Blankets and Security and Spirituality Essay

there are many another(prenominal) themes explored in Craig Thompsons award-winning graphic novel Blankets, barely perhaps its chief theme is that of phantasmality. Particularly, the schoolbook explores how uncannyity can be clean-cut from religion religion is illustrated as a blunt instrument with which individuals divide themselves, whereas the positivist religiousity advocated by Thompson grows out of merciful experiences, such as his first love.In this sense, the modified view of spiritualty everywherelays conventional religious thought the titular blow blanket takes on a totemic significance, ilk that of a saints body part. This is fitting enough, as Thompson presents the kindred with Raina as some topic sanctified and, non concurrently, a means the sincerem of religion. Fittingly enough for a meta-narrative such as this, art forms the root for Thompson to impose his own distinct narratives over the unfavorable narratives around him.This belief in transforma tive power becomes important when he discovers his florescence intimateity he mustiness pass it is not embodied by the abusive babysitter of his past, hardly in the family kind he possesses in the here and now. Raina represents the micturateest origination of actual church property in the textual matter she presents the stability that Thompson craves so much, which is the only thing that re eachy each(prenominal)ows him to take solace. It is not coincidental that the two begin their kin at Bible Camp in a camp that is ostensibly devoted to purpose spiritual fellowship, both Thompson and Raina feel like they do not fit in.Accordingly, they must develop their own fellowship with individually other, substituting their unique friendship (and in conclusion erotic love) in place of the affinity with graven image that the camp is supposed to offer. This is unitary of the spiritual notions that Thompson hammers home quite efficaciously the heart of a true spiritual rela tionship is one of action. Traditional spiritual models rely on following Gods will without having a real relationship with anything other than a person-to-person interpretation of God as a social construct.Romantic love fills that indispensability when spiritualism falters. Rainas place as a saint-like person seems quite lettered in the text. The recreate culminates, after all, with Thompson in the end willing to forge his own highroad in life exclusively by naming the work after the blankets on which he laid beside Raina, he situates the work as a kind of glide by to the grace and serenity he sight in his relationship with her. In this sense, the closure of the work represents a kind of spiritual pilgrimage that Thompson is undergoing, with a remnant of Raina to involve him.In the spiritual spectrum, she seems like a successor to the understanding of Mary offered by Thompsons religious up manner of speaking. In that fusty religious view, Mary represents the glory of w omen, but also their aloof subservience to the capitaler glory of men Mary is great because she delivered Jesus, but because of that sanctified relationship, a relationship with her is denied to mortal men. Raina, then, represents the spirituality that Thompson is able to interact with.She also represents an opportunity to restore sexual equality to spirituality, as she is not aloof, nor is she performing second fiddle to men. This continues the theme of spirituality as a matter of unity, sooner than divisiveness. The final confrontation with his parents represents the final obligatory aspect of spirituality a willingness to look commonality in all animateness creatures. This is the nature of their dispute, after all a difference in beliefs. However, by bringing this conflict out into the open, Thompson is asserting the reign of his own beliefs.They do not richly see him, as religious beliefs define their followers, because the innate aspect of Thompsons spirituality is that i t is constantly evolving. Raina helped him discover it, but she does not represent the be-all, end-all of it. Similarly, Thompsons pilgrimage at the end is not to literally go steady Raina, but to use his memento of the epoch they shared as a way of finding a new relationship that will further help scrap and evolve his notion of spirituality. Interestingly, Thompson does not underrate all religion as the antagonist of spirituality.However, he does emphasize that religious article of belief is often used as an plea to shut ones self off from the world. In confronting his parents, Thompson is quite clear his spiritual beliefs will not be quieted, nor will they be closeted, any longer. Blankets is a work that is certain to endure for many years to come. The reason for that is not proud ambition to tell an epic story, but rather, a commitment to following the tarnish lines of human intimacy and romantic relationships all the way to their inevitable quakes.Unwilling to scarper the camera away (so to speak), Thompson does the audience one better by showing the bleak process of picking up the pieces and exhausting to rearrange a Picasso-esque jumble into a self-constructed identity that he can very recognize in the mirror. Raina helped him discover what spirituality really represented not the missing piece, but the knowledge that pieces are missing. And all that is required of true spirituality is an on-going commitment to never stop quest completion.