Langton Hughes’ Salvation

Langton Hughes’ Salvation
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February 24, 2023
Understanding how to decipher the underlying meaning of stories is essential for any reader. It allows him to have a greater appreciation of the author’s message and relate the story to the realities of daily life. Accordingly, one of the short stories that caught my attention is Langston Hughes’ Salvation. Written in the 1940s, Hughes’ short story has been recurrently portrayed and read by people because of its profound meaning about salvation and faith. In this article, I will discuss the concept of salvation as propounded in this article in greater detail. I believe that Hughes’ concept of salvation shows how others can influence our faith and how our firm personal beliefs can change how we look at Christ.
Langston Hughes’ Salvation
In Langston Hughes’ short story “Salvation,” the concept of salvation is explored through the eyes of a young boy attending a religious revival meeting with his aunt. The protagonist, Hughes himself, has already experienced salvation before and is expected to experience it again when he accompanies Auntie Reed to church. The word “salvation” in the story refers to the act of being saved from sin and accepting Jesus as one's savior. However, Hughes' expectation of salvation is not fulfilled, and he is left feeling disillusioned and disappointed.
The story begins with Hughes recounting his experience of salvation when he was 13. He says, “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved… I saw Jesus, and he was white. I imagined him standing there beside me, looking down on me with his big, kindly smile.” This quote shows that Hughes associates salvation with a feeling of warmth, wonder, and the presence of Jesus. However, he also suggests that his previous experience was not genuine, and he was not truly saved.
When Hughes accompanies Auntie Reed to the revival meeting, he expects to experience salvation again. This is the second time he has accompanied his aunt in the story, showing his interest in trying again. He said, “my aunt told me that when you were saved, you saw the light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her.&rdqu...