2021年1月23日发(作者：君子之交淡如水英文)
by MUST 2014th year 1 student LTL

Discuss the ironies of Hughes’ Salvation.

The
author
of
Salvation
is
Langston
Hughes,
it
published
as
a
chapter
in
his
autobiographical
work- The Big Sea, and the first copy published in 1940. The story is talking a nearly 13 years old
young boy who had lost his innocence and faith because he was incapable of having
a ‘gathering’
with Jesus even he was immersed in praying and he realized Jesus is not real. This is a narrative
writing that says a story and we can find a clear story line such as the conflict, the climax and the
resolution.

Besides, the basic meaning of irony is some words which the actual meaning is contradicted to
the literal. We have to see through the surface meaning of words by understanding the theme,
tone, historical background and the
author’s mindset. In this poem, there are a couple aspects
readers can get the ideas which convey a strong ironic sense. They are the title part, the content
of the story and the ending stanza-the reaction of the aunt and the real idea of Langston.

At the very beginning, I would like to look at the title one. ‘in the Christian religion, s
alvation of a
person or their spirit is the state of being saved from evil’ from Cambridge Dictionaries Online.


By the translating of Cambridge, we know salvation is more likely to express an image which is
about
Langston
would
devote
him
to
embracing
the
god
and
at
least
the
story
should
have
a
pleasant ending but Hughes is writing a story that a boy lost his faith in Jesus Christ. As the story
goes
on,
Langston
lost
his
faith
and
the
author
evidenced
it
directly
by
words.
The
logical
contradiction
between
the
plot
and
title
makes
an
apparent
ironic.
It
successfully
evokes
the
reader’s interest in considering what
is going on in the poem. It is no doubt for sure that the first
contradiction fulfills the meaning of irony.



Other than that, let’s focus on
the middle part of that story. This aspect brings a significant ironic
image.

‘
Westley
said
to
me
in
a
whisper:
“God
damn!
I’m
tired
of
sitting
here.
Let’s
get
up
and
be
saved. ” So he got up and was saved. ’

‘
The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices. And I kept
waiting serenely for Jesus, waiting, waiting--
but he didn’t come.’

Depending on those two scenes, the author told us neither Langston nor Westley had not met
with the Jesus. They did not even know why a direct link could be established between meet with
god and people prayed for them. Nonetheless, Westley could not bear listening disciples cried
and ‘got salvation’ just left Langston alone waiting
for Jesus.
‘
Now it was really getting late. I began to be ash
amed of myself, holding everything up so long.’

‘
I’d better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved.’

‘
Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting, ……. The minister took me by the hand
and led me to the platform.’

We know fu
ll well actually Langston was incapable to see Jesus the reason which drove him to ‘be
saved’ was he would not want plenty of people kept wasting time anymore for an unattainable
outcome-Langston
will
get
salvation.
Be
that
as
it
may,
people
in
the
church
did
not
know
Langston
lied
to
them.
Sadly
speaking,
they
believed
all
sinners
were
rescued
and
they
have
finished their own responsibility-save every sinner from sins and they saw nothing wrong with
how Langston reacted. What a powerful contradiction again, people were cheering up for their
mission completed versus Langston lied about only showing attention to them. If I were Langston,
I
would
make
the
same
decision
as
well.
I
believe
the
actual
meaning
of
people
cheering
up
which wrote by author, must not be standing for a pleasant ending but upset ending-how adults
had not considered carefully about Langston thought or paid attention to his facial expressions
they were just immersed with Langston ‘got up and went towards them’. On the contrary, what
Westley and Langston had said and thought provides an unshakable answer that they have been
lied
for
preventing
them
from
bothering. Based
on
the
analysis around
the
middle
part
of
the
story, the satire is existent.




‘She woke up and told my uncle I was crying …… now I didn’t believe there was a Jesus anymore,
since he didn’t come to help me.’

According to the final paragraph, from ‘Salvation’, Langston’s aunt was under the illusion that god
would bless Langston and he felt really excited about this so he cried. To be honest, in the ending
paragraph Langston cried alone since he had deceived every people in the church at that night
and
he
felt
embarrassed
to
do
so.
However,
he
had
no
one
to
speak
with
and
gained
understanding from his relevant. It is undeniable that the experience of telling a lie to numerous
people could put a short-term and long-term damage to a 13 years old child so much. Moreover,
the
ending
part
shows
a
transformation
from
expecting
for
Jesus
to
not
willing
to
trust
Jesus
anymore in the future.

The literal meaning of what aunt has said is more likely expressing a satisfying result-Langston
can see Jesus. Yet the reaction of Langston is showing a contrast with what aunt said. As a result,
it is evident what his aunt said is a kind of irony in ultimate paragraph.


To sum up, as a reader, I can know every character’s ideas towards each situation and this can
help me discover the irony sections be simple and get the idea that how Langston is losing his
faith step by step.