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Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns, is a coming of age novel, seen and narrated through the eyes of a developing young boy named Will Tweedy. It is set in a small humble town known as Cold Sassy. This once peaceful town turns scandalous after the announcement of remarriage from the recently turned widower, Rucker Blakeslee. Burns, in her novel, depicts the diversity of interpretations towards religion; it mainly focuses on Grandpa Blakeslee's portrayal of religion verses the society of Cold Sassy's traditional beliefs.
Residents of Cold Sassy follow the traditional beliefs towards religion. God to them is no more than a punisher and a spiritual being to be feared. During their sermons, preachers of Cold Sassy would define God as a being who will smite you down if you sin. Cold Sassy's beliefs were simplistic rituals to follow. The community believed that just by living a life in which they avoided blasphemy, prayed, and attended church every Sunday, would suffice for themselves to be considered good religious people. To them, God is only thought of in Church, in bad times, and when in need of help the community of Cold Sassy only attends Church because it is in their tradition.
Miss Love stated that the only time they do mention God out of Church is when [theyre] sick or scared God to them is just someone there to turn to when needed. People of Cold Sassy also believe in predestination he defines it as what is to be is to be and you cant do anything about it. Much talk about predestination arises when Will was stuck between the tracks on the trestle, and go run over by the train. Visiting Will after his incident, Cretia and Looly began to express predestination they said that hit just was his time to die and that hit were the Lords will for the boy to be alive Rather than to blame themselves and feel guilt for the deaths and disappointment which occurred in Cold Sassy, the townspeople would utilize the Clich it is Gods will thus easing the guilt in their hearts towards the heartaches that took place. Will conversed with Grandpa Blakeslee about Gods will, and asked if it was Gods will for Bluford Jackson to get lock jaws and die? Grandpa did not respond.
Although it was apparent that Cold Sassy's congregation did think it was Gods will, because it made things easier to accept and believe and would take the burden of guilt and blame away from their mind. This way they did not have to blame themselves for allowing Bluford to die. No one dared question Gods motives for allowing bad things to occur. Cretia and Looly figured as believers of predestination that Gods will has His own planned actions and that it aint for [them] to ast such questions because asking to them was like blasphemy and a sin to question God and His actions. Townspeople of Cold Sassy had a method of praying that was very much different from that of Grandpa Blakeslee; instead of praying, they would confuse it for wishing.
Miss Effie Belle would think she was praying when in fact, she was actually wishing. For instance, when she [couldnt] think of what to have for dinner, she [would] ast God and right off He gave her an idea. Even Will confuses praying for wishing, he confesses to Grandpa that the had prayed for a million dollars to test [God] and didnt get one dime. Responding to Wills confession, Grandpa said, thet was jest within hit want praying Cold Sassy's people believe in the traditional funerals, which consisted of wearing black, mourning for the dead for a long period of time, long sermons and the beautiful caskets. Although suicides in Cold Sassy were not accepted, they didnt respect them. After Camp killed himself, Will speaks about suicide and how there hadnt been a suicide in Cold Sassy since the Crabtrees son, Arthur got drunk and killed himself by taking and overdose of laudanum and laying down in the cold on his sweethearts grave.
Arthurs family the Crabtrees were so mad and hurt and ashamed that all they did was take a pine casket out to the cemetery and put [Arthur] right under they didnt even bother in placing a marker on their sons grave. These actions conveyed how much they despised suicides. The preachers even said that God [wouldnt] forgive this awful thing [Arthur] did Blakeslee had a very different and unique point of view towards God, religion, and how to worship God. He sees God like Hes a good friend. God represents a person you can talk to and a question things, and unlike the community he sees God everywhere not just simply were He is supposed to be which is in Church or when it is convenient to the community. Blakeslee despises going to mass every Sunday because he feels as if all the preachers are doing is trying to scare folks to Heaven with all that hellfire and damnation Wills Grandfather does not attend mass because he doesnt feel its right for the preachers to preach about punishment for sinners.
All Grandpa wants is to hear bout the loving forgiving God that Jesus preached. Miss Love said while playing notes on the piano to Will Tweedy. Will and Grandpa Blakeslee have a discussion on whether or not it was Gods will that Will was still alive after the episode on the trestle with the train, Grandpa brought up a very good point though, he asked Will if if was Gods will for [him] to be upon that there trestle in the first place? Blakeslee said that the only thing God had given Will was a brain, and hes only will was to use it.
Even when asked if it was Gods will for Blu to die Grandpa responded in a similar way he said that the Lord dont make firecrackers Grandpa Blakeslee's mind is nothing like the narrow minded ones of Cold Sassy. Grandpa knew that faith [wasnt] no magic wand or money back guarantee Faith to Grandpa meant not worrying throughout the day and knowing that God is always with you in good and bad times, regardless of the situations you are in. Like Grandpa said to Miss Love that you respect life like it is-like God made it. Grandpa Blakeslee believed that when Jesus said ask and youll git it, it meant that he was giving a guarantee a spiritual health When the society of Cold Sassy was told to ask and they shall receive, they took it literally. Exemplifying this is when Will Tweedy prayed to God for a million dollars and didnt receive one single cent.
To Grandpa, questioning was fine and it wasnt a sin; he figured it was the peoples right to question. A prime example of this is when Grandpa speaks to Miss Love about praying and asking, he tells her that he sure [could] question what is [meant] Unlike Uncle Camps traditional funeral service and Mattie Lou's, Grandpa didnt want his funeral to be that way. Blakeslee wanted a funeral like the Irish had. Blakeslee wants to remind folks that death aint always awful and so while Hoyt is reading the letter that Grandpa Blakeslee left is said that he didnt want no casket, that is was only a waste of money, and that he wants to have a party for his death.
The first three letters of the word funeral spells fun, says Grandpa. A party is what he wants instead of a funeral, one that everyone who wants to attend should. Although he knows that hes family is going to be sadden by hes departure, he asks them not to cry or wear black during the party, all that Grandpa wants is for them to enjoy themselves and celebrate the life of a good man. Cold Sassy's community and congregation differed a while lot.
By worship, prayer and God. Although cold Sassy's community was always following the norm towards religion, Grandpa Blakeslee will always thing of them as hypocrites.
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