In Tobit concepts of the Christian mentality are better explained in The Pilgrim’s Progress because of the interpersonal dialogue used. In Tobit the Christian mentality is greatly exhibited; Christian mentality meaning concepts of repenting, heaven, hell, sins, following god. It is written that Tobit wants god to “Remember me, and look on me, punish me not for my sins and ignor- ances, and the sins of my fathers, who have sinned before thee: For they obeyed not thy commandments” (Tobit 3:3-4). It is a strange concept of wanting to be remembered. It doesn’t matter. Being remembered means nothing to a dead person since they won’t comprehend it. The mention of heaven exists in Christianity but only angels can interact with humans on Earth. There could be more dimensions to life but if there are then being remembered should mean even less than if there is existence past life. But what is even stranger is Tobit goes back to say “deal with me according to my sins and my fathers” (Tobit 3:5). So what is going on? He wants to not be punished for the sins of his ancestors and the sins he creates possibly in a ploy to get to heaven. But then he wants punishment for these sins, some of which he is not even responsible for. It may be a lesson for others to take responsibility for their actions. Not just theirs but also the actions of others, because god will deliver proper judgment and deliver punishment. Punishment that will lead to the correct path of life yet again. But these ideas are hard to dissect and decipher. It would be a lot easier to just follow a conversation which is exactly what The Pilgrims Progress does for a majority of the text. There is narration that reveals itself where it’s stated “Prudence thought good to ask him a few questions, and desired his answer to them” (122). But it adds a sense of curiosity that makes the reader question “what would a person say? What would Christian say?” Which then leads to the conversation where Prudence asks “Do you not think sometimes of the country from whence you came?/Christian’s thoughts of his native country/CHR. Yes, but with much shame and detestation: ‘Truly, if I had been mindful of that country from whence I came out, I might have had opportunity to have returned; but now I desire a better country, that is, an heavenly’ [Heb. 11:15,16]” (122). Going inside the head of another human and watching ideas formulate lead to heavy engagement and deeper understanding. It creates a sense of relatability and also legitimacy. Two people talking and weighing opinions is more convincing than a person who writes stuff by themselves proclaiming a man in the sky is telling them these things. The mention of “heavenly” brings back the concept of normalizing Christianity in life and making it a way of life. Casually using biblical terms allows humans to understand and appreciate these concepts to a higher extent. A technique that The Pilgrim’s Progress takes advantage of.
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