey from The Green Mile, and Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteFor this chapter, just tell me what you think about it. Also--can you think of any stories where there is a Christ figure?
ReplyDeleteAagh I already used Richard from The Seeker. Another sacrificial lamb I can think of was in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy but if you haven't read those books, I'd highly advice reading them, and refuse to ruin the ending for you. For one thing, it's mad hard to even compare someone to Jesus. I mean, hello, son of God. I guess one example could be Braveheart. William Wallace, representing. He died for all the Scots. To show that no matter what, you fight. He was a martyr. Sure, the bible isn't all, "No matter what, fight," moreso teaching about peace (really though, David wasn't exactly known for turning the other cheek). He gave hope though. He died for all of them, for his country. He died for something he believed in. Many people say they would, but how many actually would? Purely for others, not because they don't have anything to live for or find life dull, nothing like that. How many people can say their life is amazing, that they're happy beyond belief, that they have everything they could ever want, everything anyone could dream of wanting, and would throw it all away for one cause, one belief. Or maybe many would and I'm misrepresenting everyone who would. To me, Christ figures are about sacrifice. They see life's worth living, but they've realized their death is bigger than them.