While
reading and analyzing the book and novel Added Upon, it was easy to
critique and point fingers at the plot holes, sappy love stories, and literary
inconsistencies. Despite the flaws, there was a general consensus among the
class that “Added Upon” caused one to self-reflect and ponder the mysteries of
deity.
Does
that make this novel a success? Orson F. Whitney must have believed so. In his
“Home Literature” sermon, Orson Whitney highlights the importance of connecting
with the soul.
“It
is the heart, not simply the head, we must appeal to, if we wish to stir the
soul.”
I
believe that Nephi Anderson intended to do just that. More than trying to make
just an engaging and poetic work, it seems obvious to me that his intention was
to stir the human soul and Glorify God.
Orson
Whitney admonished that “You must be in earnest. You must feel what you write,
if you wish it to be felt by others.”
This
seems to be particularly evident in Part Five of Added Upon. In Part Five,
Nephi Anderson turns away from storytelling and starts writing poetically. He
ends the book with, “Thanks, Father, kind and good for what you’ve done; Thanks
for the added blessings which you bring.” This is a fitting ending when you
consider what Orson Whitney admonishes to future LDS writers. “But remember
this, ye writers and orators of the future! It is for God's glory. Not man's.”
Despite
imperfections in writing, Nephi Anderson caught the spirit of Orson F Whitney’s
Sermon to appeal to the heart of mankind and to reflect upon the Glory of God.
Despite doctrinal inconsistencies, there was a spirit of goodness and truth
that accompanied the book as it emphasized the importance of family, the Plan
of Salvation, and Jesus Christ
For me, Added Upon was so intriguing because it led to my own surmising as to what the pre-mortal existence and spirit world may be like. I agree, it was the spirit of the novel that made the reading so powerful. It leaves the reader deep in thought.
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