Christianism Passion \"Atala\" Chateaubriand. Cites Vivid Examples

¶ … Christianism passion "Atala" Chateaubriand. cites vivid examples .

Christianism and Passion in "Atala"

Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand's novella "Atala" is meant to emphasize the contrast between Christian communities and Native communities in North America during the eighteenth century. The text contains a great deal of Romantic narratives concerning the American background and practically turns the scenery into a heaven-like location. Even with the fact it is, at times, difficult to determine whether Chateaubriand wants readers to understand that Native American cultural values need to be respected or whether they need to be condemned, the truth is that the writer actually intends to highlight that Christianity is, to a certain degree, the only viable solution to a society that is unable to accept its destiny.

"Atala" relates to how primitive societies have a tendency to promote pious attitudes in spite of the fact that people are typically accustomed to associating them with pagan behavior. "Although Chateaubriand believed that Christian passion was purged of ugliness and distortion by virtue of the promise of salvation, his subjects engaged in open expression of ecstasy or anguish and made no effort to suppress their feelings under a calm surface" (Taylor 153). The writer did not hesitate to inform his readers about how it was not necessarily wrong for them to support particular acts as long as they were well-acquainted with Christian values. It is very probable that he intended his text to induce feelings regarding how it is very important for people to maintain a balance in their lives by acting in accordance with rational thinking and with moral thinking.

The Christian characters in "Atala" are passionate about their ideas and are generally inclined to consider that they encourage positive attitudes by providing people with the choice to decide whether or not they are going to respect Christian values. "I didn't impose any law; I only taught them how to love, pray God and hope for a better life. All the laws of the world are there" (Chateaubriand 55). These individuals practically considered themselves to be God's messengers in a land where his voice had been unheard of until the time and believed that they needed to everything in their power in order to bring reform to the territory. The pastor "walked before us, blessing as he went the rock, the tree, and the spring, just as long ago, according to the book of the Christians, God blessed the virgin earth as he gave it to Adam for a heritage" (Chateaubriand 55). This makes it possible for readers to understand that the pastor felt honored as a result of his role and the narrator himself considered that he was witnessing an extraordinary event. He actually associates this event with the early settlers who brought Christianity to the American continent and that were fueled by the Manifest Destiny to conquer new territories and to 'civilize' Native Americans.

One might be inclined to consider that Chateaubriand was especially naive when coming across Christian communities in North America because he failed to see things from a more general perspective. It actually appears that the writer describes the perfect environment that was made possible as a consequence of the fact that Christians got engaged in bringing change to the American society. Chateaubriand further influences readers on agreeing with him in regard to the effect of Christian values in American by putting across poetic language and by having them think about scenery filled with extraordinary elements. "It was a beauteous night. The Spirit of the Atmosphere was shaking out his blue tresses, pregnant with the scent of the pines, and could breath the tenuous odor or amber floating up from the crocodiles beneath the tamarinds by the river" (Chateaubriand 29). The writer brings together natural elements present in the American background and emphasizes the fact that it is essential for his readers to comprehend that the Native American environment needed to be organized in order for natives to be able to live in proper conditions.

One of the most intriguing concepts about "Atala" is that it is not necessarily successful in putting across the pro-Christian message that Chateaubriand wanted it to. The fact that the writer did his best to portray the American natural world in its entire beauty made it difficult for readers to differentiate between it and the heaven that he wanted them to think about. As a consequence, many have had problems comprehending that Chateaubriand wanted the Christian community that he spoke about to contrast the Native communities that he related to.

Considering that "Atala" was initially issued as a part of "Genie du christianisme," it only seems natural for Chateaubriand to have intended it to be a major reason for which more and more individuals realized that it was important for them to respect Catholic faith. However, the final product came to produce much controversy as a result of the fact that it confused people and made it difficult for them to understand the position that they needed to take concerning Christianity's relationship with the American continent.

It is probable that Chateaubriand used passion and the beauty of the old American background as a means to have people learn more concerning Catholicism. He described the religious ideology alongside of Native American values and enabled readers to see it as a humane religion that did not necessarily need to be associated with stereotypes. The fact that Chateaubriand paints Father Aubrey's portrait as an extremely religious character that struggled to overcome his passions is essential in demonstrating that Christianism is actually a concept that can bring positive changes to people's lives. The writer did not hesitate to relate to how Catholics also have a hard time refraining from performing immoral activities, but emphasized that the religion's values encourages its followers to get actively engaged in trying to improve conditions in the world.

Most readers are likely to be amazed as a result of being presented with a version of the primitive American continent as a place that can be especially romantic and exotic. Chateaubriand actually brings together concepts like religion and passion with the purpose of having readers feel that they are addressed directly and that the writer wants them to acknowledge that they experience unique feelings while going through the book and imagining what life would have been like had they been present in his stories.