Term paper about Christ Figure in literature

In people's lives, God affects numerous parts of their lives, such as moral values, ideas, and feelings. Especially people who believe in God are inspired by God's ordinary life and his unbelievable abilities. In literature, a Christ figure is defined as one of the literary techniques that authors use to draw allusions between their characters and the biblical Jesus Christ. A Christ figure generally represents a character who demonstrates a Christ-like persona through characteristics, attributes, messages, or experiences similar to that of the Christ story. For instance, a Christ figure fights for justice, loves his enemy, demonstrates death and resurrection, and does not accept abandon and defeat. Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Old Man and the Sea, a movie Cool Hand Luke, and the play Les Miserable based on Victor Hugo's novel illustrate Christ figures through their works.

In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway portrays Santiago as a Christ figure. Santiago says:
You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he though. You
Killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. You loved him when he was alive and you loved him after. (Hemingway 105)
Santiago demonstrates one of the Christ figure characters, which is love. His image corresponds with God's possible message of the Christ figure. Jesus Christ has taught people to love their enemies like their brothers. Therefore, Santiago's love for fish shows Jesus Christ's sacrifice for people and promise of eternal life.

Another element of a Christ figure that Santiago also incorporates is refusing to accept abandon and defeat. Jesus Christ embodies sacrifice and patience, and thus he never gives up in any situation even if he might be going to die, because it is needed for people he loves.

In this book has seen similar situation like the Christ's sacred behavior. "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated." (10) At this time, he was too old to catch fish easily and he did not catch any fish during eighty-four days. But he does not give up at all, even these two critical problems confront on him. This image is similar as the Christ did not give up keeping justice for people before he crucified.

Santiago has justice image reveals to God's image according to Dante's divine comedy. "He was very fond of flying fish as they were his principal friends on the ocean. He was sorry for the birds, especially the small delicate dark terns that were always flying and looking and almost never finding, and he thought, the birds have a harder life than we do except for the robber birds and the heavy strong ones." (29) In this quote, it shows that he reveals to God's image. Although, the bird was used as an analogy, but human being life is similar with that. God already knows that life is not justice perfectly; ordinary people are having harder life than stronger people or robbers in our society. So, these Santiago's mind overlaps to God's justice image.

Santiago's wisdom is similar as Jesus Christ's wisdom character. "But remember to sleep, he thought. Make yourself do it and devise some simple and sure way about the lines. Now go back and prepare the dolphin. It is too dangerous to rig the oars as a drag if you must sleep." (77) He was worked long time, which means he prepared what is going on some of particular situation. These are coming by his cumulative experience about fishing. So, he can give some advice to Manolin in order to prepare for that situation. Christ's disciples are following him as well, because he knows well about what is going on the future from his various and hard experiences. These advices are precious and valuable, so we still can hear them from the Bible.

The last Christ-figure related literature, musical "Les Miserable" based on the novel by Victor Huga. "Les Miserable" is considered one of greatest novel of the 19th century. It focuses on the Jean Valjean's experience and virtues. It examines crime and justice, moral philosophy, justice, and types of familial love. It is similar that Jesus Christ was shown image as Jean Valjean. For example, Jean Valjean was lived as a prisoner few years, Christ had suffered hardship until he crucified. In the intro of Les Miserable, people were despised Jean Valjean because he is a prisoner. "LABOURER: You broke the law It's there for people to see Why should you get the same As Honest men like me?"(1, Hugo) Well, it's hard to justify crime, even that was inevitable situation in order to survive in our society.

Another one of his virtues is that he has social justice for the weak people socially. For instance, when Jean Valjean rescued someone, it is one type of justice. "VALJEAN attempts to lift the cart... but fails. He tries again. They manage to pull FAUCHELEVANT clear. FAUCHELEVANT: M'sieur le Mayor, I have no words, Your come from God, you are a saint." (4, Hugo) Likely Jesus Christ was crucified for people, Jean Valjean had faced on dangerous moment; he rescued one person in order to show that he has a Christ-figure in this novella.

In addition to his virtues, Jean Valjean has Christ-like love because of Bishop. When he escaped from the prison, even he did wrong behavior to Bishop, he was forgiven Jean Valjean as God's love. So, he motivated from Bishop, he decided to give love for others. After few years, he was met with Fantine with some problems. Although, he was an owner of factory and she was an employee, but he takes care of Fantine's daughter, Cosette. "VALJEAN: Your child will want for nothing. FANTINE: Good M'sieur, you come from God in heaven. (4, Hugo) This quote shows that how much Jean Valjean has true love for Fantine and Cosette. As God loves and forgives to everyone, Jean Valjean wants to give back to public about what the Bishop was forgiven him.

