More on justice in the story of Noah -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 11:31:28 02/17/08 Sun
Author: Erin Risch
Subject: More on justice in the story of Noah
In reply to: Kiernan 's message, "Some Thoughts on Justice and the Bible" on 12:39:11 02/13/08 Wed

In Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Girarad explains that he sees the all vs. one structure in the story of Noah. He explains, ". . . it is not difficult to appreciate that a sole survivor in a world where all others persih can, thematically, amount to the same ting as a single victim extracted from a group in which no one, save the victim, perishes" (143). I agree with him so far, but I'd like to point out the inversion of typical mythic structure that Girard neglects to explain at this point in the text. In a "normal" myth, all of the chaos on earth would prompt all of the sinful men to scapegoat Noah ( especially since he's marked by his innocence, which would single him out and probably make him fairly marginal in society). However, in Genesis, it is the guilty who are punished. There's no sacrifice, no substitution of one man for many violent men.

While this speaks to the justice of the Hebrew God, it also corroborates Girard's observation that where no ritual restores peace, a new, even more destructive violence occurs. Noah, the innocent, is saved, as he ought to be, but thousands and thousands of men die.

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Replies:

Re: More on justice in the story of Noah -- Jonathan Dunn, 18:09:42 02/17/08 Sun
- Re: More on justice in the story of Noah -- Erin Risch, 13:30:40 02/19/08 Tue