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COMPARISON OF D. JOHNSON’S SON AND THE LAME SHALL ENTER FIRST.
Jesus’ Son is, in many ways, a collection of short stories concerning “addiction and recovery.” It’s about a guy who’s an opium addict who shares tales during his life about his various meetings and events. The two stories are related to the character’s life and how he gets stuck to escape reality and gets trapped in the darkness. He is an insensitive drug addict, which prompted him to take several mistaken actions, but he recalled what he had accomplished since his split from Michelle (his girlfriend). His boy was miscarried and knew he might handle it better if he hadn’t been the way he was in the moment. E.g., Shepherd was addicted to helping others to gain respect and opportunities in the community in “The Lame Shall Enter First.” Still, after his Son committed suicide, he knew he had to pay more attention to and understand the feelings of his baby instead of getting lost in others’ lives to make him appear beautiful. Another fascinating idea is that both the new and the stupid film deal with memory and how drug use or even simply depression may be confused. They are associated with the idea of unprocessed sorrow over a child’s death and a serious relationship that FH subsequently faces in BH and the lame loss of Norton’s mother.
The author uses trust in his novel, entitled “The Son of Jesus.” As it is related to the life of an FH rapist, the title represents the viewpoint of the author Johnson on confidence. The title means that after his bad journey as a user of heroin, the narrator somehow becomes Jesus’ Son. P. 133, according to Beverly Home, “I never knew, I never imagined of a heartbeat, that there might be a room for people like us,” it said. As the writer learned that he had another chance to restart his life, it was hard for him to recognize because he thought he had done bad things. After all, it was impossible that he might receive grace from God (Giraldi). It is said that Johnson claims that religion still exists and that, when you are in a poor mood, God will not give them up.
In “The Lame Shall Enter First,” O’Connor uses Sheppard, his father, as a foil for his Son Rufus. This text is full of irony, particularly concerning religious details. Sheppard is an atheist, and Rufus is profoundly religious. Rufus was angry with the savior complex of Sheppard and told Norton, “God, guy… how do you do that? He believes he’s Christ Jesus!” It’s no coincidence that Sheppard is the name of the father. Shepherds can guide and track the ironic sheep. Norton is driven astray by the neglectful parenthood of Sheppard. He cannot supply his Son with mental assistance (O’Connor).
The character is self-destructive and dependent on drugs and alcohol in each of the stories of Jesus’ Son. I think the character still chases somebody or wanders. He is an insensitive drug addict, which prompted him to take several mistaken actions, but he recalled what he had accomplished since his split from Michelle (his girlfriend). His boy was miscarried and knew he might handle it better if he hadn’t been the way he was in the moment. I conclude that the child played an important part in that novel because it has been read in other stories; it represents pureness and a part of a better life.
Sheppard, the father’s character in “The Lame Shall Enter First,” insists that he is holy and God and an atheist. Sheppard is also self-destructive as he abandoned his Son to be honorable in society in favor of Rufus. Shepherd has social immaturity. He has no remorse for his Son, who is still weeping, having lost his mother. Shepherd spoke with Norton gullibly, thinking that he was wasting his time weeping for his mother and going on to equate his Son to a child he served with, Rufus. Sheppard thought Rufus had been wise and lucky to have him and commended Rufus with pride while dismissing his wife. Shepard recalled his error and went to Norton’s room to apologize at the end of the book. However, it was too late because after his mother died, Norton became alone and committed suicide. His emotions overcame him, and it was hard for him to move from his home.
And other sentences, they were also hooked to their ignorance of reality and caught in confusion. Both the fear that sends them deeper down the darkness and the action that they desperately escape from. Their addiction leads them to extreme conduct and reactions such as violence, emotional explosions, deception, and lies. The novel Jesus’ Son is analogous to the “Lame Shall Enter First” because FH is an impregnated and drug addict of Jesus’ Son, which forced him to make such bad decisions. Yet he recalled what he had done since his break up with Michelle (his giant) and the child’s miscarriage if he had not done so like he was then. As Shepard recalled, in The Lame Shall Enter First, his Son was not offered sufficient treatment and parental assistance and went to Norton’s room to apologize; it was too late since Norton found himself lonely after his mother’s death and committed suicide. His emotions overcame him, and it was hard for him to move from his home. Like in other reports we have read, the child played a critical role in both stories. The kid represents innocence and a sense of a better life. These two examples illustrate the idea of being a child. The community today and many of our parents put much too much pressure on their children to act like adults. Parents must understand and acknowledge the value of giving their children a childhood to learn and develop in their lives.
These two stories are linked by themes and views of the author, such as religion, education, and self-destructive behavior. We may see in these stories that the narrators choose not to live an ordinary life, rather an extraordinary life. They may not have their idea of life in mind, but tradition kept them from being who they truly wanted to be. As a consequence, puberty is just a period in which our ancestors condition us. They teach us how we should live our lives instead of encouraging us to construct our own from the beginning.
Work cited
O’Connor, Flannery. “The Lame Shall Enter First.” The Sewanee Review 70.3 (1962): 337-379.
Giraldi, William. “The art of reading Denis Johnson: the enduring appeal of Jesus’ Son.” Poets & Writers Magazine 41.6 (2013): 23-28.
