5. Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English. John Bunyan. Retold by James H. Thomas. 1678/1992. 260 pages. [Source: Bought] [4 stars, christian fiction, christian classic, allegory]
First sentence: As I walked through the wilderness of the world, I came to a place where there was a den. There I lay down to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. In my dream I saw a man clothed with rags, standing by a path with a book in his hand and a great burden upon his back. His face was turned from his own house, which stood nearby. I saw him open his book and read, then begin to weep. No longer being able to control his feelings, he broke out with a mournful cry, saying, "What shall I do?"
What you see is what you get--Pilgrim's Progress in today's English. The original can be perhaps a little intimidating in its language and format. If memory serves it is written in a blended style most associated with plays and poetry. The language definitely leans towards poetry in terms of being lyrical perhaps like the King James Version reads "more poetic, more lyrical" than say the New International Version.
The story remains the same. I can't honestly say if it was abridged or just adapted. I last read the original in 2017, I believe.
Christian, our hero, journeys from the City of Destruction--via the Wicket Gate--to the Celestial City. Along the way he'll have adventures and misadventures. The journey will be long and dangerous. Sometimes his companions will be true and good and helpful in his journey. Sometimes they appear to be so but really aren't. Some are more obvious foes. Each conversations serves as a window of opportunity if you will for readers to be catechized. These conversations somewhat sit at odds with the allegory if you overthink it. Because the theological conversations don't necessarily aline well with the fictional framework.
Most copies of Pilgrim's Progress contain both the original and the sequel. The first book stars Christian on his journey. The second book stars Christian's wife, Christiana, and their children. Their journeys are night and day different. (Not that Christian journeys have to be the same). Her journey has virtually no adventures and misadventures. The problems Christian faced are not issues the second time around. Not even Vanity Fair. In this one, Vanity Fair instead of being a dangerous--cruelly dangerous--place seems to be a happy place where they spend some time with good saints in the city. I'm not sure why the books are so different from one another. I don't know if Christiana's adventures are lacking in danger and struggle because she is a woman, or, if because she has GreatHeart as a guide. I am so conflicted on the sequel.
I don't necessarily love allegories as a genre. I tend to overthink everything and when I can't make pieces fit together logically on all the levels--every layer, level--I tend to get upset. But the original story definitely packs a lot of impact. The conversations are timely and relevant. I learn something new each time I read it. That being said, I'm not sure I agree 100% theologically with every single little thing.
