Blog #1

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LIfe without God - by Douglas Coupland

First of all, i would like to begin with pointing out that this book is basically set around the theme that we are the first generation to be raised without god. I found this somewhat amusing seeing as i was raised in a very religious household, and my family still continues to instill the religious moral and ethics in me, and my siblings. The main thoughts that crossed my mind were - are we really better off in a life with out god? Obviously, i believe we arne't - so it was a stretch to read this book with an open mind.

This book is a combination of short stories that all seem to have the same theme - being lonely, and without hope. The three short stories that are in the first section of "Life After God" are Little Creatures, My Hotel Year, Things That Fly ( which is also my short story for my essay).

Little Creatures & My Hotel Year

These short stories didn't have much of an effect one me, i found it to easy to interpret what the meanings were. Little Creatures is just a letter from a father to a child about his trip. He is separated from his wife, and tries to amuse his daughter with animal stories, but is too distracted to complete them. I found he often ponders "What is human behavior?" and is baffled because only "smoking, body-building, and writing" seem to differentiate humans from the animal kingdom. It also signifies moving on and seeing your children growing up, while looking back on found memories from the past, while all discovering what it means to be a human being.

My Hotel Year seemed an awful lot like a symbolism for being alone without god. It seems as though the two desperate lives of a head-banging couple and a male prostitute, who are all too alienated to connect with people. The one man, Donny has no real self worth and doesn't seemed to care about his well being, yet still values being alive. I found the symbolism of his homelessness as being compared to being without god. It leaves with without a home, just how a life without god leaves you with little hope in your life.


Things that Fly
I found this story the most interesting, i found the symbolism for Superman dying was actually a metaphor for how god is no longer a strong symbol in todays society. God/Jesus were (are) considered the most perfect beings (or were) in most western cultures. When he hears that Superman was going to die that day, he began to fall deeper into depression. To him, Superman was the one honest and good person left in the world, and he was going to die. He began to think that living in a world without superman was hopeless, and useless. I found this to be so powerful and moving because in todays society, the majority of humankind think they can live without god (or a higher power).