Blankets and Security and Spirituality Essay

There are many a(prenominal) antecedents explored in Craig Thompsons award-winning graphic novel Blankets, entirely perhaps its chief written report is that of spiritualty. Particularly, the text explores how spirituality can be intelligible from organized religion religion is illustrated as a blunt instruwork forcet with which individuals divide themselves, whereas the positive spirituality advocated by Thompson grows out of human experiences, such as his first love.In this sense, the modified view of spirituality overlays traditional religious thought the titulary quilt blanket commands on a totemic significance, like that of a saints body part. This is qualifiedting enough, as Thompson presents the kindred with Raina as something sanctified and, non coincidentally, outside the realm of religion. Fittingly enough for a meta-narrative such as this, art forms the basis for Thompson to impose his own distinct narratives over the unfavorable narratives around him.This belief in transformative power becomes all important(predicate) when he discovers his blossoming sexuality he must realize it is not embodied by the abusive babysitter of his past, but in the relationship he possesses in the here and now. Raina represents the clearest presentation of actual spirituality in the text she presents the stability that Thompson craves so much, which is the only thing that really allows him to take solace. It is not coincidental that the two begin their relationship at countersign Camp in a camp that is ostensibly devoted to finding spiritual fellowship, both Thompson and Raina feel like they do not fit in.Accordingly, they must develop their own fellowship with each other, substituting their alone(p) friendship (and eventually erotic love) in place of the relationship with paragon that the camp is supposed to offer. This is one of the spiritual notions that Thompson hammers home quite a in effect the heart of a true spiritual relationship is one of intera ction. traditional spiritual models rely on following Gods pass on without having a real relationship with anything other than a personal adaptation of God as a social construct.Romantic love fills that motivation when spirituality falters. Rainas place as a saint-like person seems quite intentional in the text. The deform culminates, after all, with Thompson finally allow foring to cast his own path in lifebut by identification the work after the blankets on which he laid beside Raina, he situates the work as a kind of return to the grace and serenity he discovered in his relationship with her. In this sense, the ending of the work represents a kind of spiritual pilgrimage that Thompson is undergoing, with a remnant of Raina to guide him.In the spiritual spectrum, she seems like a successor to the understanding of Mary offered by Thompsons religious upbringing. In that conservative religious view, Mary represents the credit of women, but also their aloof subservience to the greater glory of men Mary is great because she delivered Jesus, but because of that sanctified relationship, a relationship with her is denied to pernicious 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 playing second fiddle to men. This continues the theme of spirituality as a matter of unity, rather than divisiveness. The final opponent with his parents represents the final necessary aspect of spirituality a willingness to seek common land in all living 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 assert the sovereignty of his own beliefs.They do not fully define him, as religious beliefs define their followers, because the innate aspect of Thompsons spirituality is that it is everlastingly 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 find Raina, but to use his memento of the time they shared as a way of finding a new relationship that will further help challenge and break his notion of spirituality. Interestingly, Thompson does not decry all religion as the enemy of spirituality.However, he does emphasize that religious dogma is often used as an excuse 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 lofty ambition to tell an grand story, but rather, a commitment to following the fault lines of human closeness and romantic relationships all the way to their inevitable quakes.Unwilling to move the television camera away (so to speak), Thompson does the audience one better b y showing the easily process of picking up the pieces and trying to rearrange a Picasso-esque fuddle into a self-constructed identity that he can actually 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 seeking completion.