Revised: Humanizing Tone and Wilderness Experience in the Book of Mormon

As I have spent time reading the BOM as a I would any literary work, I've come to realize that each separate writer in the book has a noticeably distinct voice and style. I've focused my study on a few examples of BOM prophets who's tone and voice are the product of their own specific life experiences and their separate but specific purposes. These distinct voices also bleed into a theme of surviving the difficulties that life presents. 


One young BOM author displays a unique and touching voice as he writes after some influential moments in his life. When his father passes away in the wilderness, Nephi feels the pain that we all have felt upon the loss of a loved one. In what is known as the psalm of Nephi, we see his raw feelings of pain caused by the loss of his father, the reality of his imperfect state as a human being, and joy that comes from the knowledge of a divine purpose to life. Nephi exlaims, "My God hath been my support; he hast led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness." Nephi's purpose is to help his readers be loyal to God so that we too can find strength in difficult times as we pass through our own afflictions in "the wildernesses" of our own lives. Coping with loss is a part of life, and Nephi's voice not only speaks to his distinct style, but provides readers with an example to follow in times of loss. 

Moroni is the last writer in the BOM. His people were slaughtered by his enemies and he is left alone to make the journey to bury the record (that would one day become the BOM) so it could be recovered in the latter days by Joseph Smith. Finding himself in complete solitude and knowing that there would be many different audiences reading his work, he writes that people will one day "mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing." Moroni is aware of his human weaknesses and acknowledges that he is not "mighty in writing." Anyone who writes can relate to this fear, but Moroni pushes through this human feeling of inadequacy to write what he considers to be important for future generations to read. 

These human feelings of inadequacy, pain, and rejoicing are central to the purpose and relatable elements of the BOM that bind each of the writers' entries together. As readers focus on each prophet's distinct tone and style of writing, I think it adds to the authentic human qualities of the book. 

In Connection with the Past: Humanizing the Book of Mormon

One of the most instinctual characteristics of the human species is our emotional and physical connection with the past. We visit historical places, treasure old family stories, and seem to constantly inform the present with what we understand from the past. The people that wrote experiences in the Book of Mormon not only did it so we could have a record of the past and its lessons, but so they could follow a legacy that others had laid before them. Reading the Book of Mormon with this in mind further reveals the human elements it contains.

Like many of us today, prophets of the BOM would use the past to find strength to complete difficult tasks. When Nephi and his family face the monumental task of retrieving records from Laban, Nephi encourages his brothers by referring to stories from their common past, which happen to also be scripture. He says, "Let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither." He helps his brothers find strength from stories from the past and they gain the confidence to move forward.

Some prophets in the BOM show that they are learning lessons from the past. When Ammon is teaching King Lamoni about the existence of God, he makes a point to talk about their ancestors and the mistakes they fell into. The record states in Alma 18 that Ammon "rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel...he expounded unto them all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem." I think it's interesting that among the gospel topics of the Creation, the Fall, and the Plan of Redemption, Ammon chose to include elements from his and King's own ancestral past. Their present conditions and traditions were deeply connected with the rebellions of Laman and Lemual, thus Ammon saw a connection that would allow them to learn from those past mistakes and move towards a more righteous and prosperous future.

All throughout the BOM we see references to the past. While these references fulfill a number of purposes, but they collectively represent the human element of being aware of and connected to our past.

Humanizing the Book of Mormon

     For those of us who love the feel of fine words and exquisite language on our tongues and inspiring, thought provoking stories in our heads, literature is of great value. Literature is the cozy, plush armchair we snuggle into for comfort, solitude, and a quest for higher places. We search for it, we devour it, we create it. And at times, we are even taken by surprise by it, taken aback by its unforeseen and unexpected appearance in places we thought we knew.

     For those of us who love perusing through the words of Nephi and the account of Alma, and wondrous, though provoking stories in our heads, the Book of Mormon is of great worth and precious to the heart. It is sacred scripture, the word of God. Yet, just as literature, it is also the cozy armchair we snuggle into for comfort, solitude, and a quest for higher places. And we are surprised and awed by its content as well.

