Writing 115
Reading Questions
SALVATION
Reading Closely and Thinking Critically
4) Langston says that he pretends to see Jesus, because “God had not stuck Westley dead for taking his name in vain or for lying in the temple. So I decided to maybe save for the trouble, I better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved” (184). Personally, I do not believe in religion, so I find this difficult to relate to. But if I was forced onto one side or another in particular, I would say that he was wrong in doing this, because it is not healthy decision making to act on the beliefs of others rather than yourself. If I was in his place at his young age, I probably would have done the same, but because I am not 12 years old, I would laugh at the situation I was in and go watch football.
Examining Structure and Strategy
1) The first two sentences of Salvation make an effective opening because the first sentence, “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen” (183), tells the reader what parts of the situation are important to the story. And the second sentence, “But not really saved” (183), helps to reveal the writer’s perspective on the situation he is writing about. Together, they give the reader a great overview of the story without reading too far in.
3) A good example of Hughes’ description to achieve a purpose is, “And the little girls cried. And some of them jumped up and went to Jesus right away.” (184), These examples stood out to me because by pointing out that they are little girls and were crying, it implies that they were probably scared. Therefore, there is a possibility that there more than just Hughes and Westley may not have really seen Jesus. Another example is, “My aunt came and knelt at my knees and cried, while prayers and song swirled all around me in the little church. The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices.” (184), this illustrates how important it was to his...