Bible And Literature The Flood Narrative Analyzed

Bible And Literature: The Flood Narrative Analyzed In The Style Of Northrope Frye (Timothy Findley Used As A Critic/Commentary) Essay, Research Paper

The .flood. as found in Genesis is a multidimensional and an archetypal source of metaphor and myth. The .flood. is an example of metaphorical and mythological language that provides foundational constructs upon which other aspects of the Biblical text and other works can be seen as related. Metaphor and myth make typological analysis possible. The .flood. narrative will be discussed in relation to other types within the Biblical text, some examples in other popular mythology, and through discussion of Timothy Findley.s analysis of the .flood. as seen in his novel, Not Wanted on the Voyage.

Discussion of metaphor, myth, typology and Findley.s novel surrounding the .flood. narrative will illustrate its archetypal position. The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden provides a mythological foundation, an archetype that helps the reader understand the cause of God.s distress that leads him to flood the earth. The metaphor of the seed can be seen through the example of the ark strongly, but again, this metaphor is found earlier with Adam (this will be discussed later). God is mythologically understood through different sources. In the flood we are presented with the myth of a powerful and emotional God. The image of God as powerful is not so unique, but the aspect of him being emotional is. The relationship that God has with humankind is typified in myth in different ways. Noah.s relationship with God is common for the Biblical presentation of God.s relationship with humankind.

The flood story is introduced by an account of human development. This account sets the stage upon which God will destroy his creation. The text explains that human women were married to and mated with beings called sons of God. Who the sons of God are is not explained, but it is made clear that they are not human. If they are human it would have stated that the sons and daughters of men married and mated, instead it states, .When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. (Gen., 6:1-2). What resulted from this was a breed of humankind who became .the heroes of old, men of renown. (6:4). This information is presented just before the writer states, .The Lord saw how great man.s wickedness had become. (6:5) and God then considers completely destroying humankind. It seems that God.s consideration of destroying his entire creation is a result of the union made between the daughters of men and the sons of God. The writer tells us that this union took place and then immediately states that because of the wickedness of humanity God wanted to wipe humankind from the earth. It seems that this union is responsible for God.s decision to flood the earth. What causes the decision to flood the earth is the blending of the human with the divine. This can also be seen in Eden, when Adam and Eve overstep their bounds by eating of the tree of good and evil, getting involved with something that is restricted to them by the divine. The tower of Babel, Job.s rebuking of God, Jonah.s rebuking of God, and Peter.s rebuking of Jesus are all examples of this type. Each of these events is an example of humankind involving themselves in activities that they have no right being involved in.

God.s response to the disobedience of Adam and Eve is to force them out of the Garden. God explicitly banned the tree from their use, but they ate from it anyway. What Satan uses to tempt Eve into eating from the tree is pride. .For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (3:5). Eve decides to disobey and then Satan works through her to affect her husband. The temptation offered was to .be like God.. This is the problem that is presented in the introduction to the .flood. narrative. When a person removes themselves from humanity and attempts to fill the position that is reserved for God, then God illustrates to them what is really important and causes change to happen in their lives.

In the building of the tower, God punished the people by confusing their speech, making it impossible for them to understand each other. Building the tower was wrong because the people desired to .make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. (11:4). The concept that God does not want any name glorified but his own is presented in this passage . this is one reason God opposes the people. Another reason for God.s opposition to their activities is that it seems God wants the people to be scattered all over the earth. From the above passage it seems the people have the sense they should be spreading out over the earth, because they make a point against doing it, as though it were on the original agenda. Much of God.s language following the flood encourages the people to .be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. (9:1). The problem in the instance of building the tower of Babel is that the people involved themselves in something that was not in the plan of God, attempting to glorify themselves instead of their maker.

When humans rebuke God, the problem primarily is that it is not the place of humanity to rebuke God . God knows wha