Dangerous

"We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle to the death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are 'sideliners' - coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!" -Jim Elliot

What's the point?

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. ~ Aristotle

v.

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (fear God and keep His commandments, this is the whole duty of man eccl. 12)

***

We must always look outside of ourselves to find Truth and fulfillment. Left to ourselves we are empty.

Don't Forget

I'm finally doing it. My all-talk has turned into action and I'm learning to play the piano. Its only the first week and I have already managed to try and talk myself into dropping the class. Its ridiculous how good I am at justifying quitting. I can always just buy the book and learn on my own...I should wait until I have more time...or even its too late for me to learn. I still don't want to take any risks. I still refuse to feel discomfort, even with the knowledge of end reward. I won't quit though. I decided a long time ago that I won't let me talk myself out of things anymore. Even if nothing comes from this...if I never play for anyone...teach anyone...I will have tried, and by trying I will have learned something. That is always true. Compare it to a mid-life-crisis, only this is a "senior-year-crisis." I find myself thinking "if I don't do it now, when will I?" The finality of events that are major turning points in life make me look at everything in a new light. What's different about one day over any other? That's the wrong question I think - its more about the principle than the physical. Don't forget the choices you make, the thoughts you think, and the decisions you make in times of great emotion. Even when the emotion has died down, and you feel you are thinking more rationally, remember that those thoughts came from somewhere inside yourself that still exists no matter your disposition.

One truth on masquerade

I’ve been contemplative lately. This usually makes for plenty of good opportunities to write. However, I seem to be all thought and no action. I can’t write anything. The contradiction of that last sentence made me chuckle. Writing is a paradox for me: I both love it and hate it simultaneously. I’ve thought a lot of thoughts since my last post – all of them different. The part I find interesting is that they can all be connected. All of my thoughts, concerns, worries, joys, and experiences will tie back to a truth that is present in my life and in the world. Most thoughts that come to mind aren’t new, but are old thoughts resurrected, and often reincarnated. They disguise themselves as something new where really…we’re just learning the same lesson a million different ways. One of those masquerading characters is risk.

I am reluctant to risk. By its very nature, it carries the possibility that something may be lost, and people do not readily choose discomfort. This summer I’ve been reading one of the best books I think I’ve ever read and I don’t say that lightly. In Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I see myself. I think anyone who reads this book will see themselves…because this isn’t a book about a girl growing up in Brooklyn at the turn of the century, it’s about human character. I have a hunch that when Ms. Smith penned these lines about two, middle-aged spinsters listening to a woman in labor, she was really discouraging people to avoid risk.

"That's why I didn't marry Harvey - long ago when he asked me. I was afraid of that. So afraid," Miss Maggie said.

"I don't know," Miss Lizzie said. "Sometimes I think it's better to suffer bitter unhappiness and to fight and to scream out, and even to suffer that terrible pain, than just to be...safe." She waited until the next scream died away. "At least she knows she's living."

Miss Maggie had no answer.

Introspective to a fault, I often find myself analyzing different aspects of my character. I came to the conclusion that I should take more risks. I like feeling safe and I like routine. My justification for avoiding risk is always the same: I don’t want it to end badly. But see, there are two sides to this coin called risk. On one side, yes, is great loss…but on the other is great gain. By avoiding flipping the coin altogether I get nothing (which actually is a loss, I think). Risk comes in both small and large packages. Maybe I should take it in easy doses, maybe I shouldn’t. I don’t know. I do know however that I want so badly to stop stagnating. By doing little to nothing I am safe, but I have not moved. I want to move.

Another thought that repeatedly flickers through my mind is this intense battle between knowing and believing. I sincerely question whether or not this is an issue of doubt. I don’t doubt the truth of the gospel or the fact that sinners really are saved from hell to live righteous lives for the glory of a God who does exist. I seem to struggle often with personal belief. I find myself teetering on a very thin ledge between belief and giving up. Knowing the truth of what I believe yet still struggling with all my energy to believe it is true…really true for my life. I know that it is Christ who works in me…I know that He who began a good work in me…I know that it all will be redeemed…I know…I know…but do I believe? Even belief is a gift of God, and to conquer my despair I must ask God. When I find myself thinking “I’ve heard it all before,” ready to just say screw it, these are the times where my thoughts are the most convoluted. The things I’m saying are incessant ramblings…like someone searching for the right word, trying to describe something they might know, and coming up short. It was extremely interesting for me to realize that the times I doubt the gospel (as it applies in my own life) are the times when I am the most confused. I use the most wishy-washy vocabulary like “I feel…It’s like…I’m not sure…I don’t know…” and I literally stopped mid-sentence during one of these convoluted doubt-ramblings because of a single thought. Truth is simple. Our lives are messy with lots of exceptions, yes, but Scripture is clear. This was a good indicator for me that what is false leaves me lost and confused and what is true is clear and simple. I must lose myself to be truly found in Christ.

And finally - cynicism. Cynicism is so hot right now [just kidding, but not really]. Cynicism at its root is unthankfulness and I’ve found that it has manifested itself in my life in a few different ways. Its most recent manifestation has been The Master’s College. Now, this post is about my sin and sanctification – not about school-bashing, so when I mention TMC, it is in reference to my struggles with cynicism, not the actual nature of the school. I’m often so wrapped up in imagining all the different scenarios [that haven’t even happened yet] that I’m harboring bitterness with very few grounds for it. It’s a form of selfishness that is reluctant to look at others and their needs and instead I play the victim of my circumstances. It’s so ugly and its one of my biggest struggles. Because my return to Master’s is imminent, my cynicism has made an appearance at the forefront of my thoughts. So who really cares if I get hit with a Frisbee during an inconveniently placed game of ultimate…or I see one too many roller backpacks…or I see people in authority who don’t live what they claim? What does that have to do with me? It cannot be what dictates my attitudes and actions, because that sin affects other people and I in turn am becoming the very thing I am bitter against.

There’s so much more. To try and recount each of my thoughts of the preceding weeks is a futile endeavor, but these are the main ones. I sin, I learn, I grow [thank you, Holy Spirit]. So these lessons I’ve been learning lately all have resulted from my sin. To sum up the entirety of my thought process the past few weeks in a question: “Why does God allow me to sin?” It’s as essential as risk, as clear and simple as the truth, and difficult for a cynic to believe. So good can come out of it. It is so that I can see how He redeems even the most sin-saturated things for His glory.

Agape

Anders Breivik walked into a room full of teenagers in Oslo last week and opened fire, killing many. He saw this as necessary. New York recently legalized gay marriage. They saw this as necessary.

A columnist for the New Yorker blogged about these two incidents last Sunday, drawing the conclusion that both the shootings in Oslo and gay marriage in New York point us to what love truly is, citing Martin Luther King Jr.'s writings on non-violence and the three Greek words for love. Needless to say, I had a major problem of her view on agape.

The columnist describes love as an affectionate community. America is the most individualistic society in the entire world. It is nigh impossible to look at the legalization of gay marriage in New York (triumph to many) and conclude that Americans -and humanity at large- know anything of living in community with affection toward our neighbor. Its easy to isolate one incident and make a sweeping generalization, but I can do the same with many more examples of hate and individualism in the world. The conclusion she comes to that agape was seen amid the shooting is reaching at best. If agape is just the "greater good," how can we deem anything good at all? Breivik saw the greater good as killing teenagers to send a political message for the betterment of society. New York legislators decided that the legalization of gay marriage was for the greater good.

Does love win if temporary satisfaction is gained? Or does true agape surpass our understanding. True love rips the blinders from our eyes, picks us out of the mire, and directs us toward Love Himself. Now if agape doesn't characterize my life after I've been shown such a grace, I am a fraud. If we as mere humans act in such a way as the German tourist in this story, it is a gift of grace and a reflection of God in humanity. The world sees acts of kindness and attributes it to the theory that humans are basically good, but it is impossible to explain evil in this world with the theory of humanity that we are basically good.

"No one is good, no not one..." This isn't just some pessimistic statement from an embittered Paul. No - these words are directly followed by "no one seeks after God." Seeking after God is good, and fallen man does not seek after God. Where is love here? Love cannot exist without the reality of the absence of "goodness" in men. The love of God slaughtered His Son so our unrighteousness can be called righteousness. "Affection" is merely the mud under our feet when compared to this love.

The saints are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Loving the Lord is obeying His commands, and the reflection of this love to our neighbor is agape. Gracious agape.

What is the Chief End of Man?

In a recent article from The New Yorker, writer/musician Sasha Frere-Jones ruminates over the "troubled soul" of the now-deceased , Amy Winehouse.

Frere-Jones asks a lot of questions in her article, presumably unanswerable ones, in order to make a point: the elusive soul behind the life of Amy Winehouse was a hopeless mystery.

Every now and again in life, people with extraordinary talent arise. We cannot touch them. Winehouse's most recent album "Back to Black" was topping the charts in the United States with multitudes of fans to boot. Her sultry, throwback sound knew nothing of demographic differences. She sang everyone's story, and made a person think her songs were crafted just for them.

From our perspective, she had everything. So "why..." Frere-Jones asks, "was she not happier?"

