Job



By Rachel Rant, Jessica Caves, Zoe Birt

Definition/Explanation of the Story (Background, Heritage, Chronology, Summary, etc.):
Job is the 18th book in the Bible and in the Hebrew Torah as well. It is one of the most famous books of the Bible. Two dominant themes of the book are the limits of human knowledge when it comes to divine things, and the question of why good people suffer. It is thought that Job was written between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.

Job is a wealthy man living is the land of Uz with his family and property. He is a good man who leads an upright life. One day while Satan is visiting God in heaven, they start talking about Job. God points out how good he is, but Satan claims that Job is only so good because his life has been so blessed. He challenges God to let him plague Job’s life to test Job’s devotion and good character. He thinks that Job will turn his back on God and curse him. God agrees, but mandates that Satan is not allowed to kill Job.

Job then receives news that all of his livestock, servants, and children have died or been killed. He is devastated and mourns for them, but still worships God. Satan then makes his entire body break out in horrible sores and some skin disease, and Job mourns and sits around. His three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar come to commiserate with him and talk to him. They blame the source of his affliction on some evil that he has committed toward God, and imply that he deserves his punishment. Job gets irritated because he knows he did nothing wrong, and questions why God is allowing this to happen. His friends become offended that he is dismissing what they say, and also worry that it’s not his place to question God.

Another friend of Job, Elihu, who is younger, suddenly enters the conversation. He states that its Job’s fault that he’s in his current position and that he has spent too much time talking and vindicating himself.

God interrupts through a whirlwind and asks Job a series of rhetorical questions that are intended to illustrate how little Job can understand about the power of God and his actions. He describes two of his larger creations, the Leviathan and Behemoth. Job praises how powerful God is and admits the limit of his human understanding. God is also upset with Job’s friends, but forgives them at the request of Job. He then rewards Job with twice as much prosperity as before.



A Place in Literature and How the Story Functions within a Specific Text:
//Adam's Apples//:

In //Adam's Apples//, Adam is a neo-Nazi who comes to a church for a place lay low for awhile. The preacher, Ivan, accepts him and tries to convert him. However, several misfortunes happen to Ivan during the time of Adam's stay, and Adam decides to challenge Ivan's faith due to what has happened recently.

Adam: "What if the devil isn't testing you?" Ivan: "What do you mean?" Adam: "What if it isn't him who's dogging you?" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "I see. You're reaching again. If not the devil then who? A little elf? Maybe all the birds, the cooker and the worms are just a coincidence? Is that what you're telling people? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "God." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "Pardon." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "God." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "I don't understand." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "What if God is on your case?" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "Why would He do that?" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "Because He hates you. I've read this book, Book of Job." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "Yes." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "You've read it, right?" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "No, it's about a crocodile. That's what I've heard." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "Yes, it's about a crocodile, but it's about much more. Remember God killed Job's cattle, his seven camels, his ten kids? He takes everything away from him and makes him a leper. Does that remind you of anything?" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "I never had a camel." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "Look at me. Look at me, Ivan! You know that God is behind this, right? God is not on your side, Ivan." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "Yes, He is." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "I don't believe any of this sh**. I just want you to know that it's God. The devil hasn't wasted any time on you. God wants to kill you. You're just so dense that you don't get it." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ivan: "Why are you doing this to me?" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Adam: "Because I'm evil. You can't change that."

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">In the Book of Job, Job was the recipient of several misfortunes of his own. His friends questioned why this was happening to him. They figured these acts were from God due to sins that Job hadn't confessed. However, Job knew he was an innocent man, and his faith in God remained firm.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">In //Adam's Apples//, Ivan is much like Job. Adam, although not Ivan's friend, serves as the "friend of Job" character since they questioned whether or not the misfortunes were from a divine hand. However, Adam is much harsher than any of Job's friends were and also serves as the "devil" character (who decided to challenge Job's faith) since he tries to convince Adam that God is upset with him and forcing his wrath upon him, challenging his faith (especially considering Adam blamed God).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Not only does this passage in the film reflect the story of the Book of Job, but it is also directly referred to when Adam says that he read the Book of Job and used it as evidence to support his claim that God hates Ivan.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Another example of a direct reference to the Book of Job can be found in the movie, //The Secretariat// (2010):

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">“Do you give the horse his might? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do you clothe his neck with strength? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do you make him leap like the locust? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">His majestic snorting is terrible. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">He paws in the valley, and exults in his strength…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">He laughs at fear, and is not dismayed … <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.” Job 39:19-24

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Job's Place in Literature and Examples of the Story in Mythology, Fairy Tales, Pop Culture Music, Contemporary Literature:
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Why it matters:** This story provides an example of why it's important to maintain good faith.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//The Secretariat//: In the beginning of the film, the opening scene gives an up-close sense of the sheer power, determination, and strength of the racehorse, Secretariat, just before his first race. They reference to this determination when they opened and closed with quotes from the Bible, Job 39:19-24.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//2012//: While some see this movie as just another disaster film, others saw the connection to the bible. The references they saw were the fact that the whole disaster started with solar eruptions in the sky (heavens), and in Job, the first signs of trouble came from heaven and the shaking of the earth. Also both stories mentioned Pole Shifts and Earth Quakes, and Volcanoes.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Other Related Films:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Mission: Impossible//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Danish Film: Adam’s Apple//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//A Serious Man//

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Tip-Offs":

 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Suffering without apparent cause
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Questioning divine intentions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Having everything and then losing everything

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Job Fill-in-the-Blank (in class activity):

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Two dominant themes:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Background:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Job is <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Satan thinks that is Job is punished, he will

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">God agrees to let him try it, but Satan can’t

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Three things Job cares about that die <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What happens to his skin:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">His three friends who come to mourn with/ comfort him: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What do they think is wrong?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What is Job’s reply?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Who enters the conversation? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">God asks Job to illustrate and describes.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">God then forgives and rewards Job with

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Name two movies that are related to Job: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2.