Putt 1 Jordan Putt Mr.

Ritivoiu English 102 17 March 2014 Literary Analysis: The Holy War, Chapter 6 The first paragraph of this chapter contains quite an accurate metaphorical portrayal of the effects that a guilty conscience has on the mind and body. Its language and wording, while in the setting of a war, are hard to miss as anything other than allegory. Here, the content and meaning behind this allegory in the first paragraph is analyzed. At the outset, the allegory is very strong. It initially brings up Captains Boanerges and Conviction. To the average reader, The meaning and significance behind Captain Boanerges name may be unclear. Boanerges was the surname that Jesus applied to James and John, as seen in Mark 3:17: And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder. Because of this, the word later came into use to describe a preacher that is very fiery, or has a powerful voice. Captain Boanerges, then, represents an instrument used by God that is like a fiery preacher. He represents that which helps to bring to repentance, awakens

Putt 2 the mind to the enormity and sinfulness of sin, and persuades men with words of rebuke and exhortation. Similarly, Captain Conviction convicts of sin, and his ensign is Mr. Sorrow. Captain Convictions emblem is the open book of the law, as it is the law that convicts of sin. His ensign, Mr. Sorrow comes with him. With Conviction of sin comes sorrow for that sin as well. It goes on to relate that Captain Boanerges and Captain Conviction were men of very great majesty; their

faces were like the faces of lions, and their words like the roaring of the sea (Bunyan 70). This imagery of great power is demonstrative of how powerful conviction and heart-awakening truly are. When conviction seizes the human heart, it is often perceived to have a voice like the roaring of the sea: loud and difficult to ignore. Words of reproof and rebuke, as typified by Boanerges, whether they come from within or without are seldom pleasant at the time. Their faces were like the faces of lions in this sense. They are bringing sorrow and rather unpleasant feelings, but are used by God nonetheless. It is interesting to note that Boanerges and Conviction were both quartered in the home of Mr. Conscience. The parallels here are hard to miss, because Gods instruments for bringing repentance are always

Putt 3 working through the conscience, and the conscience is how God speaks to man. Bunyan continues the paragraph, describing the actions of these captains: But the captains carried it with that terror and dread in all that they did (and you may be sure that they had private instructions so to do), that they kept the town under continual heart-aching, and caused (in their apprehension) the well-being of Mansoul for the future to hang in doubt before them, so that for some considerable time they neither knew what rest, or ease, or peace, or hope, meant. (Bunyan 70) The town is a metaphor for the soul [hence the name Mansoul], and this apprehension and heartache felt by the townspeople is a very good metaphor for the effects of a pricking conscience. It provides no rest, ease, or peace for the soul. Bunyan was a powerful writer, with a skill and talent for excellent allegories and metaphors. These metaphors really enhance, and drive home his point, because of the ease of relating them back to what they represent. This instance is no different. His first paragraph of chapter six provides an excellent metaphor of the effects of a guilty conscience on the soul.