She never answered the question. I'm guessing that's because she doesn't have one. Understandably so. If there is no hope beyond this life, then eat and drink - for tomorrow we die. Winehouse's death exemplifies this - and it is painful primarily because she represents so many who have died and will die with no hope. Without Christ, what we have in this life means nothing. Solomon dedicates an entire book to pondering this dilemma! If death comes to both the rich man as well as the lazy man, what profit is there in riches? He calls this vanity and chasing after the wind.

Maybe Winehouse came to this realization, but came to a different conclusion than Solomon. Stop at "life is vanity" and there is no reason to go on living. Speculating, I can imagine this as what was burdening Winehouse while performing her hits on stage in front of crowds of adoring fans with nothing but a heartless sway and a strait face that made people wonder "why was she not more excited?"

If she was still around, there would be no disputing that she had much more to offer. The article concludes thus: "Now? The jukebox is off and we're being ushered back home, with no address." The world was left wondering, "what happened to Amy Winehouse?" and even more puzzling, "why?" Her life took on the bitter taste that characterized the songs she wrote... over the futile odds, laughed at by the gods, and now the final frame, love is a losing game.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism:

Q.1 "What is the chief end of man?"

A. "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever."

Incessant Repentance from the Incessantly Falling

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

We must realize that we are all like Israel. God chose this people for absolutely no reason that makes earthly sense. The only reason God chose Israel was of nothing they had done, but purely so that He could show His grace to an undeserving people. God literally gave Israel everything they needed, and what did that stubborn child do? They turned their backs on God time after time. Even though Israel was almost utterly faithless, God remained faithful and preserved a remnant so that they could still receive the promise.

Already justified, but not yet glorified...that's the state of our existence. Like Israel, we quickly fall from any spiritual pedestal we delusionally think we're on and into the Slough of Despond. Sin turns us in on ourselves and clouds our view of the Cross. We are in a constant state of sin and repentance.

We think we stand, and we let our guards down. Apathy defines our spiritual stance because pride boasted in self. Don't forget that you are like Israel.

Verse 12 is followed by this: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." Flee is a strong word for a strong truth. Flee temptation that leads to idol worship BECAUSE God has already provided a way out. Unlike Israel, we now have a perfect Advocate.

We will think we stand, but actually fall, on a daily basis. Please don't grow tired of repentance. His forgiveness never tires.

Cold Pool

The cure to writer's block is writing.

Like anything, the solution to overcoming something is simply to do it. To act rather than to stagnate.

Its like standing at the edge of a pool. You know that once you're immersed in the water, you'll no longer fear its coldness. For some reason though, your head and your will don't agree and you remain frozen to the warm cement, looking upon what should be so simple.

Most regrettable choices in life could have been remedied by acting according to what we wish to be. Although, this only goes so far. We do not determine our steps. It is easier to act the self into new ways of feeling rather than to feel the self into new ways of acting.

Christ over all means Christ over ALL

In an unstable society, the word "risk" has almost been obliterated. Comfort and consistency are prized almost solely because of their scarcity. The buzzword "economy" conjures up fear. Its the unspoken zeitgeist, if you will.

Christians face real-world dilemmas daily when their work lives and their spiritual lives are found in conflict. What if the work your company is asking you to do is in direct violation to Scripture? What if you're asked to work on Sundays at the risk of losing your job? Is there really ever any excuse to put something before duty as a Christ-follower?

What I thought was the easy answer ["no"] is more of a grey area to many, and I can see why. It's completely counter-cultural, going against everything society pounds into our heads. We need to fight back with an equal amount of pounding by speaking Truth to ourselves.

God's will for our lives is to obey and trust Him with the results. Period. Matthew 8 tells us the story of a man who desires to follow Jesus, but first asks Him if he may bury his father. Jesus' reply is initially pretty shocking and callous. "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." This is the cost. This is the gravity of identifying yourself with Christ in bondage to Him.

...but what if?...but what about?...

"Follow Me"

Paul says in Philippians that he considers everything loss compared to knowing the surpassing worth of Christ Jesus. This life is fading fast. Our job, even if its a good one, will last only a few years. How is it really gain if we compromise our obedience for temporary gain? There is a false divide between the sacred and the secular that people use to justify their disobedience. Whether you skipped church to watch a baseball game or skipped church because you had to work, the same choice is being made.

This isn't naive, its trust. One reason we can be comforted that we are doing the right thing to obey Christ is how stupid it seems to our reason. It would be absolutely unthinkable to confront your boss at the risk of losing your job in an economy where jobs are scarce, and yet this is what we are called to. Objections may rise: "God gave me common sense too and I think it'd be stupid to risk losing the job He provided me with." Yes, He did provide you with that job, but don't you think that if He provided you with this one, how much more so will he supply your needs after you obey Him?

Jesus addresses this issue in Matthew 6. It is a human tendency to worry. What shall we eat? What shall we wear? The answer is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Treasuring Christ is supreme. He is a loving master, and blesses those who keep His commands with everything they need.

Read it here on Christian Articles Resource

Wait

Wind blew down the alleys, frost stained the windows, and Ruth waited for the train. Just beyond the platform people shuffled along to work, to school, to wherever. It didn't matter to Ruth, all she knew is that they reminded her of sheep. She was content at the station.

8:03. Late. The conductors shouting became audible. "All aboard!"

But this train was late, that couldn't be a good sign. Also it was red. Red made her nervous. Glossy-eyed commuters elbowed and crammed into the car. They must have been late too. She didn't like the look of it. Nothing appeared good. Ruth would wait for another train.

She questioned herself. Maybe that train wasn't even going to where she wanted. That's right. She had been standing on the wrong side of the platform completely. The morning bustle came and went. Ruth remained and headed to the other side of the tracks with a renewed sense of purpose.

Noon on the dot. This one looked promising. It screeched to a halt with a screech that reminded Ruth of the grammar school chalkboard. This caused her to recall how insecure she felt when she was young. Consequently, insecurity had overcome Ruth. The people in the car looked pleasant enough, and it was going in the direction she thought she wanted, but this also was not her train.

Ruth began to notice familiar faces. She had been on the platform long enough to see people start and finish their day. Sulking, she sat on the bench. The once nameless, faceless people began to take on character. To Ruth, each one of them told a story more successful than hers, happier than hers, and more fulfilling than hers. They had it all. "Why" she thought, "do I have nothing?"

A light flickered and died in the lamp post next to her. The night janitor had just begun his shift. As he approached to sweep under Ruth's bench he asked, "Going somewhere tonight miss?" It was then that she realized she had never left the platform.

Read it here on Christian Articles Resource

Always True

I've never heard of this guy, but his book caught my interest. In his book "Always True," pastor James Macdonald provides five of God's major promises in a topical study format. The struggle of mine that seems to tackle me to the ground most frequently is that of focusing on the imperatives while forgetting the indicatives. Focusing on the work and forgetting the grace. I'd like to give it a look.

I looked this guy up to see what he's all about. Because I walk the fine line between judgmental and discerning (usually erring on the side of judgmental), I was tempted to think by looking at the website, "here's another seeker-sensitive church with vague theology." I'm not on a witch hunt, I just want to be careful what I read...because what I ingest gets applied to my life, whether adversely or consciously. Pastor Macdonald founded the Harvest ministry of churches and schools, but not the Harvest I was familiar with [Greg Laurie and the Crusades]. They have a lot of churches in the Midwest and on the East Coast, some even abroad. They've planted hundreds of churches. It seems to me that they have topical preaching, but I don't want to label him seeker-sensitive or emerging...because I just don't know.

Do you?

Is this gonna be forever?

Some days I'm ok. I view my situation and am content in knowing that a sovereign God has put me exactly where He wants me, right now. Then there are the bad days. All it takes is for jealousy or thanklessness to creep in the back door and I'm right back where I started, fighting for my sanity. I am unemployed - and I know I'm not the only one who has ever felt this way.

This morning I woke up thinking, "Why does God seem to be silent?" I not only ask God for contentedness -finding my full worth and satisfaction in belonging to Him- but I also ask that He would provide something for me this summer. I find myself wondering what I did wrong. See, and I know I want to pin it on something I did or didn't do, because this way, I can fix it. I can still control the situation. Am I being a faithful follower of Christ? Am I being responsible? Am I looking hard enough? Ok, now I've reminded myself that I am not in control. Trite, but true. Moving on throughout my day, I then start to wonder if God even hears me. Is there something I'm missing? No, no. God's commandments -His will for my life- are clear. He does not hide Himself. I know those things are true, I'm even pretty sure I believe them. Why then am I still in this situation?

At this point, Job usually comes to mind. I feel petty for even making the comparison. Job's whole family was killed and possessions taken away. Even his health was taken away. While reading Job though, its clear that the principle is the same and applies directly to my situation. "And the Lord said to Job: 'Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it' (Job 40:1)." When I start demanding things from God, I am finding fault in Him. I am, in a sense, saying that He is not doing what He needs to be doing in my life. That's dangerous, and I know it. So when I find myself thinking this way I quickly bound back.

Often when we are trudging through times when we feel as if we have nothing, the answer is to recount God's faithfulness to you. What has He provided? Without a doubt, when I look at my life, the most paramount, direction-changing events have come with no forethought on my part at all. In this I can easily see the sovereign hand of God, swooping down to manifest Himself to me in a way I cannot ignore. The struggle is in seeing every other instance, however mundane (and sometimes apparently awful), in the same way.

