In “Salvation,” Hughes discusses his personal experience with the church and the Christian faith and criticizes the religion. Specifically, he addresses his disappointment, criticism, and cynicism toward the institution of the church and the concept of salvation in itself. The author states that there is too much preaching, praying, and shouting about God and being solved after death through a mere belief in a deity, while there is no clear proof of it.
Auntie Reed’s speaking style can be classified as Evangelical jargon as she is used to referring to people, including Langston, as a “lamb of God” (Hughes 156). She is also seen paraphrasing hymns that are often sung on the fundamentalist church services of evangelists. This presents her as a woman that aligns her personality with being deeply religious, and her fear and belief in God defines her, and her presentation of self makes others perceive her as such.
As it turns out, even though Hughes may have thought that he was saved from sing when he was very young, his lie to the church shows that he did not want to be saved. Even though the boy was taught that he had to want to be saved, he only pretends to want it to avoid any trouble. Besides, the boy is also shown to imitate the behavior of Westley because he has no mind of his own.
Besides Christianity, Hughes’ narrative makes commentary of the misunderstanding between adults and children regarding religion. Their parents often teach children to believe in God to be saved for their ‘sins,’ such as being ‘bad.’ Kids being kids may oppose being reprimanded by their parents and can perceive religion negatively.
Work Cited
Hughes, Langston. “Salvation.” McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues across the Disciplines, edited by Gilbert M. Muller. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2011. pp. 155-157.