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"How does Literature Help with Historical Events Happen"

© Gail Giordano

Why do things happen, things like Black Tuesday? Will you remember where you were? I know where I was, I had just finished working on something online and the phone rang, a friend of mine was calling saying have you heard? I was like – no, what’s going on? From there comes a snowball of events – it almost seems like a scene from a movie or book...only this is real. In the years to come I am sure books will emerge to describe the horrible details of the event. The category I write in here at Suite 101 is Literature and History….history in the making; imagine being one of the workers or residents that watched the two towers fold, or personnel at the Pentagon….will the memory ever fade? I live over on the West Coast yet this directly impacted my family’s life and the way our week played out in more ways then one. Will I forget – I don’t think it will ever be gone, but perhaps over time, as evident through the books written down through the ages – the pain, the shock, and the disbelief will ease.

At a time like this one book in particular comes to mind the Bible, considered a great literary work as well as a great historical document. For others it is a source of comfort, encouragement and guidance. In this Book is a weaving of literature and history, a description of how behaviors of a nation affected the outcome of what occurred.

Historical documents and biographies indicate that the nation of America was founded on the principles found through out the Bible…but are we still a nation that can claim that we operate on Biblical values and the measurement it provides to how our lives should be led? In this country we are allowed the freedom to worship as we choose or not worship at all (though some could argue that is a form of worship) but if that is in direct contradiction to a piece of literature that has been proven to be true, and continues as archaeologists search to be accurate – how do you explain what happened. More importantly how will you learn and live your life from this point forward.

Some won’t agree with what I am writing, others may somewhat agree, and then their may be those that do agree with me. If as I contend the Bible is the most important document ever created, and has in it historical importance, then how will we as Americans respond in our reaction? In my opening article I contended that we learn from the books written and the look of history they provide. In this case let’s take the Bible. The Old Testament is full of the stories of the people of Israel, how they removed their eyes and hearts from the one true God and in so doing removed Him from their culture. What were the result, famine, war, persecution, death, and slavery.

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