The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

do-done-DID

That there's a red velvet cheesecake! Happy 50th Dad =]

A Sandy Situation

Q: where does my worth lie?

Q: where do my feelings of constant disappointment come from?

A?: Some days I'm daydreaming that I'm a folk musician from Nashville, an advertising executive, an antique store owner...whatever it is, its always something I know I'm not. I'm focusing on the uncharacteristic, not on the indicative. Dreaming is healthy, envy is ghastly.

See its summertime again, and for me, this is when feelings of worthlessness set it. All year long I'm away at school, keeping busy with school, church, and a job. I feel accomplished and most of the time I'm proud of my work. I tell myself its worthwhile, and I am content.

Trusting God and human responsibility coexist. He has given us resources and talents. We plan our course, but He determines our steps. We are told to seek first His kingdom, and earthly needs will be added unto us. If you know me, you know that I've definitely taken care of the human responsibility side of things...and then some. Its not that I believe God is not trustworthy, its almost like I believe I know what I need better than He does, and that somehow, right now, I'm not where I'm supposed to be - I'm supposed to be somewhere better.

When I ask myself "what is my position?" the first thing that I recall is not my position in Christ. This is the essential problem. He has been faithful, and will continue to be faithful. I need to get it out of my head that one of life's main goals is to make a name for myself because my pride is at stake.

My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand.

I am, in essence, the same person whether I'm stranded in the desert or self-employed in my Hollywood loft. So rather than focus on the paint, let me rather focus on the contents of the house.

*just add water

Any training - physical, mental, or spiritual - is characterized at first by failure. We fail more often than we succeed. but if we persevere, we gradually see progress till we are succeeding more often than we are failing. this is true as we seek to put to death particular sins. at first it seems we are making no progress, so we become discouraged and think, what's the use? i can never overcome that sin. that is exactly what Satan wants us to think.

-Jerry Bridges, Pursuit of Holiness

I'm not quite sure when it happened, but I've realized that I stopped caring that much about spiritual discipline. I've adopted this que sera attitude toward my spiritual life thinking all the bells and whistles aren't worth the regular tunings. If I read my Bible most days and pray when prayer comes to mind and go to Bible study and church every Sunday....it'll all just fall into place. The change I knew should be coming in my life I wanted now, and when discipline wasn't "working" I quickly gave it up for something easier.

What I wanted was instant sanctification.

Not because of anything I've been actively seeking to learn lately, but something that has (obviously sovereignly) come to my mind is spiritual warfare. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour [1 Peter 5:8]. It seems easy for me to assent in my head that, yes, I need to be actively pursuing holiness with a spiritual discipline, but to actually bend my will to do it is different altogether. I know I must ask the Lord for this. We're pathetic aren't we? We need to ask the Lord to help us love him. And even this gets tiring. I don't know about you, but I grow tired of asking the Lord day after day to cause me to want to obey His commandments and trust that He will do it. If I've learned anything about the Christian life, one thing I've learned well is that this is what it looks like.

Always failing, always repenting, then grace abounding. Always learning, always forgetting, always being reminded.

This battle cannot be fought in ambiguous terms and and undefined platitudes. James 1:22 warns of vague spirituality...a Christianity that you agree with cognitively, but don't apply specifically ["but instead be doers of the word..."].

I don't know what else to say. Just something I've been thinking about lately.

http://christian-topics.info/Article/Just-Add-Water/11635

Coffee Stains

Living in the dorms means we get the luxury of washing our dishes in the community bathroom. I stood under the fluorescent lights with a sponge in one hand and my mug in the other hand, trying to scrub out the coffee stains. Those stains were a school-year-long project that had been worked on every day, faithfully. This past year was made up of a lot of different days...easy to forget when you're at the edge of a hill you just climbed, looking down on the entire valley. It reminds me of a tree trunk actually - each ring attests to the amount of time the tree has been standing. To be frank, I've forgotten most of those days. A conversation, a class, or even a meal might remain impressed upon my memory, but entire days...I can't say the same. It's funny how we only acknowledge the gravity of how far we've been brought when we hit a milestone...21st birthday, graduation, marriage...they're just days.

A day is a day is a day is a day.

I've come to a conclusion. Moments matter. This is why we shouldn't wait til tomorrow to do [whatever] or let a negative comment ruin an entire day.

I'm home now.

God, I don't understand what all these moments have meant. I am sure of very little, but what I am sure of I will not waver on: that you have controlled the moments, that You have sustained me through them, and were glorified in them. You know my sitting down and my standing up. I plan my course but You determine my steps.

I think coffee stains are as hard to get off your mug as they are to get off your teeth. The school year is done. I can change no part of it. When I look at it, and try to contrive some meaning of my own into it, I realize that an attempt to do so is vanity. I think of the good moments and the not-so-fun moments, the indifferent moments and the impactful moments...if I fail to recognize the Lord as sovereign God over those moments they all become meaningless.

Fear God and keep His commandments.

It's tempting to want to aggrandize everything. To turn a year of my life into a certain "theme" would be to trivialize it. Lots of days happened...lots of days. I'm not going to pretend to know the big picture...to idolize control that much. God has determined my steps, and the path that has taken me is intricate.

I am [being taught to be] content to know next to nothing of what to make of all my days, and instead know nothing but that a loving God is controlling them.

God's Hand

I'm not sure if I've ever had a more encouraging resurrection Sunday.

Every week at Bible study, we have a time where we can all share how God has worked in our lives the past week, and every week I am convicted. Honestly I would say I let myself coast on default [unfortunately] most of the time...my brain takes in the events of the day as things that just happen. I asked for prayer that I would be able to see events in my life as God's hand specifically and that I would acknowledge that and praise Him for it.

God is so real. I don't know any other way to say it. Christ really is who He said He was and He really has given His Spirit to me. That kind of assurance [that could assure even a cynic like me] could ONLY come from a God who is there.

Believing in the resurrection changes everything. I am no longer dead in my sins, but am alive in Christ. Because He lives - I live, and belief in the cross "demands my soul, my life, my all." Prayer to a God who is there and the Christ who is really risen is EFFECTIVE. I see how God is working in my life when I'm actively seeking Him through prayer...so when something "happens" its impossible for me to attribute it to chance, or brush it off as nothing.

He is working in my life daily - and to think that He is doing that for all the saints blows my mind at how amazing the Lord is. He cares for us, He DIED for us, and continues to WORK in us, and I have seen that this week so clearly.

**also, this article was really encouraging, as are most I read from DeYoung. It's primarily about growing cold in the faith. May we never forget the relevancy of the gospel and our dependence on it daily. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/04/22/lest-we-drift-away/

That's Life?

A repeating theme this week [and in my life] has been changing friendships.

People leave- move away, transfer schools, get busy, etc. etc.

I'm conflicted between two thoughts:

a) that relationship was good for what it was, when the Lord was gracious enough to provide it, and therefore there is no reason to lament it or desire to have it back.

b) relationships are important and keeping them are even more important. In this way we model faithfulness in loving people un-conditionally (that particular and primary condition being distance)

As per many of the conclusions I come to, my tendency would be to say that its a balance...or at least case-by-case (what type of friendship was it, what are the reasons the friendship changed, and what do I desire it to look like in the future?). But I'm still feeling conflicted on how to look at these situations.

How [do] I Get There [?]

I often wonder "how do I get to where I can say what I want to say?" Writing is often about how I get to the point cleverly, creatively, and logically enough to where my point has been communicated effectively without me just blurting it out.

Other times, I just can't do it. I'm walking the fine line between writing and ranting when I can't lead up to a point, but even at the risk of doing so, I think sometimes it's a relief for me (and I think, a relief for others to read) to just say what you set out to say, right from the get go.

"Out with it already!"

Ironically, writing about how I can't think of a clever introduction has given me an introduction.

(cue awkward paragraph break and imagine a smooth transition here, if you wish)

I want to do something with my life. Before I go on, I want to make a little disclaimer. Yes, I have read "Just Do Something" & I know the will of God for my life is to love Him and obey His commandments so whether I choose a red Prius or a blue Acura is irrelevant. I'm not even speaking ministry-ly (I deny a separation between the sacred and the secular via the priesthood of all believers). What I am referring to is earning my bread. I will need to work. While I know that not everyone has the luxury of doing what they love in order to earn a living, I've been thinking...why can't I? I think I have a choice, don't I? I am filled by Christ, lacking nothing, so my fulfillment will never come from my career, but granted that I am "doing God's will" by treasuring Him alone in my heart I believe I have been given the freedom to pursue something I love.

That's not even to mention giftedness! The Lord has endowed us each with spiritual gifts as well as practical skills that we can employ in a work-setting. We work like the rest of the world, but what a unique opportunity is it that we acknowledge that those gifts are from the Lord and can now be "redeemed" to be used for the Lord.

This isn't necessarily a new revelation. Just an old truth brought to the front of my mind recently. In order to help pay for school, I work a job that I almost can't stand. The work is rote and I am at the bottom of the totem-pole, doing tasks that no one else wants to do. This seems to have been the pattern of my work life so far, and I'm praying its not an indication of what my future will look like. I believe I'm ambitious, not arrogant, when I say that I can do so much more!

I know where I want to go in the end...but how do I get there? I perceive that most are content to work "just to get by." How depressing! Pray ambitiously - I know I will be.