     I love both literature and the Book of Mormon, and as I have come in contact with both, I have realized that the Book of Mormon, though scripture, is great literature. Think about it. Everyone familiar with good literature knows that in order for a story to work, to come to life, to connect with one and offer to us something great and valuable, there needs to be certain things present. One of those things is imagery. Detail and description is what draws us into the story, what make it real for us. And if it is real, then we connect with a story, a person, on a much deeper level.
     
     The Book of Mormon is filled with imagery and description and details that suck me in as if I was there, experiencing and witnessing the same thing our ancestors did. I am there alongside Nephi, bound by his brothers on the ship through the frightening storm as he describes it in the following words, “there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days…And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore. And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea.” (1 Nephi 18: 13-15)            
     
     I can feel and picture the devastated state of Nephi’s parents due his brothers’ abuse because he describes it: “Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God; yea, their grey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave” (1 Nephi 18: 18).            

     I stand amongst the crowd getting ready to listen to King Benjamin as I picture the scene being unfolded and described: “And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about…every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them” (Mosiah 2: 5-7).

     There are so many more instances such as this and the Book of Mormon is a magnificent old world you can get sucked into if you let yourself be enveloped by the imagery and description in it.  Read in this manner, as literature, through imagery and description, I have gained more empathy towards those people of old. They’re sufferings, their joys, have become mine and I have a better understanding of their world. And because I do, I have a greater craving to read this book, to read the word of God, to be sucked into its teachings, into its action, into its peace and gain something of value and worth, just like any great literature should impart on us.

Dreams and Visions: Two Perspectives on the Tree of Life

Is there a difference between a dream and a vision?

Lehi and Nephi both see revelations of a tree of life, an iron rod, a great and spacious building, and brilliant, white fruit. But while Lehi presumably received his while he was sleeping, saying “I have dreamed a dream,” Nephi receives his while he is awake, pondering in his heart.

Though they apparently saw the same things, Lehi and Nephi describe them differently. Lehi tells his dream as a narrative, explaining how he and his family traveled through the darkness, followed the rod of iron, received persecution from the masses, and eventually found the tree of life. In contrast, Nephi describes his vision as a series of images--the same darkness, iron rod, spacious building, and tree--and he explicates their meanings as given to him by the angel. While Lehi’s dream remains limited to the perspective of the family, Nephi’s vision is more universal: it prophesies the fall of the spacious building, as well as the coming of the Savior.

I read these two revelations very differently. When I read Lehi’s dream, I am swept up in the imagery and the narrative. I imagine my own family pushing forward through the darkness, being tempted by the crowds, clinging to the iron rod. The texture of Lehi’s storytelling makes me more empathetic to the story, more self-reflective of my own spiritual responsibility. On the other hand, when I read Nephi’s vision, I scan the verses looking for doctrine. I accept as principles the explications that the angel gives. I read the vision both as a set of symbols and as a prophetic account for what will occur in the future.

Form, in the case of these two accounts, determines what I get out of them as a reader. This is something that occurs all over the Book of Mormon. Sometimes the authors write very personally, using rich narratives and descriptions; other times, they write like the Ten Commandments, laying down the law impersonally and non-figuratively. It is fascinating to me that Nephi and Lehi seem to separate these two styles into dreams and visions; it makes me wonder if dreams can be taken as dogma, or if visions can ever pass for poetry.

Then again, Lehi’s own statement--”I have dreamed a dream, or, in other words, I have seen a vision”--may suggest that there is almost no difference between dreams and visions at all.

Humanizing Tone and Wilderness Experience in the Book of Mormon

Critics of the Book of Mormon often claim that book came about from a single writer, Joseph Smith. As I have spent time reading the book as a I would any literary work, I've come to realize that each separate writer in the book has a noticeably distinct voice and style. I've focused my study on a few examples of BOM prophets who's tone and voice are the product of their own specific life experiences and their separate but specific purposes.

