Literary Analysis

Saved, But Not Saved

In the short story, "Salvation", Langston Hughes describes an event in his childhood in which he is pressured into accepting Jesus. Hughes' Aunt, church members and relatives pressured him into believing that he would see a Jesus. "I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. (l.1) Hughes' Aunt told him that when he was saved, he would see a light and something would happen to him, internally. Although, Hughes never saw the light, and he never saw Jesus, he lies to everyone and says that he did. At the end of the day, he winds up losing all faith in God and feelings guilty for lying. Langston Hughes depicts the idea that salvation, deliverance, or anything of that nature can not be forced onto a person.

Hughes begins his story at his Auntie Reed's church. His aunt's church was having a revival. The revival was evidently a major event at the church because it was well anticipated. The author describes the revival as nothing but praying, shouting, singing and preaching. The revival also consisted of a meeting for the children. The children's meeting was to "bring the young lambs to the fold", in other words - accepting Jesus into their lives. Hughes' aunt had been anticipating this event days before it began. The night of the children's meeting, Hughes was placed on the front row. From the author's tone, he seems to be rather nervous than excited. When the young children were called to the front row, Hughes calmly sat there and waited for Jesus to come to him.

Eventually, all the children had gone to the alter, except a little boy, named Westley, and Hughes himself. It was getting late, and they were the only two still waiting to see Jesus. Westley was growing impatient so he decided to get up and "get saved" just so he could leave. "I began to wonder what God thought about Westley, who certainly hadn't seen Jesus either, but who was now sitting proudly on the platform, swinging his knickerbockered legs and grinning down at me, surrounded by deacons and old women on their knees praying." (l.12) Because Westley had lied about seeing God, Langston started to consider doing the same thing Langston was the only one left. Hughes kept waiting, wanting to see Jesus, wanting something to happen to him but nothing happened. As the night went on, he began to feel ashamed of himself. Finally, Langston got up and the whole church rejoiced.

The author, Langston Hughes, somewhat uses an idea