Thoughts Inspired by The Princess Bride & Dr. Hotchkiss

Pain is an interesting emotion. Are we supposed to feel it? No doubt it is programmed into us as human beings. When we are hurt, we feel pain. But are we supposed to feel it...is it "ok" to be in pain? Or is it a temporary state that only exists so that it can be overcome as quickly as possible?

"Life IS pain," replied Wesley to Princess Buttercup, "anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something." Life indeed contains pain, but I question whether it is the ingredient that life is made up of.

On the flip-side, while discussing the Romantics in class one day, Dr. Hotchkiss made this statement: "Art comes from pain, and Christians aren't supposed to feel pain." Its as if pain is like the bad guys in 'The Village' ("those who we do not speak of"). It sounds ridiculous, by saying "we do not speak" of something is actually what proves its existence. Often we pretend pain doesn't exist either for the purpose of fooling ourselves or maintaining a front, because to acknowledge pain is painful, and allows people to see that you aren't "ok." The unbeliever might respond with a cavalier "who cares?" but what must be understood is that from the Christian perspective, to admit that you are in a state of pain is tantamount to an unstable spiritual life, and the last thing we want people doing is questioning the eternal state of our souls.

Life IS pain...no. To live is Christ.

Christians aren't supposed to feel pain?...yes, but, WE DO.

To reconcile the two we must acknowledge pain, its existence as well as its presence in our own lives. But to stop there would be to despair - to be without God. We are perplexed by pain, but not in despair (2 Cor. 4:8). And we do not despair because our hope is beyond this life and is found in Christ...but I digress.

Life is not pain, life includes pain. Don't ignore it, embrace it.

http://christian-topics.info/Article/The-Christian-and-Pain/10898

unfinished business

The tagline under my blog title reads: "...is in the works..."

While initially I put that there because it literally was "in the works," I like it. I think I'm going to stick with it.

In lieu of a quote that would be pertinent to describing my blog by a person who has impacted me, I'll leave it as it is. Nothing had come to mind after a day of brainstorming, but a truism instead. Most often, the best-fitting things come effortlessly. My tagline took me about 2 seconds to think and type out, and yet its the best thing I've come up with.

This blog isn't about anything, per se. Its all just in the works, as its author is in the works. By the grace of God alone I am being grown and changing by the day. My posts will reflect this, as I've noticed that my interests almost seem to change daily as well.

The Beginning

This blog was born out of the idea that no one is original, and almost no one truly cares about what you have to say excepting that your opinion is already esteemed...sort of a Catch-22. What results from this is a generation of critics where scarce are the souls who actually dare to do anything. Criticism is easy -hold your horses, literary critics.

"I could have made a better movie..."

"Going mainstream ruined that band."

The list goes on. And while we find a certain level of comfort in giving our half-thought-through criticisms of movies, music, and presidential policy, what have we really accomplished? What have we actually created for ourselves? At the risk of sounding like Rob Bell, let me actually attempt to answer the questions I've presented. There is a place for criticism. It is vital to form an opinion on pertinent issues. We don't have the luxury of being ignorantly blissful, life is happening whether you are conscious of it or not. That being said, what if all everyone did was critique? Eventually the only things left to critique would be critiques! Who are the criticized? The do-ers. I commend them for it, and wish to do likewise. By doing, something is created. Something original to yourself, albeit not something inherently original, we are not the Creator. BUT we have been endowed with creativity - all of us have. Use it.

Now for some more personal context. I started a blog about 3 years ago now. It was a personal blog in which I shared my thoughts on certain ideas. Putting yourself "out there" means you are now vulnerable. Although I was typing out my thoughts, I didn't share them. At the risk of feeling boastful about myself, and battling with the feelings I described in my first paragraph (the "no one cares about my thoughts anyway" mentality), I didn't share my blog with anyone, and I think I made something like 5 posts. More of a diary than a self-publishing platform. Last year I wanted to write again. I pulled up my blogger account and changed my first blog entirely. New name, new format, and a new theme. This time around I played the critic. I blogged about new recipes, movies I had watched, and even art. I still enjoy it, in fact I kept the blog, its good for what it is. But none of the recipes were mine. And I certainly didn't write any screenplays or paint anything.

There is a quote that caught my eye. I was in the passenger seat of my friend's car in snowy Chicago. Its from Eleanor Roosevelt: "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." Now I don't know if I'll ever have a "great mind," nor am I sure that that should be one of my goals, but there is something to be said for this. Events and people can function on their own - they need no help existing. But ideas...ideas don't happen on their own. The nature of ideas is that they are thought up. They are the content of cognition. So what I am going to push myself to do is counter-cultural in a sense. Lets make more doers. To criticize is comfort, to create is to be vulnerable...but you have still DONE something! Let that outweigh the fear of criticism.

Bryan Ran

Bryan Barsky woke up one morning and realized he was a failure. He sat up in bed and looked around his barely furnished, white-walled bedroom. Bryan’s glance then turned to his alarm clock – those ominous glowing blue numbers that read “6:55” – made him quite melancholy. “What’s happened to me?” he thought. Thirty-two years old with no family, not even a cat. Even the loneliest singles had at least a cat to call their own. Not Bryan. Bryan was an accountant. He lived in a world of numbers and figures, not of people and excitement. This all hit Bryan at once one morning and he became slightly depressed. He had to go to work anyway.

Bryan would have taken a cab to work, but he wasn’t assertive enough to get a cab-driver’s attention. He took the subway instead. Bryan swiped his metro card, just like he did every morning, and proceeded to make his way through the sea of faces. They all reminded him of sheep being herded into their pen. Bryan never looked at people when he was on the subway, but this morning he did. His eyes passed over person after person as he imagined their stories, and in Bryan’s imagination, they were all happier and more successful. Then Bryan got off the subway.

Bryan had worked the same position at Larry B. Rudman accounting firm for six years without promotion. In fact, Bryan was quite certain that his boss didn’t even recognize him. On one occasion when Bryan was taking his coffee break, his boss walked through and asked him

“Can you temps do something about the coffee machines?” to which Bryan could not think of a response before his boss had left the room.

His job had become rote. That’s what six years of doing the same thing will do to a man. Audit after audit and page after page would go through Bryan’s desk. He sat that morning at his desk covered with papers, let out a big sigh, and began to work on his first document. Bryan was broken from his trance upon hearing a couple of his coworker’s voices. He glanced at his watch. It was already noon.

“This will be my second marathon” said one of them pompously.

“Only your second? This will be my third! First in Chicago though” retorted the other.

“A marathon” thought Bryan. The idea had never occurred to him before. Bryan went back to his work, but his mind was on the marathon. He reached over to pick up his donut and stopped mid-bite. He looked down and upon seeing his gut, realized he was in no shape for a marathon. Something needed to change immediately. Bryan was stuck. He was stuck between wanting to change, and not having the drive to do anything about it, between a mediocre life and a life he could be proud of. What better solution to apathy than an endeavor requiring unrelenting passion. Bryan was going to run the marathon.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon was about six months and two weeks away, and Bryan couldn’t afford to lose any time. Being the analyst that he was, Bryan pulled up every article on marathon running that he could find. He frantically filled page after page of his steno pad with notes on how long it takes to train, a proper diet, a proper sleep schedule, the proper running gear, and the list went on. This was the first time Bryan could think of that he cared about accomplishing something so much.

The clock read 5:55 as Bryan sat up in bed. The sun hadn’t even come out yet which made it near impossible for Bryan to drag himself out of bed. He wasn’t as motivated as he was the day before when he made his initial resolution. After much self-coercion he did get up though, and after looking at himself in the mirror he realized why he was getting up at such an ungodly hour to put his body through so much pain. Bryan looked at himself and saw wasted years, and now it was time to redeem those years. His goal was to run three miles that morning. His feet pounded the pavement as he inhaled the cold morning air. He held his head high and took strong strides. He was unstoppable. Until about three minutes into his run, Bryan began to feel a small pinch in his side, right underneath his rib cage that only grew with each successive stride. The pain was unbearable. Bryan had to stop. He slumped over onto the nearest park bench, panting and wheezing. He began to think again that he was a failure. Joggers were scattered across the park that morning, each running in a determined trance. Bryan sat, with his head between his knees, thinking that he would never be able to measure up to them.

“Did you eat breakfast?” a voice said.

“What?” Bryan looked up to see another jogger who was taking her water break.

“Did you eat breakfast? I noticed you were holding your side. My side always aches if I try to run on an empty stomach.”

Bryan stared dumbfounded back up toward the jogger; he knew he looked like an idiot. Talking to women was never his strong point. She had just finished running and it looked to Bryan as if she hadn’t even broken a sweat.

“I’m Melissa by the way.” And as she turned to leave, she looked back at Bryan with a smile…“keep it up. You’ll get there.”

Something about the way she said that made Bryan actually believe it. The next day, he got up to run again.

After a couple weeks of training, he no longer had that ache in his side. In fact, Bryan could run for three miles straight. Every day he would walk into Rudman and sit at his cubicle with a banana and a bottle of water. Bryan could barely lift his burning eyes from his work. Running was making him tired, and staring at a computer screen all day wasn’t doing much to help. As he was fighting to retain his consciousness, his boss passed by his desk.