Nephi is a young man. His father led his family from the city where they grew up and took them on a journey towards a new land where they could thrive and be protected from persecution. While his brothers understandably struggle with leaving their lives behind, Nephi stayed firm and loyal to his father and to God. When his father passes away in the wilderness, Nephi feels the pain that we all have felt upon the loss of a loved one. In what is known as the psalm of Nephi, we see his raw feelings of pain caused by the loss of his father, the reality of his imperfect state as a human being, and joy that comes from the knowledge of a divine purpose to life. Nephi exlaims, "My God hath been my support; he hast led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness." Nephi's purpose is to help his readers be loyal to God so that we too can find strength in difficult times as we pass through our own afflictions in the wilderness.

Moroni is the last writer in the BOM. His people were slaughtered by his enemies and he is left alone to make the journey to bury the writings those before him to be recovered in the latter days by Joseph Smith. Finding himself in complete solitude and knowing that there will be many different audiences reading his work, he writes that people will one day "mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing." Moroni is aware of his human weaknesses and acknowledges that he is not "mighty in writing." Anyone who writes can relate to this fear, but Moroni pushes through this human feeling of inadequacy to write what he considers to be important for future generations to read.

These human feelings of inadequacy, pain, and rejoicing are central to the purpose and relatable elements of the BOM that bind each of the writers' entries together.

Written for Humanity

Image courtesy of deseretbook.com

When reading a novel, poem or essay, I don't like when I am given the "moral of the story" within in the first paragraph.  I like to analyze and search and even create my own meaning.  Where is the fun when the answer is blatantly stated?  However, I have one exception: the Book of Mormon.  When I read the scriptures, I want to be told and carefully guided the answer.  I've been taught that we can find answers and happiness in the scriptures so I'd rather receive inspiration and knowledge sooner rather than later.  Sometimes though, as I'm sure most people will find, I don't always understand what I am reading; Whether it be the the message, the language or the context I am unsure.

As I have been reading from the Book of Mormon these past few months, I have noticed a common occurrence: a statement of intended language.  In 2 Nephi 31: 2-3, Nephi states that he will speak in plain language and he emphasizes "plain" multiple times.  He says "I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according the the plainness of my prophesying".  The prophets of the Book of Mormon write to enlighten and engage our understanding; They do not write to confuse or misguide.  Just like if we want to convey something clear and essential, we do not do so in difficult terms.  We tell it like it is.  The Book of Mormon is meant to be understood by humanity for it was written for humanity.  Nephi testifies "For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding".  The Book of Mormon was not only written for scholars or prophets but for us. It was written plainly and is meant to be understood.

Finding Testimony in Strange Ways

Reading the Book of Mormon as literature as rendered some insights that I did not expect when I started the process. I am a very calculated reader in most cases. For example, I always read SparkNotes alongside any novel I am reading because I want to make sure nothing is going over my head that I wouldn't have caught otherwise. Pertaining to the Book of Mormon, I have always read it with a specific purpose in mind. Sometimes, I read through looking for examples of faith. Other times, patience. Other times, how to build a relationship with God. But this read through has been interesting because my approach has been open and unscripted. 

I have made a conscious effort to simply do a close reading and see what comes of each chapter. As a result, i have learned things I did not foresee myself learning which have strengthened my testimony of the Book of Mormon. Here are just two short examples: 

1. Strange Details 

The Book of Mormon was not written by perfect people, and it certainly wasn't written by perfect authors with respects to story development and conventional literary knowledge. However, some of the red herring details have actually strengthened my testimony. 

For example, in 1 Nephi 2:6, Nephi describes himself as being "exceedingly young, nevertheless being of large stature" before diving into his anxiety to know the truth from God. Why would Nephi mention his size in relation to his age and its connection to his spiritual disposition? I had a friend once who read Nephi's writings as if Nephi had an unrestrained ego, but that is not what I read here. I see a man giving a simple detail of interest to better allow the reader to picture and understand him. It would be similar to me saying, "I, Nick, being exceedingly young and a little less coordinated than your average teenager." These little details, for me, are glimpses into a man who actually lived, and an author who (perhaps without much thought or literary foresight) simply described a cardinal attribute about himself that he considered indistinguishable from a full depiction of himself.

