Religious symbolism in the book of eli

The story revolves around eli, a nomad in a postapocalyptic world, who is told by a voice to deliver his copy of a mysterious book to a safe location on the west coast of. The book of eli is a strong story about a godfearing man determined to obey the will of the lord. Thank you lord for a warm bed to sleep on, thank you for the food we are about to eat, thank you for a roof over our heads on cold nights such as this, thank you for companionship in. Ely is the third character that provides to mccarthys religious implications. Even better, through several memorable scenes, eli begins to show solara the power of the bible not as a tool for conquest, but as a handbook for living. I knew it had something to do with the bible and religion, but i was unprepared for the complex theological statements, intense action scenes, and surprise ending which may not have surprised you at all but ill tell you why it. Spoilers every clue in the book of eli that explains the. Now, if you go looking your bible for the book of eli, you wont find one. Like elijah the prophet from the bible, ely tells the man he knew the apocalypse was coming.

In american culture, those who named their sons elijah are usually those who come from the bible belt the southern part of the us and those familiar with the prophet. The narrative contains many last nights, the last night in sighet, the last night in buna, the last night with his father, the last night of innocence, etc. The book of eli takes us to a painful place a place where humanity loses its humanness. Many have taken explicity prochristian themes from the film, but is it that. The film falls in the post apocalyptic dystopian genre, and as such has similarities with many other similar films, novels, and. When hannah came to shiloh to pray for a son, eli initially accused her of drunkenness, but when she protested her innocence, eli wished her well. Although the book of eli, seemingly has a litany of christian themes and motifs there are tons of subtle motifs that can be traced to any of the monotheistic religions. He became high priest kohen godol after the death of pinehas, the son of elazar, ithamars older brother. Denzel washingtons the book of eli movie was an unexpected treat. The gospel according to the book of eli popmatters. However, the violence and language is too much for families. Jesus and the book of eli part 1 remember the book of eli. As far as biblical symbolism, theres some standard connections between eli in the movie and eli in the bible. The secular faith of book of eli film school rejects.

List of books and articles about religious symbolism. Night the title of the novel symbolizes death, the death of innocence, childhood, faith, and millions of people. It was one of a spat of post apocalyptic dramas with washed out color and characters who care more about surviving to the end of the day than dental hygiene. Eli is a hebrew name and at the end of the movie eli is shown fully shaven and in a white robe this process actually completely mirrored an islamic. The 10th day of iyar is the anniversary of the death of eli the high priest. Hannahs eventual child, samuel, was raised by eli in the tabernacle. And denzel washington isnt exactly kirk cameron, either. Religious symbolism is best known in its more ancient form from the discoveries of archaeologists. The religious symbolism was very strong and lacked delicacy, but even tho, i am not really sure about what was the message of this movie. Book of eli movie quotes meet your next favorite book. Symbolism and iconography have been utilized by all the religions of the world. Eli was a descendant of ithamar, the fourth and youngest son of aaron the high priest.

Which bible verses are used in the movie book of eli as. When eli failed to rein in the abusive behavior of his sons, yahweh promised to punish his family, resulting. The prisoners struggle with whether or not to remain faithful to their religion or to survive in the camp. Denzels charisma plus action plus a nice dollop of religious symbolism to ponder over i was hooked from beginning to end. Eli bumps the car door with his bag to gauge exactly where it is. The nazis attempted to eradicate the jews connection to their faith by tattooing their arms, shaving their heads, and destroying their temples. Redridge recovers the book, with a locked flap, and gives it to carnegie, who releases solara.

Few are aware that burnett became a christian scientist in the early 1880s, and that these beliefs permeate the. We are not told why eli succeeded to the high priesthood, instead of pinehass son. The film presents some religious subthemes, which might find differing interpretations by different viewers. The office remained in his family till the time of abiathar 1 kings 2. Religion is the main symbol through this entire movie. Carnegie threatens to kill solara, to the dismay of redridge. For that matter, eli is something of a modernday elijah. A travel guide and resource book to prague, warsaw, cracow, and budapest is the most comprehensive guidebook covering all aspects of jewish history and contemporary life in prague, warsaw, cracow, and budapest. Jesus and the book of eli part 1 worldviews, worship. Ely seems to be playing the part of elijah, a prophet and faithful christian who foresaw the second coming of christ. Understanding symbolism in night brings greater appreciation for wiesels memoirs.

