2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

When Solemn spends time with Henry in the wilderness, he emerges a changed, more enlightened man who claims to have seen Jesus. Why do you think so many were willing to believe he gained healing power? What made him believe he lost what he thought he'd found?

I think most people are always seeking spiritual enlightenment, wanting something more concrete to believe in, especially when hope is all you have left for certain circumstances. They become ripe to be taken advantage of, too.

I think Solemn came out of that wilderness transformed and changed when people made him the object of their hope and he couldn't deliver. He lost faith in himself, then doubting what he'd experienced earlier. His level of disappointment must have been crushing.

I agree, Jonetta. And it seems that for many people, perhaps Cork included, think that faith in a higher power is only justified if good things come out of it, if only good things happen. My mother always calls that a "what have you done for me lately" mentality. It's easy to have faith when things are going great. I've always looked at faith as something to help you get through the times that aren't so great. There's a great quote in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn:

"“Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days...What is belief - what is faith - if you don't continue in it after failure?...Anyone can believe in someone, or something that always succeeds...But failure...ah, now, that is hard to believe in, certainly and truly. Difficult enough to have value."

Solemn came out the forest having found peace in his faith, despite being at the lowest point in his life. Then he ran straight into the wall of what other people thought faith should look like...a show of miracles, of proof. I'd get upset with Cork everytime he was thinking to himself that Solemn would get smacked with reality eventually and that his faith would come to nothing. He was wrong. Solemn's faith wavered - because having faith doesn't mean never having doubts - but he stuck to it until his tragic end. He didn't let his harsh reality change him. Cork apparently has but at least he was ready to take a step towards finding some form of spiritual wholeness by the end.

Very eloquently stated, Veronica. I think in this story Solemn was symbolic of true faith for whom others try to ground into something more tangible. He was at peace whether he went to jail or not and didn't want anything other than what he had.

Cork was powerless to help him because he has yet to experience devout faith.

Veronica wrote: "I agree, Jonetta. And it seems that for many people, perhaps Cork included, think that faith in a higher power is only justified if good things come out of it, if only good things happen. My mother..."

Well said Veronica.