How to use this Page

Book description:

Olive is a gentle, friendly dove who wants to help her friend Noah, his family and the other animals with her on the ark. She tries to soothe them during the rain and has an important assignment, to discover when it's safe to venture from the ark after the flood. Suggested age range for readers: 4-8

My thoughts...

This is a lovely picture book to read and enjoy. In her simple, lyrical language, most appropriate for young children, talented children's author Connie Arnold tells the story of Noah, his Ark, and the Flood. At the heart of it is Olive, the beautiful dove, who has a most important job to do in this already most important tale. The tone is calming and peaceful, making this book not only educational but also perfect as a bedtime story. I really enjoyed the colorful illustrations by Kathleen Bullock. They really fit and suit the story. Children will have fun pointing out all the animals both in the Arc and under the seas. I truly recommend this delightful picture book for young children!

Purchase from Amazon and Guardian Angel Publishing

Visit the author's website at: http://childrenbooks.webs.com 

Add a Comment

SCENE: ANGIE'S APARTMENT.

ANGIE scans the telephone directory

ANGIE
Good I kept this old phone directory. Let's see here... H....J...N...What would he be listed, under? Duh! I'm so dense! Logically, has'ta be under boat building. If only I could remember the name of his company. The Ark Store? Try that. Good a name as any. Nope - not listed. How about...Arks for All... This is  ridiculous. They're a gazillion possibilities. Maybe he gave up his land phone, which would make this search an exercise in futility. Should have been nicer to him. I mean, he is old and all and meant well I suppose...and he did introduce me to a decent guy even though it didn't work out...What did I do in return in the way of thanks? Told him to take his ark and...

Phone rings. ANGIE answers

ANGIE
Hello?

She hears heavy breathing

ANGIE (cont'd.)
Anybody there?

Still more heavy breathing

ANGIE
Do we have us a pervert, here? Really, your type are so obvious. Disgusting, vile, dregs of the earth...

NOAH
Guess who?

ANGIE
...sewer slime... Noah? That you?

NOAH
Bad cold...

(he sneezes and coughs)

ANGIE
Good that you stopped me. I was about to direct some very bad language at what I thought was one of those heavy breather pieces of garbage that pollute the earth...

NOAH
(sneezes)
I understand you were trying to reach me?

ANGIE
I misplaced your number and was trying to touch base with you again, but how did you know?

NOAH
(coughing)
Let's just say that - (sneezes) -

ANGIE
...bless you...

NOAH
I am that. As I was saying...I have connections. What's up?

ANGIE
I've been thinking things over and - well - perhaps I've been too rash in my judgement of your project

NOAH
(coughing and blowing his nose)
As I recall in our last conversation, you made it clear that you didn't want to hear from me ever again

ANGIE
That was then. This is now. Sometimes my mouth gets the better of me and things roll out of my mouth that I don't mean

NOAH
As in?

ANGIE
Not giving you the benefit of the doubt and questioning your authenticity. I should have trusted in you but nooooo... Instead I gave you your walking papers or in this case, your sailing papers...

NOAH
Are you trying to say you've re-considered helping me rebuild the ark?

ANGIE
You got it - if you'll have me

NOAH
How do I know that you won't lose interest like before. Time is marching on and bad weather is just around the corner.

ANGIE
 Let's just say that I've come to the realization that there are more important things in life than finding mister right

NOAH
(sneezing repeatedly)
No time like the present to get back to work.

ANGIE
Where do we start?

NOAH
There are some conditions, though

ANGIE
I knew it was too good to be true

NOAH
Nothing that you can't handle

ANGIE
Like?

NOAH
Your duties will include keeping the interior of the ark clean, when it's built of course

ANGIE
You have to be joking. All those animals...

NOAH
I'm not finished. You will also have to play the roll of peace maker

(NOAH sneezes)

ANGIE
Bless you!

NOAH
I am

ANGIE
But...there are so many species. How do I communicate with them?

NOAH
Darn if I know but I have every confidence you'll find a way. Time is marching on and there's a lot to do. I'll  send Roger to come pick you up

ANGIE
Would this be the male representation to me? I better wash my hair...and pick my wardrobe to take with me...don't want to give a first bad impression...

NOAH
Really - Roger doesn't care about those things

ANGIE
Has he seen a photo of me, perchance?