The rated r hollywood movie, the book of eli was release in january 2010 as a american postapocalyptic action film directed by the hughes brothers not christians, written by gary whitta, and starring denzel washington, gary oldman, mila kunis, ray stevenson and jennifer beals. Religious symbolism in the book of eli religion is the main symbol through this entire movie. In the beginning of night, eliezers identity is that of an innocent child, a student of talmud, and a devout jew. The book of eli can obviously be a very meaningful piece of cinema for christians, and there is no reason to rob that group of that meaning, but that does not preclude people of all faiths or no. Elkanah also had another wife who bore him children. The book of eli is a stylish film that is reminiscent of i am legend and other postapocalyptic stories, though it carves out a niche for itself due to its strong characters and its central theme. Eli and solara are surrounded and dragged out of the house. Eli does not notice the car with the skeleton until he hears the sound of rattling metal. The book of eli examing the religious undertones in the film book of eli. The title, book of eli, immediately gave me the impression that the bible has something to do with it.

Eli came out in 2010, just a year after the road starring vigo mortensen. Eli wears dark sunglasses, as blind people often do. The book of eli continues hollywoods obsession with postapocalyptic tales, and in many ways feels like it belongs in the same world as the road. The book of eli is screenwriter, gary whittas, take on a western samurai film. Eli has to feel the feet to see if there are boots on the skeleton. Google image 474 growing up with my grandparents, i would often go to church on sundays. Psalms and bible verses are quoted throughout the movie, and christian imagery and symbolism are present in many scenes. But thats where the significant symbolism of the book of eli which was written by gary whitta begins and. The book of eli provokes thoughtful debate about the religious themes in the film, but the oldminus.

This story of hannah, with which the books of samuel begin, involves eli. If the studio decided to release an edited version of this film, then it might find a bigger christian audience flocking to the theaters. He restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake, though i walk through the valle. Eli in the bible was a jewish priest living in the days of the judges and serving god at the tabernacle in shiloh, a city near the hill country of ephraim 1 samuel 1. Eli was the high priest kohen gadol of shiloh, the secondtolast israelite judge succeeded only by samuel before the rule of the kings of israel and judah. The book of eli 2010 directed by albert hughes, allen. The seeing blind man that was eli is a clever borrowing from the bible, and really rounds up all of the religious ideas that are interwoven with inbetween bloody battles.

The book of eli dvd 2009 this is probably one of the most highly underrated movies of 2010 due to the overwhelming surge of 3d films brought on by avatar which was out around the same time of this film. Loss of faith due to the atrocities the jewish experienced during the holocaust, many lost their faith in humanity and god. Tk waters has a bachelors degree in literature and religious studies and a masters degree in religious studies and teaches hebrew bible at western. Redridge entreats eli to surrender the book and eli tells redridge where he hid it. His dangerous and often selfsacrificial mission, inspired by god and rooted in a deepseated personal faith, is certainly inspiring. Christian themes abound in book of eli the tufts daily. The book of eli2010 was an original script written by gary whitta. Christianity and the book of eli believe it or not. As with all good bible stories, eli wins, even if his life is martyred for the sake of the greater religious good. Eli and solara stumble upon these two in their travels, and both actors play their characters with energy and humor. The ugly get uglier and humanity splits into the hunters and the hunted. Religious symbolism and iconography, respectively, the basic and often complex artistic forms and gestures used as a kind of key to convey religious concepts and the visual, auditory, and kinetic representations of religious ideas and events.

Its one of the most brilliant and visually arresting allegories ever. Studies in religious symbolism explains the rites of purification among the basotho of southern africa, their use of the cosmic tree with roots deep in the ancestral village called underworld by the western symbolism, up to molimo, the supreme being in heaven, communicating one basic truth. When eli finally gets the book where it is going they just file it away with other similar books. But the concentration camps experience strips him and his fellow jewish prisoners of his identity. Many were filled with disgust, as the god they were so loyal to had abandoned them when they were subject to such cruelty. There is lots of ash, similar to the road, but theres also some actual story to be had with bad guys and knife fights and pretty girls and shoot outs. The hughes brothers book of eli isnt all postapocalyptic samurai sword action and ipods. The great jewish cities of central and eastern europe. He was the first of the line of ithamar, aarons fourth son 1 chronicles 24.

Mixed in with the violence and sepiatones is one giant religious symbol that we just had to quiz the. Eliezers hair is shaved, hes dressed like all of the other prisoners, and in facing the atrocities of the camp, he loses his innocence hes no longer a child and his. What the book of eli tells us about religion youtube. Eli was, according to the books of samuel, a high priest of shiloh. Most could not accept the silence and rebelled against their religious upbringing. Cross i am legend with the ten commandments and youve got the book of eli, a genuinely religious parable that inherently rebukes pointless endofthe.