“Late night Barsky?”

“No sir. It’s just that I’ve been running--”

“Leave that at home Barsky, right now it’s time to focus on the task at hand.”

Bryan was discouraged. He was losing focus at work and now his boss was taking notice. But when Bryan realized that his boss actually addressed him individually, and by name at that, he didn’t seem to mind too much.

It was now September, and Bryan was still running. He got up faithfully at the crack of dawn because he refused to quit. He had almost nothing to lose and everything to gain. When he felt that pain in his side, that was his social shortcomings; when he had run so long his lungs ached, that was his job; and when he heard that voice in his head that said “just give up,” the same voice he had heard all his life, he just kept running. He would not compromise. Not this time. It was another cold morning when Bryan got up to run. Running gave Bryan time with his own thoughts, time that he hadn’t given his thoughts before. He began to think about how much he had changed over the past five months, who he was and what he was becoming. Bryan was too deep in thought to notice the uneven pavement that he was running on, and with a sudden jerk, his foot caught on the raised edge and tripped him which sent him crashing onto the ground. He grimaced in pain, but got back up to keep running. He couldn’t do it. The intense pain that started in his right ankle shot all the way up his leg. Bryan had sprained his ankle.

It was a grade 2 sprain, and Bryan was told to keep all weight off of his ankle for four weeks. He sat at his cubicle staring blankly at the tiled ceiling. “Why?” – he thought. That one question summed up the entirety of his frustration. The race was a little over three weeks away. Bryan was cutting it close, but was determined to heal in time for the marathon. He nursed his ankle like a mother hen and every day it got stronger. Three weeks after his injury, Bryan began his attempt to walk around without crutches, and on week four, just 5 days before the race, he had recovered enough to run again.

The day had come. Judgment day. That day Bryan would find out if his efforts would pay off or come to naught. There he stood, Bryan Barsky, no longer just an accountant, at the starting line. Looking to his left he saw Melissa who he remembered from his very first run. She recognized him too and walked over to wish him well before the race.

“How do you feel?” she asked him.

“I feel…” Bryan hesitated, “I feel like I don’t want to fail.”

“Fail? When you’ve already accomplished so much just to get where you are right now? Impossible.”

It didn’t take long for Bryan to realize that she was right. The gun went off and Bryan ran.

The Pilgrimage

Have you ever pondered how refreshing it is to take a deep breath? That moment when you first wake up from a deep sleep, or after discovering good news, or like those times when you’ve been thinking so hard and so long that you can only come back to reality after a long, deep inhale and exhale.

I first found the picture about a week and a half ago while I was scouring the basement for my birth certificate for my I-9. Prior to this day in the basement, my life couldn’t have been more predictable. I was born Liberty Beatrice Merriman to Baptist parents in Quinton, Oklahoma. I hate my name. My mother convinced my father to name me Liberty -because she was born and raised in Liberty, Wisconsin- on the condition that my middle name would be Beatrice after his mother. So here I am, Liberty Beatrice, but I have everyone call me L.B. I played flute in the Quinton High School pep-band and sang in the First Baptist Church choir over there on J Street. That was all proverbial, until I walked to Pomp and Circumstance and snagged my diploma about a month ago. Everyone in Quinton expects you to go to Oklahoma State after you graduate, or if you’re from First Baptist, get married and have a load of babies. I wasn’t too sure I wanted to do that.

So back to my basement… who knew how long it had been since anyone had last seen my birth certificate, but my mom thought she might have seen in the filing cabinet down there. So down I went. At the bottom of the stairs my eyes scanned the dark, dank basement where we kept all the “stuff” with little hope of actually finding what I was looking for. I’m almost glad I didn’t, because what I did find was much better. I carefully stepped over the plastic manger scene and dodged our old baby crib as I made my way to the filing cabinets. My last barrier between me and that cabinet was a cobweb that I swept out of my face and alas, I was there. The thing was so rusty I could barely yank it open, but once I had I discovered a whole mess of papers that looked like they hadn’t been touched in years. My fingers made their way through paper past paper until I had reached the last one in that drawer. On to drawer number two; still no birth certificate.

My eyes lay hold of the last and final drawer, after much self-coercion I decided to give it a tug. The drawer made an awful screech when I did, but to my surprise once the drawer was open I saw an old photo album instead of more papers. Now you might be wondering at the fact that there was an enigmatic old photo album in my basement that I had never seen, but to tell you the truth it’s my mother who always goes down to the basement to find things. I guess I just never had a reason to venture down there before. The album looked like it was about to fall apart. I could see through the rotting leather exterior strait to the dried glue that was once the binding. Inside were pages and pages of yellowed black and whites. The people in the pictures weren’t familiar to me, until my eyes stumbled upon a picture of what looked like my dad’s uncle Charles when he was a little boy. The most featured face was that of a short-haired and freckled girl with a pensive eye. She was even in the picture with Charles, if that was in fact Charles. Since the glue was dried up it wasn’t hard to lift up one of her pictures. On the back was printed “Maria Weiss – 1952.” And so began my mad obsession.

I tucked that photo in my pocket and continued to look for my birth certificate, but I didn’t forget about it. In fact, as the day went on I found myself thinking about it more and more. I could feel that pensive eye looking at me from my pocket, nagging me to find out more. I asked my dad in passing if he knew about the photo album, but he gave me a helpless look and said he didn’t know what I was talking about “I couldn’t tell you the first thing your mother has down there” , he said. That wasn’t enough to satisfy me. I did a Google search on the name. There were only three Maria Weiss’ that lived within a 500 mile radius of Quinton. I thought that was interesting, but I didn’t do anything about it…at first. What had started out as innocent curiosity had at the end of the day turned into an obsession of Sherlock Holmes magnitude. My parents were leaving to go visit my grandparents in Wisconsin for the long weekend and wouldn’t be back until Monday. This got me thinking. The first Maria Weiss lived right in Pittsburg County in Crowder, easily accessible with the minivan my parents were leaving at home. Once I had decided to trek to Crowder, I thought to myself “the next Maria Weiss only lives 150 miles further in Fayetteville, Arkansas.” And since there was only one more Maria left and she only lived another two hours away in Springfield, Missouri I had made up my mind that I would find the Maria Weiss in my picture. It sounds ridiculous I know, but I had an insatiable desire to just do something a little crazy. The thought of acting in an uncharacteristic way excited me.

When Friday 7 AM rolled around I was ready. My parents were gone and I was itching to start my pilgrimage. It only took me thirty minutes to get to Crowder, but once I got there I felt like there was a brick in the pit of my stomach. I had begun to come to my senses. I was so busy trying to be different that the dangers I could face didn’t even cross my mind. As nonsensical as I knew this was, I decided to follow through. I never follow through with risks; that’s probably why I followed through this time. Knot in stomach and picture in hand, I made my way up the dusty driveway of my first house. My hand shook as I lifted it to give the door a knock. A very short man with greasy hair answered the door. Maria Weiss was the previous owner of the house, but it isn’t the same Maria. At least, that’s what he said before he shut the door on me. I took out my sharpie and crossed off the Crowder address. I was left standing on a doorstep with two more addresses in my hand.

I was hungry, so I decided to stop at the Sonic down the street before I started on my next leg of the journey up to Fayetteville. It wasn’t even fifteen minutes into my drive that the sky began to darken. The smoky violet sky was then interrupted with a loud clap accompanied by white bolts that hit the earth. Then came the rain. There was something about that musty smell that hit my nose as the rain hit the dirt and pavement that I hated and loved at the same time. The rain drops were small and unassuming at first, which I didn’t mind one bit, but when the rain turned into a storm is when I began to worry. The windshield wipers on my parent’s minivan needed to be replaced 2 years ago - not very conducive to surviving a rainstorm on the highway. The raindrops began to collect on the windshield and the wipers only succeeded in smudging the dust with the water to create a film that distorted my view. I was about a hundred miles outside of Crowder and struggling to see out the window when I suddenly noticed something that had blown into the road. Without thinking I slammed on my brakes and began to hydroplane. The front of the van charged right into a telephone pole. I wasn’t making it to Fayetteville anytime soon.

Flute-playing Baptists aren’t supposed to get into these kinds of shenanigans, but here I was, 200 miles from home with a broken down minivan and a picture in my pocket. I pulled out my cell phone and called a tow truck. Sitting in the van with time to kill gave me some time to think. If I wanted to do something different why didn’t I just dye my hair?..or smoke a cigarette? It didn’t matter, I had done it. The funny thing is I didn’t regret it too bad. I thought about my parents and what I would say to them when we all got back home. I thought about Maria Weiss and what would have happened if I actually did find her. I even thought about things like my future. Finally a truck with “Mike’s Towing Company” printed on the side could be seen approaching. Mike asked me what brought me out here to the middle of nowhere. I said I didn’t really know, that it was an adventure, and that was good enough for him. So I sat there in the passenger seat of Mike’s beat-up tow truck listening as Nat King Cole floated through the speakers and took a long, deep breath.

