StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit - Assignment Example

Cite this document
Summary
Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit Journey to the East tells of a journey that the narrator undertook as a youth, to a far off land in the East. He and other members of the League travelled together, each with their own specific purposes and desires…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96% of users find it useful
The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit"

Download file to see previous pages

To understand the travels, both external and internal, that occur in the passage of the book, a suitable frame is that of Christian pilgrimage. This paper argues that the narrator undergoes a spiritual pilgrimage through the book, not only during the first two chapters, but throughout the entire progress of the story. The concept of Christian pilgrimage began in the centauries following the death of Christ. The spiritual journey of a pilgrimage is present in almost all major religions, and this plays an important role in tradition.

Generally, a pilgrimage is considered to be a physical journey, where the individual moves from one place to another, often with the aim at arriving at a holy place or a site of significant religious importance, such as a shrine or burial chamber . Many pilgrims travel with the hope of becoming closer to God, of finding some spiritual connection, or as a means of seeking forgiveness. The physical journey that pilgrims undertake is often physically difficult, based on the idea that this will bring them closer to God.

For example, normally modern methods of transportation are shunned, and pilgrims preferentially travel by foot. This emphasizes the importance of the journey itself. If pilgrims arrived at their location instantly, almost all of the purpose of the journey would be lost. Consequently, a pilgrimage can also be internal, with the individual obtaining knowledge and experience, but not actually travelling. For the travelers in the Journey to the East, the physical destination is the East, the Home of Light .

This is also true of many religious pilgrims. Christian pilgrims frequently travel to the Holy Land, which is in the East, to reaffirm their faith, and their connection to their God. Like pilgrims, the travelers had both a physical and a spiritual component to their journey, although it is not until later in the book that the spiritual component is revealed. Each of the participants in the journey detailed in the first two chapters of Journey to the East had a specific goal, although, as the narrator comments, these goals appear unrealistic.

For example, the narrator himself desires to meet the Princess Fatima, with the ultimate goal of winning her love . This is very much like pilgrims who travel to a religious shrine, many of whom seek healing or divine revelation. In both cases, the true purpose of a pilgrimage is neither the external journey, nor the destination but instead it is the journey that the participants are involved in internally. Many aspects of the Journey to the East resemble that of a pilgrimage. While it is tempting to consider only the first two chapters as the pilgrimage, one which failed, it is more realistic to consider the whole tale as an example of this journey.

When the narrator and his fellow travelers began their journey, they were newly initiated into the League. They knew what to do and what was expected of them, but they had little experience in how to do this. However, for the travelers, all is not as it seems. In the middle of the journey, one of the servants, Leo, disappeared. Despite the fact that Leo was just one of many servants that accompanied the group, his disappearance threw them into argument and despair , so much so, that the journey itself moved no further, and the league appeared to dissolve. . Although the physical component of the journey has ended, it can be argued that the pilgrimage has only just begun for the narrator.

He is in a

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit Assignment”, n.d.)
Retrieved de https://studentshare.org/english/1445424-the-journey-to-the-east
(The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit Assignment)
https://studentshare.org/english/1445424-the-journey-to-the-east.
“The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit Assignment”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1445424-the-journey-to-the-east.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Journey to the East: A Pilgrimage of the Spirit

SPIRITUAL ARCHITECTURE IN RONCHAMP AND LA TOURRETTE

The wanted the spirit of the church to clear the decadent past when the structure was full of ornamental embellishments with stained glass, spires and other gothic features.... Among the great and unique buildings that Le Corbusier constructed, two structures will be discussed in this essay....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

The Aspects Of Margery Kempe

In 1417 she went on pilgrimage to Compostela.... She followedMargery Kempe this pilgrimage with a visit to Leicester, Beverly and York.... In history there are many women, who have got extraordinary talent.... These women have shown great talent and courage to face the world and to perform their dities effectively....
7 Pages (1750 words) Book Report/Review

A formal or ceremonial observance of the religious context rites

By way of preparation for the last journey, the body is cleansed physically as well as spiritually by washing and then anointing the body with sacred oil.... The purpose of the essay “A formal or ceremonial observance of the religious context rites” is to examine the nature, role and significance of religious rites by comparing and contrasting the rites and rituals peculiar to Islam and Christianity....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Hajj The Pilgrimage to Makkah

journey to Arafat: On the next day, that is, on the 9th of Zil-Hajj which is called Yaum-e-Arafat, the pilgrim should leave Mina after the Fajr prayers and move on to the plain of Arafat.... After sacrifice which showcases spirit of piety and submission to God the male pilgrim should shave his head; female clipping their hair as the pilgrim can be no longer in an Ihram.... pilgrimage to the house of God is an obligation for those who: … Hajj is the only fundamental pillar of Islam which requires both physical and financial sacrifices....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Writting comparison and contrast

Unlike, the journey of Belloc through snow covered mountain passes, fringed by the vineyards of Italy, where hospitable rustic flock greeted him, gave him warmth of human company, freshly baked bread, the wine to... The path to Rome that too on foot, in a spirit of contemplation and prayer made Belloc see the Europe that Christian faith had made.... " The Path to Rome" is the story of the pilgrimage made on foot to fulfill a vow he made "to see all Europe which the Christian faith has saved" In Christian tradition such pilgrimages were not adventure trips but exercises in faith....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

The Catholic Faith With Contrasting Facts on Islam Religion

The objective of this essay “The Catholic Faith With Contrasting Facts on Islam Religion” is to present one of the most prominent religions in the world, the Catholic religion.... The presentation would be achieved through an interview with a devotee.... hellip; The author explains that the interview was conducted in the Infant of Prague Catholic Church at Jacksonville, North Carolina....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Pauls Missionary Journeys

It also hosted the pilgrimage of umpteen pilgrims to the Temple of Artemis and thus was central to paganism as well.... According to the Acts, the Holy spirit directed the Antioch Church to send out a missionary team, comprising of Barnabas and Paul (Act 13: 1-3) for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to the Jewish community and the Gentiles.... Paul, with the power of the Holy spirit, unveiled the truth about Elymas's deceit and lies and stated that he would turn blind because of them....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Permission on Visit Sacred Indigenous Sites

The paper "Permission on Visit Sacred Indigenous Sites" highlights that Allowing visitors into sacred religious sites can bring both negative and positive effects to these sacred sites.... nbsp; Concerns of desecration, commercialization, and degradation of these sites by visitors are all legitimate....
28 Pages (7000 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us