Ryan Schlipf

Period 4 Analysis of The Gift

3-17-2011

f a !ift "as offered# "o$ld yo$ accept it% There are so &any ad'ertise&ents that ha'e (i&ited Ti&e )nly plastered all o'er the&* These people ha'e !ifts to !i'e# +$t if yo$ procrastinate# the offer r$ns o$t* t,s li-e a free candy or ice crea& stand at the fair. it,s free for the ta-in!# +$t if yo$ "ait# they co$ld r$n o$t* So&eti&es# if yo$ "ait too lon! to accept a !ift# the opport$nity &ay pass and +e fore'er lost* This poe& doesn,t really ha'e any specific characters in it. rather# it !enerali/es to the "hole h$&an pop$lation* The poe& specifically tal-s of a !ift of for!i'eness for +ad deeds done in the past* 0'en &ore specifically# it portrays the !ift of 1hrist 2es$s of the 1hristian reli!ion# "hich can cleanse sins* t says the !ift is free to those "ho are "illin! to &a-e the co&&it&ent of acceptin! it# and there are re"ards for acceptin! the !ift# yet so&e choose not to accept the "ondro$s !ift* The !ift of 1hrist also is free to those "ho "ill accept hi&# yet there are those "ho choose not to accept hi&* n the poe&# it also says that "ith the !ift also co&es !reater life* The !reater life &entioned is referrin! to eternal life in hea'en* The poe& also says that the !ift does not co&e "itho$t sorro" or pain# +$t the !ift is co'eted +y those "ho "al-ed a"ay fro& it* 3ein! a 1hristian does not !$aranty that e'ery+ody "ill li-e yo$# +$t those "ho are not 1hristians "ill en'y the !ift yo$ ha'e* The poe& says that those "ho ha'e accepted the !ift do not re!ret the decision# and those "ho did no accept the !ift are s"allo"ed in deep despair* 4ost 1hristians "o$ld say that they do not re!ret +eco&in! a 1hristian and those "ho are atheists of sorts are &$ch &ore li-ely to s$ffer fro& depression* Those "ho ha'e accepted the !ift ha'e hardships# +$t the !ift !i'es the& the hope and "ill they need to

Ryan Schlipf

Period 4

3-17-2011

!et o$t of these sit$ations# and they !ro" to ha'e co&plete tr$st in the !ift* n &any places aro$nd the "orld# 1hristians s$ffer fro& persec$tion# +$t they rely on their faith and the po"er of 2es$s to !et the& thro$!h the +ad ti&es* The !ift holders also ha'e peace "hen they tr$st# for help is persistently present# e'en as 1hristians ha'e a peace "ith the (ord "hen they place their "hole tr$st in hi&* 1hristians also +elie'e that no &atter "here they are or "hat they are doin!# the (ord is al"ays "ith the&# hence that help is persistently present* 5hen done is done# "e face o$r end# the o"ners of this !ift re6oice# the ones "ho cared of &eanin!less thin!s# are lost fore'er and re!ret* This stan/a refers to "hen "e die and "e are 6$d!ed +y God# the 1hristians "ill re6oice +eca$se they are !oin! to hea'en# +$t the $nsa'ed "ill +e lost fore'er in hell and re!ret the decision they &ade* This poe& !i'es a !reat e7a&ple of "aitin! too lon! to recei'e a !ift* The analo!y of 1hrist is perfect for this sit$ation and the&e* f yo$ "ait to lon! to recei'e a !ift# the opport$nity &ay pass and +e fore'er lost*