Cool hand Luke is one of best movie, which expressed well as a Christ-figure. Especially, this movie shows some of obvious Christ-figure moment. It is hard to get the quote, so it would be replaced as a description of the moment in the movie. When the Luke is going to the box due to rest his soul, it was challenging to the authority. Another Christ figure moment is that he leads prisoners to finish the work fast (with in the system already exists, he shows it to the guards) challenging the authority.

The critical scene of Christ figure is that Luke eats fifty-eight eggs to have believers in the prison. In the movie, Luke was struggled to do it. But, it is important that whether he can get believers at there or not. So, he decided to do that, finally he did do successfully. His believers were doubt but bet on him, then it changes to trust and they become follower (believer). First time, they responded without any believe and faith. And they could not understand why he does this reckless behavior. It is fairly similar with God's image, because God did what people don't understand, but it turns good result. At this time, the Christ figure is overlapped because it is one of possible similarities to the Christ story. Jesus Christ has the ability to perform "miracles." At this moment, Luke performed miracles in order to get believers, he succeed to do it, which is impossible for ordinary people.

Furthermore, Luke does not afraid talk to aviation guy, and does not afraid mocking snake. It is possible scene of challenging authority, Most of prisoners are afraid their aviation guy, but Luke does not afraid at all. So, he tried to escape from the prison about three time total. As a result, he was killed by aviation guy, which means he failed to challenge authority of aviation guy. But, it is similar as God's image. Luke tried to escape from prison until he killed by aviation guy. Christ was also that does not defeat when he was tortured before his crucifixion. After Luke was killed, his absence affected to the prisoners, they felt like that they lost their life.

In summary, these three literatures are having Christ-figure image as well. During analyze about Christ-figure in each literature, all three characters are revealed Christ image. However, all three parts of literary trinity are not expressed. It means that Santiago in the Old man and the Sea by Hemingway have the presence of strong wisdom and love, but it has weak justice compared than other factors. In the same manner, Jean Valjean in the Les Miserable by Victor Hugo has strong justice and love but other factors are not strong as well as compared than wisdom. Luke in the Cool hand Luke has strong wisdom, but justice and love are weak compared than it.

In conclusion, the Christ figure literature technique shows how Christ was affected our life strongly. Christ figure is a good example how he does sacrificed and crucified for us. These literatures are giving some lessons about God, what they did. This research of Christ figure is interesting to me. Personally, I am not a Catholic, which means I don't know much about Jesus Christ as well. However, these literatures are expressed well how God is awesome and give me a huge effect about Christ's crucifixion.

Here is something that seems a little bit inefficient:


... it will be better to leave out the extra phrase, In people's lives, G God affects numerous parts of people's lives, such as moral values, ideas, and feelings. Especially people who believe in God are inspired by God's ordinary life and his unbelievable abilities. In literature, a Christ figure is defined as ...

But this sentence is too simple : Especially people who believe in God are inspired by God's ordinary life and his unbelievable abilities. In literature, a Christ figure is defined as ...

I suggest this:
God affects numerous parts of people's lives, such as their moral values, ideas, and feelings. In literature, a Christ figure is defined as ...

Because this seems like your main idea
[The] Christ figure literature technique shows how strongly Christ has affe cted our lives.

Above, I made some slight changes and added some parenthesis to help the clarity.

I see that the premise of this paper is to explain the concept of "Christ figures" by showing how it is used in these three works. You did a good job in the introduction!!

I think Julian is right to trim away the part about "God influencing people's lives," because your thesis is about this particular literary technique, not so much about the concept of God itself.

Cool Hand Luke is one of best movies for demonstrating a Christ-figure. Especially This movie shows some of obvious Christ-figure moments . It is hard to get the quote, so it would be replaced as a description of the moment in the movie. (not necessary, and it is not hard to get a quote) When the Luke is going to the box due to rest his soul, it was is challenging to the authority. Another Christ figure moment occurs when he leads ...

The critical scene demonstrating Luke as a Christ figure is when Luke eats fifty-eight eggs to have believers in the prison. In the movie, Luke was struggles to do it. But, it is important for him to succeed and get believers. at there or not. So, he decides to do that, and finally he does do it successfully. His believers are doubtful but bet on him; then it changes to trust, and they become followers (believers).

:-)