Rhetorical Criticism of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" screenplay by Joel and Ethan Coen

Some people love it, and some people hate it. “It was just an outright pleasure to watch,” some say. While others are more inclined to say that it fell short of their expectations. Although not usually the favorite Coen Brothers movie mentioned, O Brother Where Art Thou is still popular. With a 77% popularity rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a weighted average of 7.8 out of 10 points on IMDb, the film seems to carry a “good, not great” reception to its audiences. Its domestic total gross was around 45 million, which seems a surprise compared to its limited opening weekend gross of $195,000. By analyzing the intended audience, real audience, implied audience, ideal audience, and universal audience it will be concluded whether or not the rhetorical significance of the artifact rests in its audience.

The Coens nowhere explicitly state an audience for whom they wrote the artifact. However, there is much to be inferred from where the movie was first released and to whom. The Coens decided to have a very limited release for O Brother Where Art Thou. They originally released it in the United Kingdom on 132 screens. The film then was released in the United States, but only on a scant five screens in December of 2000. The film was also submitted in various film festivals before its wider public release date in January 2001. To pull an example from the film, the highly stylized cinematography is a good indication that the audience was intended to be “movie gurus.” It seems as if the intended audience includes the Coen Brother’s peers and quite possibly themselves. They have stated in a number of interviews that they are simply interested in telling a story. When they start writing, they have no idea which direction they are going to take and what they are trying to say. This seems to be the largest indicator that the intended audience is themselves or possibly their peers.

Despite the fact that the initial audience was very narrow, that gap widened significantly as seen in the real audience. According to IMDb, there is no significant difference of opinion between the different demographics that viewed the artifact. Male, female, young, and old all seem to give an average rating of 7 or 8 points out of 10 for O Brother Where Art Thou, although females under the age of 18 gave consistently the lowest user rating for the film with an average of 6.9.[3] Because of the film’s rapid dialogue between characters, social idioms and references, and seemingly disconnected plot, it is understandable for it to receive lower ratings from younger audiences. The real audience was likely so varied because the movie contained so many different themes that played to many demographics. For example, it was a type of love story, which played to women, and it was a crime story, playing to most male audiences. So although not intended to be understood or well-received by a wide audience, the real audience demonstrated just that.

The content of the artifact drew a particular audience as well. The implied audience created by this film had a psychographic common affinity for nostalgia. The love of nostalgia is a particular attitude that is characteristic of many Americans, so when O Brother Where Art Thou featured many old-timey scenes including bluegrass music, an implied audience was created. The demographics of this particular group would probably be middle to late adults, while some perhaps are of the younger generation. It also seems possible that geographics played a role in the implied audience. After all, the film takes place in the South which seems to be a culture of its own with ideas and values particular to that region. Although somewhat critical of this culture, via the heavy farce, those who are familiar with Southern culture likely were drawn to the artifact. Consider the scene in which the three convicts encounter the Bible salesman. This would no doubt strongly resonate with those people who grew up in or around the Bible-belt region of the South. So although not necessarily what the Coen Brothers intended, the implied audience was drawn to the artifact by its content or discourse.

Whether or not this was the intention of the author in creating the artifact, the film O Brother Where Art Thou makes an argument targeted at a specific audience to persuade after viewing the artifact. The ideal audience would view the film and be compelled to change afterward. The argument of this particular artifact would be: “If you are ‘stuck’ or ‘indifferent’ at this place in your life, you should work toward becoming your full potential.” There is a heavy influence of existentialism here. The main character played by George Clooney, Ulysses Everett McGill, asks himself in the film “who am I?” to which it seems like the rest of the film is an attempt to answer that question, although not explicitly. The demographics and geographics for the implied audience could be all across the board. A particular age, gender, region, or occupation is not necessary for a person to feel “stuck” in their life. Whether a middle-aged businessman discontent with their job or a young female who is unsure of what to do with her life, the message of this artifact plays to their particular needs. What is most important in regards to implied audience is psychographics. Here the author of the artifact is assuming a particular belief about his audience and hoping it is a variable belief and not a fixed belief.

The values of this audience in the case of this artifact would probably be unsure to begin with, but after viewing the artifact it seems the Coen Brothers may be trying to suggest his audience adopt the self-actualization theory. This theory was made prominent by Abraham Maslow and is defined as the motive to realize one's full potential. In his view, it is the organism's master motive and the only real motive to actualize itself as fully as possible as the basic drive...the drive of self-actualization. The protagonist of the film is a convict, an adequate representation of someone who is “stuck” in their life. As the movie progresses, the audience finds out that Everett actually has a goal to strive for. He has the potential to go back to his wife and be the father to his six little girls again, but he has a journey to go on before he gets there. In this, it is shown that the ideal audience for the artifact O Brother Where Art Thou are those who are at an indifferent place in their lives and would be persuaded to become their full potential.

Finally, the artifact necessitates one final audience and that is the universal audience. This audience is not tangible in nature, but rather the ultimate judge of the artifact. This ultimate judge would have a honed aesthetic because the artifact is artistic in nature. It is highly stylized and received an Oscar for best cinematography. The ultimate judge would also be a social critic who is aware of cultural idioms. He would have an appreciation for existential meaning that is an underlying theme behind this film. After playing “20 Questions” with this idea of universal audience, the answer seems to be simple. This universal audience that the authors of this particular artifact are trying to please is, in fact, themselves. Because the universal audience is supposed to be a totally rational and unbiased critic, it is difficult to make the claim that the Coen Brothers themselves are the audience. Obviously an author cannot be totally unbiased toward his work. The characteristics of this universal audience then would probably be characterized by a demographic of middle to late adults with Caucasian or African American ethnicity (because of the racial themes explored). This audience would also probably live in no particular place geographically, but ideally in the South. The psychographics of this audience would have a fixed belief in existentialism with a predisposition to respond positively to the self-actualization theory of motivation. It most definitely could be argued that the Coen Brothers themselves are the universal audience, but also likely is the “invented” critic with the characteristics mentioned above.

In conclusion, although the intended audience was extremely narrow with the Coens limiting it do just themselves and their peers, it widened significantly with the real audience. This audience was broad demographically, but had a higher concentration of adults and a lower concentration of women. The implied audience likely includes those with a love for nostalgia or an affinity for Southern culture or bluegrass music. The ideal audience would be the target of this implied argument made by the artifact: those who are “stuck” or “indifferent” in their lives should strive to become their full potential. By watching the film, the Coens may be hoping they adopt the self-actualization theory or something akin to it. And finally, the universal audience might be the Coen Brothers themselves, or a fabricated critic who possesses many of their characteristics. Audience does not hold much significance in regards to the artifact in this case because it is the artifact that impacts the audience, and not the audience that gives the artifact significance. It seems fair to conclude then, after analyzing the artifact in light of its audience, that 55% of the significance rests in its author, 35% in its genre, and only 10% in its audience.

The Coen brothers never escaped a near-death experience, never saved a baby from a burning building, and never had a run-in with the law. “We’re just interested in telling a story” they say. While the lives of the Coen Brothers themselves are far from spectacular, their films certainly aren’t. Both Ethan and Joel have been nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and have won two Oscars for screenwriting. By looking at their early interest in film, eclectic background, college education, and aversion to sentimentality, this paper will aim to answer the question: “Does the rhetorical significance of O Brother Where Art Thou? rest in its authors?”

Joel and Ethan Coen’s interest in film began at a very young age. They often used to use their friends as actors in their short films.

Born in 1954 and 1957 respectively, Joel and Ethan grew up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, a Jewish Minnesota suburb that the Coens would later offer their lawn-mowing services to in order that they might fund their early film-making efforts.

A passion for filmmaking that started at such a young age no doubt played a role in their success. Who knows whether they would have been as successful had they started filmmaking later in their lifetime. There is no indication that their parents had anything to do with their affinity for the craft. Both parents worked for colleges and their proficiencies were in art and economics. Because they started working together from such a young age, the screenwriting process is now impossible for them to do alone. “We usually sit down to start typing together. What usually happens is we start bouncing ideas off of each other, if the ideas aren’t flowing and we aren’t on the same wavelength that day, then it just kind of fizzles out.” It is difficult to find a specific example to illustrate the influence their early interest in film had on O Brother Where Art Thou? Rather, looking at the greatness of their achievements in filmmaking and screenwriting as a whole is better testimony to how their early interest in film made the artifact so triumphant.

The Coen Brothers not only had a knack for making films, they also had plenty of creative ideas for them because of their eclectic background. Joel recalls watching everything from Hercules to Doris Day as a child. “They were fed a familiar diet of pop-culture by their parents…such a catholic range of influences (O Brother Where Art Thou? is a Homeric Blues movie, for example) left an indelible impression on their film-making.” In the generic criticism of this artifact, it was discovered that much of the rhetorical significance rested in its genre, but the eclectic nature of the genre would not be possible without the eclectic background of the minds that created it. By learning to appreciate art and entertainment in its many forms from a young age, Joel and Ethan Coen developed almost a new way to make movies – by overlapping genres and implementing the unexpected. Where else could you find bank robbers, bluegrass music, comedy, and the devil himself all in one movie? O Brother Where Art Thou? is a fantastic example of the product of eclectic minds.

