Friday, May 2, 2013

Exodus

this is the title of the book, but it is also a word that has a very specific meaning - this word means “a mass departure of people from one place”
it is usually a result of something terrible happening
the most famous use of the word exodus is linked to Biblical history
there is a book of the Bible that is called Exodus and it is about the Israelites being cast out of Egypt
the idea is that an author who calls his/her book Exodus is CLEARLY trying to make you think about that very well known (by some) old story
this title is LOADED with meaning - it’s very significant
the ideas in the book MUST be linked with some concept from that Bible story
when something in a book, story, poem or movie refers to some other form of art it is a kind of text to text connection that is called an ALLUSION
the title of this novel is a Biblical allusion

Why would an author WANT to use a Biblical allusion?

maybe the author has some religious idea to get across OR a comment about a religious idea
it might give the readers extra meaning and information that HELP THEM CONNECT
it might make for some layers of meaning - a little more, a little deeper - this gives us something to chew on and think about - it might give us some questions and this is always good in a book

We should be reading this book and thinking about what exactly would the link be to the Bible story? - ASSIGNMENT

How could you do this?

By stopping after each chunk of book (chapter, a few pages) and THINKING about possibilities
Find out about that Bible story - you could read that chunk, or you could listen to it, or you could read something on the internet about it -
You could ask someone else about it - churchgoers could ask a pastor or priest or minister or whatever
Read a comic book version of the Bible and you can read that

PICK ANY ONE WAY TO FIND A FEW THINGS OUT ABOUT THE BOOK OF EXODUS

Laine Fincher asks What about the Bible?

It is open to interpretation by many and there is a LOT of controversy as to who is right about what.

It is about what each person believes.

Post-Apocalyptic (after the apocalypse)

Exodus takes place in a future where the people live in a post-global warming world
this story is about people in the future grappling with the problems that WE are literally creating now
it’s a warning in a way, it’s a scary future, it’s a world where people are dealing with enormous problems with the sea level
this is not unrealistic