Author's Note: This is obviously my response to this spring's district assessment. I am not particularly my best piece, for the writing process was quick and it was not something I really wanted to write. In it, I respond to temptation primarily, and how humanity must learn to avoid it to maintain to a distinct purpose in life. The writing prompt didn't have a lot of content to elaborate on as much as I would've liked to, but there was a prominent archetype and occasional symbolism here and there.
Humanity has always faced temptation in several forms since the beginning of creation. Often thought of as a spiteful persuasion, temptation can change someone’s mindset into the vision of the tempter. In Jane Yolen’s short story “The Hundredth Dove”, the main character by the name of Hugh found himself wrapped in temptation. Temptation is a very cunning influence, and it can warp a person’s thought of their true desire.
All humans have emotions and preferences, and almost all of them are different in some way. When one may find their forte, temptation endeavors to lure them away from it. At the time that Jesus was on Earth, Satan attempted to tempt him into different things to prove his godliness. However, Jesus rebuked Satan, exclaiming he would obey His God. He avoided temptation alone, yet humans do not have the ability to do the same.
Humans become affected everyday by temptation in real life, and it is a key reason why literature includes it too. As the king’s fowler, Hugh strived so much to succeed at his goal of capturing one hundred doves. However, the last white dove gave him the most trouble, for he imagined it was speaking to him, influencing him for that matter. The influence that was made out by the dove was tempting him, which obviously forced him to kill it to succeed with his strive for success. Although the event with this dove probably was not realistically occurring, Hugh still was experiencing this thought in his mind, and is a plausible reference to the devil and his temptation. Just like the Bible tells us of Jesus in the desert, “The Hundredth Dove” exemplified how Hugh defeated his temptation, and proceeded to please his King, which may have symbolized the Lord in the short story.
The short story “The Hundredth Dove” was very clever in including a prominent archetype from the Bible. “Jesus is Tempted in the Desert” is an incredibly famous story in the Bible, and is completely relevant to the aforementioned story. In the story from the Bible, Satan tempted Jesus three different times to try to accomplish one task: prove Jesus’ holiness. Similar to the dove’s ambition, Satan hoped to distract Jesus from his intentions, which were to help people in distinct ways. After the dove tempted Hugh thrice, he was bewildered as to what he should do. Eventually he stayed on course, and killed the white dove to eliminate his foe. Although one of his hundred doves was dead, he still knew that he had met his goal, and that was good enough for him.
Life is composed of many obstacles and delays, and humans can only do what is possible to fight it and succeed with their will. As expressed by Hugh in “The Hundredth Dove” and in the Bible, temptation is not easy to overcome. It takes hard courage and a deep passion in life to conquer it, but it can be done. Temptation is very strong and influential, yet one can defeat it with devotion alone.