When the Coens went to college, Ethan went to Princeton to study Philosophy and Joel went to New York University to study film. As is characteristic in their movies, O Brother Where Art Thou? “juggles existential and theological questions” and a portrayal of the human nature. No doubt Ethan’s study of philosophy at an Ivy League school contributed to the slew of philosophical questions presented in the artifact, primarily by the protagonist, Ulysses Everett McGill. “Well, I guess hard times flush the chump. Everybody's lookin' for answers,” said Everett. The artifact is based around the quest for a treasure, but the treasure they find is not the treasure they set out looking for. Joel and Ethan Coen had their protagonist set out on an existential journey to find true treasure. In the case of this artifact, the treasure was a reformed life out of prison to be back with his family. “A good way to describe the [Coen] brother’s opus is: a chronic search for truth” said one Christian movie critic.It seems as if Everett’s search for truth is tantamount to the Coen brother’s search for truth. Because of their college education, their movies take on a philosophical slant.

The final influence on the authors that affects their screenwriting, and this artifact in particular, is their aversion to sentimentality. In an interview with the Coen brothers, they had this to say regarding this particular trait in their filmmaking:

Q: do you think you have a generally optimistic view of human nature or is it all about how bad people can be? A: oh both. I want people to leave our movies thinking “oh look how bad people can be” but still walk out feeling like they enjoyed themselves. Q: do you have an absolute aversion with sentimentality? A: yes, absolutely.

At first glance, it may seem as if the Coen brothers have a cavalier attitude toward serious subjects. As was noted in the generic criticism of this artifact, O Brother Where Art Thou? would not be the movie that it is without its eclectic mixture of comedy to balance out the more serious themes such as crime and drama. One criticism described it as “not a traditionally mixed generic form such as tragicomedy or pastoral epic but a self-consciously contradictory artifact.” A careless criticism might offer the explanation that the Coen brothers are insincere, but a more accurate explanation is their aversion to sentimentality. The artifact is sprinkled with the depravity of human nature, for example, look at the thieving Bible-salesman or the favored politicians who secretly participate in the Klu Klux Klan. While the Coen brothers want to make sure their audience sees accurately the wickedness and folly of humanity, they also want to make sure they do not despair. Their goal is not to make depressing movies - their goal is to tell a story. Their style is, in a sense, realism. Dictionary.com defines realism, in writing, as “a theory of writing in which the ordinary, familiar, or mundane aspects of life are represented in a straitforward or matter-of-fact manner that is presumed to reflect life as it actually is.” Life is not a fairy tale, it doesn’t always have a happy ending, in fact, sometimes it is downright depraved, but that doesn’t mean some happiness can’t be pulled from it. That is what the Coen brothers are trying to do. Their aversion to sentimentality is absolutely essential in producing the kinds of films that they do.

In conclusion, just as was true of the generic criticism, O Brother Where Art Thou? finds much of its rhetorical significance in its author. The question is then, how much? It seems as if, approximately, 60% of the significance lies in the author and 40% lies in the genre. Because the Coen brothers do not use conventional genres, but often invent their own, the genres would not be possible without the authors. So while the genre is extremely critical in the significance of the artifact, the author must hold more of a claim on the significance. Their early interest in film gives the Coen brothers many years of experience in filmmaking which explains the ease with which they seem to write and produce movies. Their eclectic background no doubt contributed to the eclectic nature of the artifact, O Brother Where Art Thou? with its diverse themes. The college education of the brothers comes through in the philosophical and existential nature of the quest Everett and the two other convicts go on. And finally, and probably most importantly, is their aversion to sentimentality that contributes to the mix of portrayal of human depravity and humor that sets all of the Coen brothers’ movies apart.

What do Greek gods, epic journeys, and three prison escapees have in common? They are essentially part of the same story, told two different ways. The 2001 film by the Coen brothers, O Brother Where Art Thou, is a modern adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey which was written thousands of years earlier. The film opens with a line from Homer’s Odyssey to introduce the audience to the tale: “O muse, sing in me and through me tell the story, of that man skilled in all the ways of contending, a wanderer, harried for years on end…” This film grossed a total of $65,976,782 worldwide, and the public opening grossed $3.6 million on February 2, 2001. It was nominated for two Oscars and was submitted to the Cannes Film Festival. This paper will aim to answer the question “does the rhetorical significance of this film rest in its genre?” This paper will analyze four genres that O Brother Where Art Thou fits into. Those categories are comedy, adventure, crime, and Southern Gothic.

The first genre to be analyzed is that of comedy. Compiled resources including Allmovie.com and A Dictionary of Thematic Terms define comedy as

A film whose main purpose is to amuse and induce laughter, comedy deals with the preposterous and absurd aspects of human behavior with a sense of humor. It is a type of drama that celebrates or satirizes the follies of characters for the audience to use as a scapegoat for the ridiculousness of life. Comedy in film can also be an effective way of commenting on aspects of society, examining hypocrisies by showing how absurd they are.

This film is set in the Deep South during the peak of the Great Depression, so it is no wonder that the comedy genre was effective in turning this into a light-hearted film. Comedy can be seen in such scenes as the one when the main characters Everett, Pete, and Delmar pick up Tommy Johnson, the colored guitar player: “What are you doing all the way out here Tommy?” said Everett, “I had to be up at that there crossroads last midnight, to sell my soul to the devil,” replied Tommy. Everett answers back: “Well, ain't it a small world, spiritually speaking. Pete and Delmar just been baptized and saved. I guess I'm the only one that remains unaffiliated!” Or consider the scene when the men are coming to the end of their journey. Everett is describing the quaint little cabin with a “happy little tire swing,” but just as they come upon that very cabin, the devil character is waiting there with three graves and nooses, to which Delmar asks Everett, “where’s the happy little tire swing?” This film is a comedy because it uses humor to balance out the darker aspects of the movie.

The next genre to be examined is that of an adventure. A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms and Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms define adventure as

A type of fiction that usually includes suspense, excitement, physical danger, travel to exotic settings, and a hero. The prototype of this form is Homer’s Odyssey, in which the hero faces a series of threatening situations as he attempts to voyage home. Akin to romance, the adventure story relies on a series of exciting episodes unified by the theme of a search. It is a masculinized variety of romance.

This genre also includes a sub-category that is too similar to be left out of describing this film. That genre is the road movie. Filmsite.org and Allmovie.com offer this definition for the sub-genre:

One thing they all have in common: an episodic journey or quest on the open road, to search for escape or to engage in a quest for some kind of goal, be it physical, spiritual, or psychological. The characters learn something valuable about each other and themselves along the way. The road itself takes on both physical and metaphorical meanings in these films.

The film O Brother Where Art Thou is an adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey which is the prime example for the adventure genre. Everett, Pete, and Delmar meet an old railroad man at the very beginning of the film who tells them “You seek a great fortune. You will find a fortune, though it will not be the fortune you seek, but first you must travel a long and difficult road, a road fraught with peril, you shall see things wonderful to tell! It shall be your salvation.” The form of the adventure genre is always placed around a series of events leading toward a goal or destination, and that is exactly what this film is. Ulysses Everett McGill, the hero/protagonist, devises a plan to break out of prison so he can win his wife back, but he needs help. In order to obtain the help of Pete and Delmar, he tells them that he has treasure buried out on his old property that they would get a share of if they helped him break out. Along the way they encounter a bank robber, a thieving Bible salesman, sirens, and the devil-figure who is in pursuit of them the entire time. Like the road movie states, the physical treasure they thought they were chasing at first turns out to be a metaphorical treasure that holds much more significance. Since the entire film is based on a journey, it must be defined as an adventure.

The next genre that this film takes is crime. Allmovie.com and Filmsite.org define crime as

A type of film focusing on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach ranges from grittily realistic portrayals of the real-life criminal figures to farfetched evil doings of imaginary villains. They glorify the rise and fall of a particular criminal(s).

Again, there is a genre crossover that must be included in the defining this film by its genre. The sub-category crime comedy is not another genre, but instead serves to better define the crime genre as portrayed in this film. Allmovie.com and A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms defines it as

A film that plays the conventions of the crime genre for laughs. The brains behind the jobs usually aren’t that bright, or fail to take into account several factors which place the culprits in rather sticky situations. Often the crimes are unsuccessful, bumblingly executed, or presented in such a lighthearted matter that one ends up rooting for the criminal to get away with their loot unscathed. (See also ‘Tragicomedy’, tragedies laced with comic characters)

One example of this genre is seen in the first scene when Everett, Pete, and Delmar escape from prison. The audience immediately likes and accepts their act of crime because of their likeable nature. Another example of a crime or crime comedy in this film is when Everett runs into his ex-wife and seven daughters. “Why are you telling our gals that I was hit by a train?” asks Everett. “Lots of respectable people have been hit by trains. Judge Hobbie over in Cookville was hit by a train. What was I gonna tell them, that you got sent to the penal farm and I divorced you from shame?” replies Penny. The audience finds this humorous and still favors Everett, the protagonist, despite the fact that he lies, steals, and cheats. The crime-cluttered South that this film is set in makes it a necessity that this film be defined as a crime while the hilarity of those crimes makes it a crime comedy as well.

Although this film has significant impact because of the music, it cannot properly be defined as a musical because the characters do not use the medium of music to express their thoughts and there is also no dance. Therefore, the last genre to describe this film is Southern Gothic. Information from the Mason Academic Research System describes this genre as

Unique to American Literature, Southern Gothic relies on supernatural, ironic or
unusual events to guide the plot and uses these to explore social issues and reveal the cultural character of the American South.