2. Appreciation for Imperfect Characters

More than appreciation for the characters themselves, I have come to appreciate the imperfect assumptions they make when faced with new situations. For instance, when the brother of Jared sees the finger of God, he has many options to react. Surely, anyone would feel humbled. One could feel overjoyed, disbelieve the sight, or at peace at first glance. But this is not his reaction. Instead, the brother of Jared states, “I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.” What does this tell us about the brother of Jared’s assumptions about God? Did he perhaps misunderstand the rebukes of God in earlier occurrences as signs of a temperamental and harsh personality? Surely not everyone would immediately conclude that God would smite them upon seeing him. It is insights like these that have me looking deeper into a text I felt I knew so well, but keep learning from.

Rack, Shack, and Benny.

I remember Sunday school, growing up there was a girl who was one of my best friends in my age group. She came from a big family and I remember her impressive abilities to recite the stories from the Old and New Testament in the Bible, just like that. It came from her parents teaching their children Bible stories via the kids cartoon, Veggie Tales. When I would go to her house, we would sometimes watch this show and it was highly entertaining while also being somewhat informative. Her favorite bible story was about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, but as per learning it from Veggie Tales, she affectionately called them Rack, Shack, and Benny and could only remember them as vegetables. I was always so impressed by her ability to remember these stories, however child-like they were. It was as if she was really learning about these individuals, not just about the stories.

As one studies the Book of Mormon, one might take the same approach my dear childhood friend took as she learned the names, even used the nicknames given in the cartoon. There may not be cartoon reenactments of the stories and histories found in the Book of Mormon, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from creating their own reenactments. How many movies are based on actual historical events? How many plays simply recreate a history so students can actually learn them properly? Because really, what high school student (or most college students for that matter) cracks open their history textbook before the test comes around? Reading scripture is hard—totally worth it. But still hard. So, to humanize the ‘stories’ we read about in the Book of Mormon, we need to visualize them actually happening, with real people, in real situations.

Maybe someday I can be as familiar and comfortable with the history of the peoples found in the Book of Mormon as my friend was with Rack, Shack, and Benny.

Comparing Characters: Captain Moroni and Amalickiah

One of my favorite people in the Book of Mormon has always been Captain Moroni. He's a courageous man who wrote the Title of Liberty and led the Nephites to victory against the Lamanites on multiple occasions. You can't get much better than Captain Moroni. I mean, not many people can be described like he is in Alma 48:17: "Yea, verily, verily say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever."
Talk about a great guy!
Around the same time we meet Captain Moroni, we also meet Amalickiah, a wicked, former Nephite who uses deception and trickery to become king of the Lamanites. Amalickiah is described as being "a man of cunning device and . . . of many flattering words" (Alma 46:10) and "a very subtle man to do evil" (Alma 47:4).
In other words, not a great guy.
Though I've read the Book of Mormon many times, during my most recent reading I noticed something new concerning these two individuals. One of the most righteous men and one the most wicked men in the Book of Mormon are discussed simultaneously, contrasting the two. The Book of Mormon switches back and forth between Amalickiah's actions and Captain Moroni's actions, showing their similarities and differences.
Amalickiah and Captain Moroni are similar in that they both use strategy to accomplish their goals. They're both powerful leaders and they lead armies into battle. They're both Nephites and highly persuasive.
However, they also have some very distinct, important differences. Captain Moroni follows the prophet. Amalickiah is a dissenter. Captain Moroni is righteous and fights for the freedom of his people. Amalickiah is wicked and fights for power and his own selfish gains. (In literary words, these two are a foil to each other).
In comparing these two I saw in a new way the power that one righteous man (Captain Moroni) can have and the power that one wicked man (Amalickiah) can have. Moroni led his people to victory and protected their freedoms. Amalickiah led his people to death and destruction, his own life being taken on the battle field as he attempted to overthrow the Nephites.
And I learned all of this through simple comparison.

Statue of Captain Moroni by Josh Cotton; Image from Wikimedia