I really have no solution to this line of thought, nor do I know if I am even looking at these motifs in the proper way. I just thought that it may be worth the consideration. What do you all think?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Jesus vs. the Witch
I am not sure of how well I managed to interpret Oskar's connection to Jesus, but I think that there may be a dichotomy between Jesus and the Witch. I don't think we can call Oskar "good," but what is good? At the very least, he is "pure," unchanging in his being as he is in his intellect and stature. For example, he resolutely denies loving Jesus, and he becomes a rock worthy of a foundation. Perhaps this purity frees him from the burden of guilt (thus, he does not fear the Witch for the majority of the book, nor does he dive during the trial). He is an ambiguous form of Jesus, fitting for our time. Therefore, I connect Oskar's fear in the Witch at the end with a sacrifice. Is it possible that Oskar's adoption of a fear of the Witch, in the guilt of mankind, makes him a martyr? When he was admitted to an asylum, did Oskar "die" for man's sins? Or perhaps it would be more accurate to connect Oskar's actions with Jesus being made man?
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5 comments:
I definitely agree with that idea of a dichotomy between Jesus and the Witch. Also, I believe that Oskar does represent a form of “Jesus being made man,” although it may seem ironic due to his malevolence and blasphemy. I noticed that Grass crafts Oskar into a being who possesses many of the same characteristics as Jesus. Oskar obtains a group of disciples, his cross to bear is his midget status, and his miraculous work could be considered his glass-shattering voice. Most importantly, Oskar, like Jesus, is convicted of a crime that he didn’t commit. Unlike Jesus, however, I believe that Oskar is not guiltless and has an ulterior motive for turning himself in. Like Julia said, he would rather be committed to the bed of a mental hospital than have to face responsibility. At the end, the Witch represents the traces of guilt that sneak up upon Oskar as the “evil Jesus” finally attains his goal.
I believe that the dichotomy between Jesus and the witch is clearly visible through out the book. I, like Samantha, visualize Oskar as a form of an "evil Jesus". When reading the novel, I examined many characteristics that Oskar and Jesus shared. Like Jesus, Oskar refuses to succumb to soiciety's standards and remains resolute in his beliefs throughout the book. Oskar, even from childhood, stunts his own growth in order to flee from the sick, grown up world. However, unlike Jesus, Oskar is a lustful, decietful sinner.
Pehaps the witch represents Oskar's guilt for commiting these sins; a guilt which consumes his mind throughout the book. And to awnser your question, yes Colin, the perplexful dichnotomy between jesus and the witch cetainly is worth our consideration.
If you extend the Witch's meaning to portray everyones guilt and not just Oskar's, then it could be said that his "fear of the Witch" does "make him a martyr." However, personally I agree more with the idea that Oskar's actions connect with Jesus "being made man." So Oskar has conversations with Jesus throughout the novel, especially when he visits church with his mother. As was said before, many similarities are evident between Oskar and Jesus. On the other hand, Oskar also refers to Satan occasionally. He says, "I asked the Satan within me: 'Did you get through it all right?' Satan jumped up and down and whispered: 'Did you see those church windows? All glass, all glass!'" Maybe this "evil Jesus" is almost like Satan inside of Oskar. Overall, I believe Oskar is a morally complicated character.
I am not sure what the function of the witch is, but I think that Oskar's self-made connection to Jesus is arrogance. He considers himself divine, yet conveniently ignores most every sin he commits. He is also selfish, and acts indifferently to every situation except when his own desires are involved. For example, he cares more about getting his next drum than the death of people he knows well. He glosses over murder after death, while highlighting his "noble" quest to rebel through drumming. He also harshly criticizes all those around him, again, a suggestion of his assumed perfection. Although, this whole book was relatively ambiguous, so there is likely no correct interpretation.
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