Southern Gothic is usually identified as a literary sub-genre with gothic being the major genre. However, other sources have also applied this genre to film as well. One example from the film of this genre is when the three convicts venture to Pete’s cousin’s house to take refuge. His cousin ends up tipping them off to the police for the reward because “these are hard times we in” (in reference to the Great Depression) to which Pete responds in shock and horror “but we’s kin!” The Southern periodical stereotypes we see here are the attitude of desperation caused by the Depression as well as the cultural emphasis on loyalty to your kin. Another example from the film is when the incumbent Pappy O’Daniel wants to pardon the three convicts to boost his image. His concerned campaign manager exclaims “But Pappy, they’re integrated!” This is of course referring to the racism that was heavily prevalent in Southern culture in the 1930s. This film must be classified as Southern Gothic due to its emphasis on the social issues and cultural nuances of the American South.

In conclusion, this film is a comedy because it uses humor to balance out the darker themes. This movie is an adventure because the plot follows the “hero” along a journey to reach a destination. The main characters are criminals so the film must be a crime and the film portrays stereotypical aspects of the American South, necessitating the Southern Gothic genre. All of these genres combined to make a box office hit that reached audiences around the world. The four genres that have been analyzed – comedy, crime, adventure, and Southern Gothic – are absolutely integral to the rhetorical impact of the film O Brother Where Art Thou. Leave any genre out and the film would not have been as impactful.

Not only did this film cause a buzz in the entertainment industry – it was nominated for two Oscars - what is surprising is that it got philosophers and thinkers talking as well. On the surface, O Brother Where Art Thou is a film about three escaped convicts on the hunt for buried treasure that loosely resembles the plot of Homer’s The Odyssey. Look only a little deeper than this though, and you will find, whether intended by the authors or not, hints of self-actualization theory as well as the philosophy of existentialism. The purpose of the textual criticism of this artifact is to find out if the rhetorical significance rests in its text. The steps that will be taken to ascertain this will be to observe: claim, data, warrant, backing, reservation, and qualifier. Elements of style and supporting material will also be analyzed.

According to the Toulmin model of analysis, there are six criteria for analyzing the artifact textually. The first that will be addressed is the claim that the artifact makes. Using the same argument from the author criticism analysis, the claim is that those who are stuck or indifferent in their life should work toward becoming their full potential.

After the argument, or claim, has been established data must be collected from the artifact in order to legitimize the claim. The protagonist, Ulysses Everett McGill played by George Clooney is pictured in the opening scene of the movie with two other inmates breaking loose from prison. In order to get the help of his fellow-inmates, Everett told them there was something in it for them too…a treasure. The audience finds out later that Everett lied about the treasure, and really just wanted to get back to his family because he heard his wife was going to marry another man. Everett’s lie about the treasure actually becomes a metaphor for his self-actualization. The treasure he found in the end wasn’t the treasure the three convicts planned on finding. In the end, Everett is re-united with his wife and six daughters. Also when examining existentialism in the film, this philosophy not only comes through in the truth that Everett’s very human nature is chosen through his life choices, but also in the rejection of religious and secular rules, painting them as merely arbitrary. The convicts’ escape from prison was not only seen as comical, but they were pictured as the “good guys” for it. Also take into account how Christianity, essentially the law of the land in that place and time, was portrayed as corrupt and hypocritical drawing from the examples of the Klu Klux Klan and the thieving Bible salesman. These serve as just a few examples of the claim, what Toulmin would label data.

Next, the warrant will be examined. That is to say, societal beliefs that serve to legitimize the claim and show how it is exemplified in human behavior. While there is a growing number in society today who settle for mediocrity, the general consensus seems to be that this is not the place where one wants to remain. Society frowns upon people who have thrown their lives away, and society praises those who have achieved much. It is also the growing trend in our culture to throw away constraints and live by the “whatever-works-for-you” philosophy of life. A definition of existentialism will tell you that

The arbitrary act that existentialism finds most objectionable-that is, when someone or society tries to impose or demand that their beliefs, values, or rules be faithfully accepted and obeyed. Existentialists believe this destroys individualism and makes a person become whatever the people in power desire thus they are dehumanized and reduced to being an object. Existentialism then stresses that a person's judgment is the determining factor for what is to be believed rather than by arbitrary religious or secular world values.

Society at large, and American culture specifically, view that those who achieve their goals positively. Also, those who are skeptical or reject societal constraints such as religion, and even the law in some cases, are viewed in a positive light.

To give support to the warrant, authoritative backing will be examined. Kurt Goldstein and Abraham Maslow are credited with the self-actualization theory, becoming your full potential. This theory claims that what should, and will, drive an individual to act is the desire to become who they want to be. The desire to become who you want to be is an existential idea. The philosophy of existentialism, attributed to philosophers such as Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, claims that we can create meaning in our lives. Kierkegaard especially maintained that the individual is solely responsible for giving his or her own life meaning. The two views complement each other and give sufficient backing to the claim that those who are stuck or indifferent in their lives should work toward becoming their full potential.

There are those who would beg to differ regarding this claim. The reservation may be held by two groups of people. Existentialism says you create your own reality and purpose - that there is no pre-existing meaning to anything because the individual creates it. Therefore, the opposite of this would be much of fundamental Christianity which believes in the predestination of the individual by God to do a certain thing. Passages like Ephesians 2:10 say "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." This does not exclude free will, however, which is often a mistaken belief or criticism of fundamental Christianity. And although tied to existentialism in certain aspects, nihilism (the “philosophy of purposelessness”) seems to be in opposition to the claim, warrant, and backing. The term nihilism is sometimes used to explain the general mood of despair at a perceived pointlessness of existence that one may develop upon realizing there are no necessary norms, rules, or laws. Although the artifact would be in agreement with the subjectivity of rules and laws, it would be in opposition to the reservation’s claim that there is no point to life. Those who would agree with the claim of the artifact say that we create our own purpose to life by our self-actualization.

And finally, the Toulmin model would require a qualifier. This would be essentially a percentage of people who would accept the claim of the artifact. After analyzing the claim, data, warrant, backing, and reservation, it is a fair assumption to claim that about 70% of American audiences would accept the claim of this movie by being compelled to reach their full potential.

To continue in the analysis of the artifact, two aspects of style and one aspect of supporting material will be analyzed. These characteristics stand out as used by the author to contribute to the significance of the artifact. First the metaphorical stylistic aspect will be observed. What makes O Brother Where Art Thou unique undoubtedly lies in the strong metaphorical nature of the plot. This is not simply a story about three convicts escaping from prison and going on a treasure hunt, the journey they take outwardly is a metaphor for the inward journey that each of them takes. Everett “finds himself” in the end of the movie, and his companions find freedom to start over. The Coen brothers definitely use the metaphorical aspect of style to uniquely impact the artifact.

Next, the diction aspect of the style of the artifact will be analyzed. If you don’t pay close attention to the dialogue in this film, you will certainly miss something. The Coen brothers used diction to make O Brother Where Art Thou unique. It is no accident that the Coens made their protagonist, Ulysses Everett McGill, a fast-talking, but highly intelligent, con-man. It is not natural to expect a convict to have substantial things to say, but Everett does. He often makes references to Biblical texts, literature, and culture. He uses words like “paterfamilias” and “bifurcated.” It seems as if what the Coen brothers might have been aiming to do here is to be unique. Their protagonist is a walking contradiction, after all. Diction is an element of style that is utilized to make this artifact unique.

To review, the claim that the artifact makes is that those who are stuck or indifferent in their lives should work toward becoming their full potential. An example of data to back this claim is the existential journey that Everett metaphorically goes on. The warrant comes from the belief in society, predominantly American society, that achievement defines a person. The backing comes from Maslow and Goldstein’s self-actualization theory as well as being rooted in existentialism. The reservation to the claim of the artifact would most likely come from fundamental Christians as well as the philosophy of nihilism. It was then concluded that around 70% of Americans would accept the claim and change their opinions after viewing the artifact. Next, elements of style and supporting materials were analyzed and it was shown that metaphor, diction, and definition all impacted the artifact to make it unique.

There is an element of supporting material that would serve to explain the uniqueness of the artifact as well, and that element is definition. In O Brother Where Art Thou, the Coens aim to redefine how the audience looks at the institution of religion. After Pete and Delmar become convicted after seeing a community baptism, they join and get baptized as well. Everett’s response was, “Baptism! You two are just dumber than a bag of hammers!” In attempts at redefining religion, the Coen brothers have Everett claim its stupidity rather than hold it in a positive light. Another example is Everett’s definition of the devil, “The great Satan hisself is red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, and he carries a hay fork.” Again, Everett’s definition serves to redefine how the audience sees the institute of religion.

After using the Toulmin model of analysis to examine the artifact, it can be concluded that only a small percentage of O Brother Where Art Thou rests in its text. Because the message of this movie is subliminal and obscure, not all “get it.” As was seen in the audience criticism, many audiences thought the plot seemed disconnected and unorganized. Because of the stylistic approach the Coen brothers took with metaphor, the claim that the text presented was not as clear. Although the text of the artifact is substantial and makes a significant claim, it is not easily apparent to audiences. Therefore, it seems fair to conclude then, after analyzing the artifact textually, that 55% of the significance rests in its author, 35% in its genre, 5% in its audience, and 5% rests in the text.