SLUH Junior Theology Course '07-'08

Faith and Morality...


Inman and Ada Show Their Faith
In Cold Moutain by Charles Frazier, Ada and Inman both show that they are people of faith becuase they believe they will see each other even though they sometimes doubt.

Ada and Inman are separated when Inman is sent to fight in the Civil War. Inman suffering from an injury decides to leave the hospital and find go back to Cold Mountain to see Ada. Ada throughout Inman's time away has writeen letters to him and has heard no response. She learns that though her love is away she must move on with her life.

Inman encounters all kinds of trouble on his way home. He is attacked by villagers, is taken captive for being and outlier, one who escaped from the army, and gets close to death. It would have been much easier for him to stop his voyage and settle in a safe place, but he keeps going. Ada waits for Inman's return and even though it seems hopeless and pointless, she continues to write he letters. The people around her say that there is no way Inman is coming back and Ada even doubts that he will, but she keeps her faith and believes Inman will return.

When Ada has faith she steps out of the cave based on life explained by Plato in Plato's Allegory of the Cave. She is able to see the wonderful world that outside of the cave, which to her is the belief that she will one day see her love, Inman. When she doubts, it represents a step back into the cave. In life we often step back into the cave. We are all at different degrees of being in or out of the cave. Even though she does doubt she is able to find her faith.

When they finally do see each other, they are excited and find that their faith was not in vain. They are rewarded with the sight of the person they love. Even though soon after Inman returns he dies, Ada is able to live a happy life because her faith gave her joy and now she knows that she can do anything with faith and hardwork.



Picture from http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/153/502098~Cold-Mountain-Posters.jpg


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