Having read the Book of Mormon multiple times in my life, I thought that I understood it pretty well. My thoughts have always been that each verse should contain some kind of truth that is relevant to my life, and should exist as its own entity in the midst of the larger chapter. In fact, this is not always the case. When considered for what it purportedly is--essentially a journal being passed down from person to person--it is important to recognize that The Book of Mormon was not written in verses, and its language is awkward because of the method by which it was transcribed to English. The complex literary structures within the text do not always fit within the delineations we have given them modernly.
In his Reader's Edition of The Book of Mormon, Grant Hardy has attempted to bridge the gap between the literary structure of the language in the Book of Mormon and the strict chapter/verse pattern we have modernly established as the way by which we read scripture. By changing the punctuation to fit a more natural sentence structure, and showing visually the moments in which poetry is being used, the text can be discovered as more literary than before. The narrative is good, the plot makes sense, and the religious values tied to the text are apparent throughout. As a piece of rhetoric, the book is highly effective. As Hardy notes in his introduction, many members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that, "if the
Book of Mormon is the word of God, then Joseph Smith was a modern-day
prophet, and joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the next
logical step" (Hardy xvii). The book ends with the challenge to test the truth of the book. It thus follows that one who hopes the book is true will believe it is true. By saying this, I do not mean to detract from the meaningfulness of the Book of Mormon. I simply wish to show the means by which the challenge works. This book of scripture is very important to me, and I appreciate Hardy's efforts to show it in a more "literary" way.
I like how you connected the idea of journal writing with this format in the Book of Mormon. I totally agree that when formatted in this way, it almost brings the characters in the book of mormon to life, as this was the format in which they would have been writing.
ReplyDeleteAs for your conclusion that, "It thus follows that one who hopes the book is true will believe it is true." I think it's hard to know what a person does or doesn't believe and that often when we say what people believes, it is a projection of our own experiences and beliefs.
Your perspective of The Book of Mormon as a journal being shared through generations is intriguing to me. Through this lens, it is easier to not get caught up in the awkward grammar or verses that seem less important, but recognize the miracle in that it was preserved at all. The tone and diction changes throughout and that is better understood when looking at it through this perspective.
ReplyDeleteThis is great insight. I love it! yes very true! it definitely makes you think about how we are reading a history rather than a fictional story. It brings it all to life even!
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