THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO -CHAPTERS 20-22

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - CHAPTERS 20-22

Starting to wrap things up to take a Christmas break, so I'm posting a little early this week!

- This week our community has been rocked by a terrible tragedy involving teen brothers, a friend lost a sibling unexpectedly, and it was the 1 year anniversary of the passing of a close friend of mine. With these things floating around in my head as I opened my book to begin Chapter 20, Dumas' description of Abbe and the gulf of death that now separates him from Dantes was very real. It's amazing how HOPE has been such a theme so far in this book, and it is the HOPE we have in Christ that we cling to in the face of these losses.

- We begin to see Dantes' HOPE pendulum swing in the face of this loss. For a moment the idea of suicide returns, but Dantes is an honorable man with a " thirst for life and freedom." With this in mind a plan goes into action, a parting gift from Abbe that he never knew he gave, a chance at life again.

-Similes abound in our text

  -about suicide "returned like a ghost and rose up beside Faria's corpse."

  -when he realizes the possibility of escape " his gaze fixed, like a man who has been suddenly struck with an idea .."

   -when he hits the water "he plunged like an arrow into icy water "

-Let's talk about Dantes metaphorical "baptism/rebirth" into his new life 14 years later. Sewn into the burial sack, dumped into the water, reborn from a womb of death, a new man emerges. Who exactly that man is we haven't discovered yet. Interestingly the story points out to us after his shave, fresh clothes, change in features from imprisonment, his best friend wouldn't have recognized Dantes.

-An internal oath was made by Dantes, and we, the reader, are now aware of it. Vengeance. It has become a reality as Dantes is now free.

-The Smugglers- we are introduced to two main things that stuck out to me about them. First one of the smugglers has been named to us, Jacopo, and it is clear that there is a dedication and friendship forming between Dantes and him. The second is the appearance of the Island of Monte Cristo. Foreshadowing is in the air.

Thoughts and comments?