/lit/ - Literature

>>20836826
I outline still and make note of books that I want to revisit or read from the start. One example is I plan to do a historic fiction set in Biblical times. I don't just need to read the Bible but historic and religious texts of the surrounding nations I want to involve, as well as books regarding some of the themes I want to address, some biblical allegory fiction and some contemporary non-fiction.

>>19262513
I like moral irony in characters. There are some ironies that exist simply to confound us. Some things are our fault but sometimes hypocrisy is unavoidable. Take a character like Saul, who had the faith to walk through an army of Philistines alone and survived, and also prophesied. He died consulting a witch and killed himself in a war. Then you have Solomon who has a reputation for being wise, moral, and heaven-bound. He died a devil-worshiper and his legacy led to division of his country. The former many regard as absolutely going to hell, the latter absolutely going to heaven. Why?
I like characters with tragic flaws that appear contrary to their nature, and put them into positions out of their element as if someone is out to get them. It's not to refute them morally, but rather to question our seeking to justify everything that we do or happens to us.

>>18996477
Yes in the authorized King James version. It's one of the most pessimistic books in the Bible besides, in my opinion, Nahum, select Psalms and Lamentations. It makes the argument the world and all things within it are pointless, and only eschewing the world in hope that God might replace it all does King Solomon find the least bit of solace.

Keep in mind this is written by the son of King David, and Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines who eventually convinced him to worship devils later in his life. That led Judah down a dark path that eventually split the nation in two and have some (King Manasseh) even temporarily imprisoned by Babylonians for spreading devil worship, and likely blackmail, into other nations. My point being that similar to King Saul, Solomon appeared to lose hope end in the end and there's no indication that he turned back to God before death despite all the chastening he received. Nonetheless he received a spoken promise about his salvation.