NOAH
I did show him the one that we took together. Roger never forgets a face

ANGIE
Oh really?

NOAH
I'm sending him over to pick you up. He should be there in ten minutes.

ANGIE
Hello...? Noah...? Better get dressed for the occasion. Want to make a good impression

(Ten minutes later the doorbell rings. ANGIE opens the door)

ANGIE (cont'd)

Just a minute...com-ing! I've heard so much about you...

(Angie opens the door and jumps back)

ANGIE (cont'd.)
You're...Roger?

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

By Y. S. Chen

Aronofsky’s Noah movie has aroused many criticisms for the ways it has rewritten the biblical story of the Flood. It is observed that not only has the movie added extra materials to, as well as removed original elements from, the biblical account, but more seriously it has also modified and darkened the character of Noah and even of God.

The degree by which the movie has adapted the biblical story and the characterisations of the characters has offended the religious and theological sensibilities of many who have watched the movie that others who haven’t watched it are reluctant or refuse to watch it.

In analyzing the rewriting of the biblical account, one can point out several factors involved: interpretation, elaboration, engagement with contemporary issues, exploration of certain biblical and theological issues, and dramatic representations.

The movie has faithfully followed the Bible by interpreting the Flood from a moralistic perspective. It has highlighted the violence of Cain’s descendents, especially in their brutal killing and devouring of animals.

By contrast, Noah’s family is depicted as herbivore, which is evidently based on the fact that the permission to eat animals was only given by God after the Flood in the biblical account. The emphasis the movie gives to this issue suggests that the producer intends to engage viewers on relevant issues such as food production and consumption in modern society.

Click here to view the embedded video.

There are a number of instances where the movie has creatively interpreted the Bible to make the Flood story more coherent, believable, or dramatic. For example, to connect the Flood with the creation, the movie has portrayed Noah dropping the magic seed (presumably brought from the Garden of Eden) in the barren soil. This instantly brought out an Eden-like eco-system, from which Noah drew resources to build his ark.

The movie also portrays six stone colossi–the Watchers (possibly based on the Nephilims in the Book of Genesis)–helping Noah and his family build the ark and defend them from the hostile people. Without such superhuman assistance, it would be difficult, in the view of the movie maker, to fathom how they could have achieved the task and have done so without interruption from the hostile people. Furthermore, the animals in the ark were put in hibernation mode under the effect of the herbal medicine in order to ensure that they would stay still and don’t have to devour each other.

The most salient divergence between the Bible and the movie is how Noah is characterised in relation to God and his family. This divergence starts to unfold in the movie when Noah obeyed God and only chose to take his three sons (Shem, Ham and Japheth), his wife, and their adopted daughter (Ila) into the ark (whereas in the biblical account, God commanded Noah to take his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, which Noah did).

This act of obedience leads to the following conflict between Noah and his family. Though Shem and Ila were in love, Ila was barren. As far as Noah could see, despite the family was spared from the Flood, without the ability to reproduce it (and the entire human race) would not be able to carry on. Ham, seized by the fear of not being able to have a spouse and children, approached Noah for solutions. Noah responded by saying that he trusted that God would provide. But facing reality, he acquiesced when Ham decided to go out to search for a wife.

Though the search seemed successful at first, the girl whom Ham planned to bring on board was caught in an animal trap and had to be abandoned in order for Noah and Ham to flee from the approaching crowd who tried to kill them. The resentment Ham harboured against Noah eventually led him to allow Tubal-Cain to remain hiding in the ark and even to conspire with the latter to kill his father as an act of revenge for abandoning his prospective wife. Clearly, this episode is a creative rewriting of the Flood story in an attempt to explain the obscure tension between Noah and Ham and his son Canaan, as in the Genesis.

As Ila’s barrenness was healed through the blessing of Noah’s grandfather Methuselahand she became pregnant through Shem, the movie shows another clash between Noah and his family. For Noah, having the offspring went against God’s will which seems to terminate the human race. As an act of obedience to God’s command, he tried to kill his two granddaughters Ila gave birth to, regardless of the bitter petition and opposition of the rest of the family. It was only in the last moment when he raised the knife over his granddaughters that his mind changed because his heart was suddenly full of love for them.

Some reviewers argue that Noah misinterpreted God’s will in the movie and became a cold-blooded monster and a religious fanatic. But those who are versed in the Book of Genesis would recognise that the movie is trying to explore a crucial theme in biblical religion: obedience by transporting the story of testing of Abraham into the story of Noah (though this merging has created some problem with the coherence of the movie).

