Geraldine Brooks 'Year Of Wonder'
“Year of Wonders” suggests that Nature and Religion will always be opposing forces.
-Discuss-
Geraldine Brooks’ novel of the 17th century plague, the “Year of Wonders”, conveys how religion and nature will inevitably remain opposing forces, through the eyes of the protagonist, Anna. Several notions regarding this topic exist throughout the novel, yet are mainly brought to mind by the inquisitiveness of Anna, and her independence.
For instance, the beginning of Anna’s scepticism can be seen by her confusion of the topic of idolatry in regard to her unconditional love for her children. She begins to secretly doubt the legitimacy of the Bible’s interpretation of God’s words, due to the harshness of its nature. Denying the primitive mentality …show more content…
The fact of how nature brings miracles, not God, is shown through the prosperity of Anys. She is described as “glowing with good health”; this gleaming vigour spreads “all the way from the top of her glossy head to the tips of her fine, strong fingernails.” Anna reveals how “[she] had soon felt the benefit of [eating greens], which were not experienced from religious practices. Without the help of Elinor, Anna’s selfless friend, her rate of learning would not have been achievable. When Elinor discovered that Anna “hungered to learn”, she, in a metaphorical sense, commenced by “shovelling” knowledge to Anna, thus, enhancing her capacity of solitude and eradicating her submission to men which, once again, is contrary to Biblical teachings. This revolution of Anna further implies the separation of nature and religion, and we soon discover how she makes this clear distinction. This is separation is made after stubbing her toe on a rock, she contemplates; “Perhaps the plague was neither God nor the Devil, but simply a thing in Nature, as the stone on which we stub a toe.” Disbelieving in God’s role of the assortment of every “speck of dust” Anna makes it clear that “[she] did not see it so.” She gains little satisfaction from religion, and takes more natural means to satisfy her
-Discuss-
Geraldine Brooks’ novel of the 17th century plague, the “Year of Wonders”, conveys how religion and nature will inevitably remain opposing forces, through the eyes of the protagonist, Anna. Several notions regarding this topic exist throughout the novel, yet are mainly brought to mind by the inquisitiveness of Anna, and her independence.
For instance, the beginning of Anna’s scepticism can be seen by her confusion of the topic of idolatry in regard to her unconditional love for her children. She begins to secretly doubt the legitimacy of the Bible’s interpretation of God’s words, due to the harshness of its nature. Denying the primitive mentality …show more content…
The fact of how nature brings miracles, not God, is shown through the prosperity of Anys. She is described as “glowing with good health”; this gleaming vigour spreads “all the way from the top of her glossy head to the tips of her fine, strong fingernails.” Anna reveals how “[she] had soon felt the benefit of [eating greens], which were not experienced from religious practices. Without the help of Elinor, Anna’s selfless friend, her rate of learning would not have been achievable. When Elinor discovered that Anna “hungered to learn”, she, in a metaphorical sense, commenced by “shovelling” knowledge to Anna, thus, enhancing her capacity of solitude and eradicating her submission to men which, once again, is contrary to Biblical teachings. This revolution of Anna further implies the separation of nature and religion, and we soon discover how she makes this clear distinction. This is separation is made after stubbing her toe on a rock, she contemplates; “Perhaps the plague was neither God nor the Devil, but simply a thing in Nature, as the stone on which we stub a toe.” Disbelieving in God’s role of the assortment of every “speck of dust” Anna makes it clear that “[she] did not see it so.” She gains little satisfaction from religion, and takes more natural means to satisfy her