Book Cover
Summary
In a religious suburb lives Jason Bock, a teenager fully aware that Catholicism is not his religious calling. One day after visiting the water tower with his friend Shin, an encounter with a violent bully, Henry, leads Jason to an intervention. While he lays on the ground beaten near to unconsciousness, Jason admires the water tower and creates the religion, Chutengodian. As Jason begins to develop this religion's rules and traditions, Shin (Jason's barricaded friend) , Henry (the one who beaten Jason into his idea), and Madge (girl from the church whom Jason has a deeper-than-crush feeling about) join in on the religion. Later we find that Jason starts to realize Chutengodian can only go so far until finding who the real authority is, as well as how serious each person is about the religion, especially Shin. In this hard hitting narration and eye opening realization on the wrong and rights of religion, Pete Hautman creates a genuine religiously confused teenager looking for someone or actually something to look up to. As well as a rebellion of forced belief.
Jason Bock Analysis
Jason Bock is described to a be a anti-social, chubby, and nerdy teenager. The real fascination of this character though, is that his religious confusion combines with his solid sullen attitude. As Jason overlooks Catholicism, Christianity, and the common traits of religion, we begin to realize how limited or ruled over we are by the morals and standards. Also, Jason's point-of-view gives us a chance to see why rebellion has risen over the idea of religion.
Now, since the book settles a endless debatable concept, does Jason's character give a solid base for the book? His solid attitude or bland less take to life can give him desperate reason to be confused or can you hold back his depressed view enough to see that his vision of religion is close to accurate. For example, Shin (Jason too average friend) might have been tougher or easier to give reason for no religious sense of direction. His blandness and normal life style might have been too unrealistic for us too believe his rebel against Catholicism since he has nothing to complain about, OR would he have realized how flat line his life was enough to seek a savior himself? Back to Jason Bock, would have his force of religion affected his rebellion? His parents being faithfully devoted, Jason wants and needs to back away from this overwhelming force of belief and for Jason to be given some freedom to learn from his mistakes or continue it might have let him feel comfortable into giving faith to Catholicism at his own pace.
Lets ask this question though, how serious was Jason Bock about Chutengodian? In the beginning it seems that his is effortlessly devoted to the religion and 100% proud of it since he began to let the religion roam freely to the new members but when Shin's devotion (may I say this is where we see that Shin just might have realized a spice to his life to appreciate it not initiate it) becomes too obsessive it question how far Jason is willing to go for Chutengodian. Also, when Madge joins the group, his attention settles on her and jealousy of whats going on between her and Henry isolate his attention for creating the religion. Far more compelling than the rest, in the end Jason completely abandons the religion and begins to jump into another one. So even if Jason is not fully aware of WHY he goes into any religion but the most notorious ones, can you assume he wants to look up to something other than the belief forced down his throat? Does he simply want to spice up his life with a new God? Does his religious confusion only maintain a small portion of his real problem, finding something to be happy about or look forward to? You decide and let me know on your comments.
Now, since the book settles a endless debatable concept, does Jason's character give a solid base for the book? His solid attitude or bland less take to life can give him desperate reason to be confused or can you hold back his depressed view enough to see that his vision of religion is close to accurate. For example, Shin (Jason too average friend) might have been tougher or easier to give reason for no religious sense of direction. His blandness and normal life style might have been too unrealistic for us too believe his rebel against Catholicism since he has nothing to complain about, OR would he have realized how flat line his life was enough to seek a savior himself? Back to Jason Bock, would have his force of religion affected his rebellion? His parents being faithfully devoted, Jason wants and needs to back away from this overwhelming force of belief and for Jason to be given some freedom to learn from his mistakes or continue it might have let him feel comfortable into giving faith to Catholicism at his own pace.
Lets ask this question though, how serious was Jason Bock about Chutengodian? In the beginning it seems that his is effortlessly devoted to the religion and 100% proud of it since he began to let the religion roam freely to the new members but when Shin's devotion (may I say this is where we see that Shin just might have realized a spice to his life to appreciate it not initiate it) becomes too obsessive it question how far Jason is willing to go for Chutengodian. Also, when Madge joins the group, his attention settles on her and jealousy of whats going on between her and Henry isolate his attention for creating the religion. Far more compelling than the rest, in the end Jason completely abandons the religion and begins to jump into another one. So even if Jason is not fully aware of WHY he goes into any religion but the most notorious ones, can you assume he wants to look up to something other than the belief forced down his throat? Does he simply want to spice up his life with a new God? Does his religious confusion only maintain a small portion of his real problem, finding something to be happy about or look forward to? You decide and let me know on your comments.
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