Salvation Analysis

Irony is the only thing that keeps life interesting. In Langston Hughes' Salvation,

it was a much different kind of interesting. Hughes went into a church ready to believe,

and came out doing anything but. Hughes uses irony and biblical references to show that

no matter how bad a person wants something, it just might not be in the cards to get it. By

practically drowning the reader in such ironic biblical terms, Salvation also establishes

the precedent that life can throw a curveball even when it is least expected. Sometimes,

no matter how much one swings, missing is inevitable.

As Hughes passes through the trials and tribulations to be saved by Jesus, he

slowly becomes more and more distant from him. Langston was told he would see a

"light," but the only light was pointing downwards. The twelve year old boy sat in the

"hot, crowded church" as readers were reminded of Hell. Hell, the underworld of burning

fire, with people spotting the Earth like spilled coffee beans on a clean floor. In Hell,

Jesus will not come. Not only does this foreshadow the outcome of Hughes salvation and

the doubting of his religion, but it also shows that even in a sanctuary such as church, one

cannot escape the evil of things such as the depths of Hades. With even his Auntie Reed

at his side, the young Hughes cannot help but succumb to the painful truth of reality.

For most people, turning 13 is a great time of joy and elation. For Langston,

ironically, it may very well have been a time of decadence. As this preteen stared upon

"the ninety and nine safe in the fold," feelings of being the "one little lamb left out in the

cold" could not help but trickle down from his mind. Lambs are not yet mature sheep;

they are innocent, and need to be lead. The young boys and girls that stood before the

altar were each a "Lamb of God" that needed to be lead with, Jesus as their shepherd.

However, with every flock of baby lambs, there are always those who stray from the

right path. Enter Westley and Langston, as irony shines through like the bright sun

through white clouds. As they remained the last two left on the mourner's bench, the

church began to get hotter. The flames of lying and deceit consumed the two, as they

were "saved" for all the wrong reasons. Ironically, such an occurrence happened in the

holiest of places. This demonstrates the author's boldness in showing that temptation,

whether at home or in church, whether thousands of years ago with apples or present day

with lies, is always nearby.

The last bit of irony in Salvation comes not from Langston, but rather from the

people around him. Throughout the story, elderly women with "jet-black faces" and men

with "work-gnarled hands" watch the moves of each of the children. The elderly put the

young lambs like Langston and Wesley on the spot, as they were "surrounded by sisters

and deacons praying." These supposedly wise older men and women only acted as a

catalyst to Langston's lying and loss of faith. Meant to lead him into the light, they in fact

led him away from it. With each tear that fell from his face that night, the reader was

reminded of the insurmountable pressure adults can put on children.

In the final analysis, Hughes brilliantly wields biblical terms to smack the reader

in the face with irony. From how hot the church was to how naïve the elders were,

Salvation correctly depicts a world where things never go as planned. As the young

disbeliever breaks down and cries in his bedroom, the reader is forced to flirt with the

idea of how to handle such a tense situation. While many people would be left in a pool

of confusion, Hughes takes on the adversity and even admits he "didn't believe there was

a Jesus" rather than filling himself with doubt.