Notice the parallel between Sarah and Ila who were barren at first and then were given the ability to conceive. And just like Isaac to Abraham, the two granddaughters were provided by God, presumably as prospective wives for Ham and Japheth, to extend the family line of Noah and the rest of humanity. As in God’s testing of Abraham, in the movie it seems that God’s testing of Noah’s obedience only concluded when Noah was just about to kill his granddaughters. Similar to the biblical account of the offering of Isaac, the movie tries to explore the extent by which one has to be willing to sacrifice in order to obey God’s will.

The fact that, unlike the biblical story of Abraham, there was no apparent divine voice to guide or command Noah makes the testing more real and acute. Though Noah didn’t end up killing his granddaughters, his relationship with his family was seriously damaged (a consequence which is not addressed in the biblical story of Abraham).

As a result of his alienation from his family, he resorted to alcoholism—a creative interpretation of the episode of Noah’s drunkenness after the Flood in the Book of Genesis. All of these prove the price or cost Noah was willing to, and indeed did pay for his radical obedience to God.

The innovative ways the Noah movie has rewritten the biblical Flood story may be new, and even disturbing, to many modern viewers. But for those who are acquainted with post-biblical traditions and interpretations, such style of rewriting biblical stories was common, especially during the Second Temple period (516 BC–AD 70), see James Kugel, Traditions of the Bible (1998). For example, in the Testament of Abraham (Recension A) , the biblical figure of Abraham was recharacterised in the light of Moses, Elijah and Elisha to address the theological issues of divine justice and mercy. The ways the Noah movie has adapted the Bible may be unfamiliar to the modern audience, but the central issue it addresses is fundamentally biblical (see also the teaching of Jesus on the cost of discipleship).

If the Noah in the movie is no longer the same Noah as found in the Bible it is because in the latter half of the movie he began to behave like Abraham; the God in the movie, however, remains the same.

This is the God who abhors sin and wickedness, who would purge corruption by drastic measures in order to preserve his creation and his chosen people, and who is ready to test the limits of the obedience of his followers in order, ultimately, not to harm, but to give them hope and a future.

Y. S. Chen is Research Fellow in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Wolfson College, University of Oxford. His recent research focuses on the conceptual, literary and socio-political processes and mechanisms through which ancient Mesopotamian and biblical traditions related to the origins of the world and early world history developed. His monograph The Primeval Flood Catastrophe: Origins and Early Development in Mesopotamian Traditions was published through Oxford University Press (2013).

Subscribe to the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Subscribe to only religion articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Image credit: Noah’s Ark By Sakotch. CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. (2) By FUJISHIMA Takeji (1867 – 1943). Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The post A different Noah, but the same God appeared first on OUPblog.

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

5 stars Bible Detective: A Puzzle Search Book Peter Martin Lion Children's Books 48 Pages   Ages: 4+ .............. ……………………. Are  you a super sleuth? Have you got an eagle eye?  Back Cover:  This book is a treasure trove of fabulously detailed pictures from the world of the Bible. You’ll have hours of fun trying to [...]

Add a Comment

Reading Level: Young Adult Format: EBook Publisher: Self-Published 3/1/12 Parasols: 4

Noah is a 19 year old personal trainer who is also an up and coming boxer. An orphan who was in foster homes, he lives for the ring and the gym. Veronica Cruz has lost her mother to cancer. Depressed, she has put on 40+ pounds on her 120 lb frame. So her friend, Nellie, does what any good friend would do. She forces to a gym where she got free one-week passes. Of course, Veronica is not particularly pleased that this gym is more of a boxer's gym then say the local one at the mall. Noah has been itching to train and when the two ladies walk in, the owner gives them to him. Of course he's not particularly happy to help two older women who probably want to lose the baby weight. It goes from bad to worse, when Noah tells the women he has to weight them to chart their progress, Veronica absolutely refuses to step on the scale (normal reaction, I would hate it too!); He looks her over and tells her that he could possibly guess her weight by looking at her. At that she gives him a number, 160lbs, he writes 165, and when he walks away, she gets on and is pissed off when he guess within 2lbs. 167. Noah, doesn't want to scare the women off and he could use the money so he tries to go easy on them, but for women who are out of shape and dressed inappropriately. Really, Veronica wore sweatpants and a sweat shirt, but refuses to remove them. Having and extremely good looking trainer watching her sweat and seeing the t-shirt cling to her rolls just doesn't interest her. After Nellie has a serious asthma attack after finding out her husband is cheating on her. She begs Veronica to head back to the gym the next day. It will be good for her.

