Literary Tools
These ideas are inspired by How To Read Literature Like A Professor.
I am going to try and cover a different tool each day.

8. Christ figures: You know you might be seeing a Christ-like character if.....

   1. Crucified, wounds in hands and feet

   2. In agony

   3. Self-sacrificing

   4. Good with children

   5. Good with loaves and fishes

   6. Water and wine

   7. Employed as a carpenter

   8. Uses humble modes of transportation

   9. Walks on water (or appears to)

   10. Out stretched arms

   11. Time alone in a wilderness

   12. Tempted by the devil

   13. Friends with “unsavory” characters

   14. Speak in parables

   15. Buried and rose again

   16. Very forgiving

   17. Had/Has disciples

   18. Redeems the unworthy

Some obvious Christ like characters are Beowulf, August in Secret Life of Bees, and King Arthur in most of the legends. Beowulf is willing to sacrifice himself for people he doesn't even know. He is tempted, resists and redeems or saves the people. Add all these together and you get a very strong Christ like character. Next I picked August, because not all Christ like characters are male. She is a strong example of a female Christ. She takes in anyone in need. She feeds huge groups of people. She often speaks in parables. She is forgiving and forgiving and forgiving! She points the way to God. She leads people into better lives. Then we have Arthur, he was written to be a Christ like savior to rally around. Depending on which version of the legend you read he goes through just about everyone of these “Christ-like” traits!

Who is your favorite fictional Christ-like character from a book or a movie?