Finny the Christ Essay Example

Due to the fact that we are debating over whether or not Finny is a Christ- like figure, we thought it best to make sure we know what a Christ-like figure really is. According to Wikipedia, a definition of a Christ-like figure is: “a literary technique used to draw allusions between characters and the biblical Jesus Christ. In general, a character should display more the=an one correspondence with Jesus Christ. For instance: manifestation of divine qualities displaying loving kindness and forgiveness, and living for others.”
Finny possess many of these qualities that are also seen in Christ. For one, Finny longs to be loved by all. On page 16, “The Devon faculty had never before experienced a student who combined a calm ignorance for the rules with a winning urge to be good, who seemed to love the school truly and deeply.” In the Bible, there are many examples of the love Jesus had. In Romans 8:39 it states: “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Also, Finny forms his own sort of Commandments, like in the Bible. On page 26, “I noticed that he did abide by certain rules, which he seemed to cast in form of Commandments.” Additionally, Finny works his way into even the hardest of heart and softens them. “Mr. Patch-Wither’s had been given a good laugh for once, and he has done it! HE broke into the charmed, thoughtless grin of a man fulfilled.” (pg21) Similarly in the Bible, God works his way into Saul, a man with prayer who persecutes Christians. After a few days, Saul had become a new man who loved Jesus and went around preaching it to the world.
One source from oppapers.com connects Finny to Christ in this way: “I have noticed that all of the characters in this novel have been given a last name. However, there is one exception. Finny (Phineas) was never given a last name. He has always just been Finny. Strikingly, like Christ, Finny neither has nor