Veronica continues going to the gym alone and the end of the first week, she's lost a good amount of weight (5lbs), the second week, 6lbs. With Noah's help and her willingness, she finds herself becoming more and more comfortable at the gym. After the 11lb milestone she invites Noah out for a drink. This is where we find out the problem. Noah is 19 and therefore underage. Noah has guess Veronica to be about 22 or 23, it's not until she mentions that she's 28, that it all comes crashing down. But Noah is not your typical 19 year old (who is turning 20 in a week), he just likens numbers to air. It means nothing. When Veronica explains that she's nearly a decade older. He reminds that her 19 yo trainer got her to lose 11 lbs. Well he has a point! When Veronica shows up at the gym and Noah isn't there because of a leak in the roof at the garage that he lives in (it's quite a ferocious El Nino weather in LA), that she considers asking him if he'd like to rent a room in her house. She has three bedrooms and lives alone and wouldn't mind helping him out for bit. They've talked and she knows what his situation is like. When he agrees, things start to progress. Noah starts to notice Veronica more as she loses weight. She starts wearing clothes that are better suited for the gym, showing off curves that get the attention of the other guys in the gym. Of course that drives Noah crazy. Veronica is his. However, Veronica has a big issue with the age difference. She thinks that she can't have a relationship with him because they're in two different stages in their life. Noah doesn't believe that. He's a very old soul who just happens to be young. Veronica becomes wrapped up in Noah's life and he in hers. Although the heat is palpable, she does everything she can to not encourage him. Noah does everything he can to make the holidays that much better for her. Thanksgiving he makes a feast for her and her wall starts to crumble again. But when Noah heads over to his friend's Gio's house, Noah's holiday fuck buddy is there and she's got a car and is ready to break it in. In a moment of weakness, Noah takes off with Rita and well we know what happens there.

It's not until around the Christmas holidays that Veronica finds out about Rita and the jealousy ensues. Noah tries to explain that Rita means nothing and that Veronica means a lot more. Everything comes to a head on New Years Eve when Noah and Veronica's small gathering is crashed by a local gang. When one of the members make derogatory remark to Veronica, Noah goes after him and threatens him. When he heads back to Veronica and the party, the leader of the gang has come back and sucker punches Noah in a way that knocks him out. Once the guys and Veronica have Noah in his bed, he professes his love to Veronica and they finally kiss.

I loved Veronica and Noah's relationship. Age is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Noah teaches Veronica things that she never had with her ex-boyfriend. He makes her feel sexy and beautiful and young. But she's not willing to take the relationship that one step further. If she makes love to him, then their friendship has turned a corner and she's not willing to lose her best friend. With an ex-boyfriend trying to push his way back into her life (he left when her mother was dying because he couldn't deal with her depression. Yeah, great guy). Turns out that Veronica's ex was also the dean of the high school that Noah attended. Noah hates him with a passion and Derek has no qualms telling Veronica about Noah getting a girl pregnant, and drug trafficking. Of course, Derek may have stretched the truth a bit, but its enough to scare Veronica away from Noah. However, Noah, wants to know why she believes that piece of shit over him. (the irony here is that Derek is 8 years older than Roni, something that Noah let's her know repeatedly.) When he informs Veronica that he loves and that he's done, does Veronica do something about it. She gives herself to Noah. All of herself to him. A lovely contemporary love story that has everything in it. I love Elizabeth's style of writing. She enjoys writing alpha males who enjoy making love and having sex and falling completely and utterly in love.

I've read this one several times because I just love Noah in this story and his love for Veronica is amazing. I literally sigh every time I read it. He's this sexy alpha male who although is young, has lived an extremely hard life and is so mature for his age. Although there are factors that should and would keep the two apart, they manage to fight for what they both want. Noah is a sweet and caring person and Veronica has more love to bestow on him. Everything about this book was perfect. I've read the other book in the series, GIO, and I can't wait to see what happens with all of the guys at the 5th Street Gym.

Add a Comment

Display Comments Add a Comment