The Blood Brothers, Cain And Abel, And The Curse Of The Seven Children

Throughout the many stories of Genesis, sibling rivalry is a consistent theme. In both the story of Cain and Abel, as well as the story of Jacob and Esau, we see two brothers who compete against one another, one in each pair utilizing deceitful tactics to get what they desire. Specifically, in the 4th chapter of Genesis, we are faced with an interesting question. Does God designate one be the protector of those whom share our blood, or should we be fending for our own better interest? Furthermore, we may ask what it means to be one’s “brother’s keeper” as when Cain asks God if this is his duty (Genesis 4:10). It seems imperative to decide whether he is asking this in a sarcastic manor, or simply wants to know if this was a designated responsibility

The smell of musty cigarette smoke and booze invaded Russell’s nose as he sauntered over to the bar top, boots clicking on the grimy floor. He made his way over to his acquaintances with a purposeful stride and calmly ordered a bottle of bootleg liquor.

Levi listens to the gentle drumbeat of the rain as it hits the glass, rhythmic and soothing. They're a tangle of gold and pale limbs, him and Erwin, and Levi appreciates the heat Erwin's body radiates against his. It's rare they get to have moments like these—moments of security and warmth—and though he wouldn't go as far as saying he loves them, he certainly doesn't mind them. In fact, he rather enjoys them.

If ten bystanders were to witness the same crime, how many different interpretations of the scene would there be? All the opinions and viewpoints that arise from one scenario are very dependant on different variables. The same can be applied when analyzing the book of Genesis. One controversial topic is whether to take it literally or figuratively. Some of the different arguments supporting and opposing either side include; the original beliefs of the interpreter, the historical time frame, the different genres of writing in the book, and more. There are many perceptions of the book of Genesis being literal or figurative.

Livy’s rendition of Romulus and Remus and the story of Cain and Abel in the bible are two stories that, at first glance, appear to be comparable to each other. However, with deeper examination, both of the stories have differing deeper meanings, and begin to drift apart with more digging. Both stories have different purposes, with the myth Romulus and Remus giving a mythological origin to the Roman civilization. Meanwhile, the story of Cain and Abel revolves around favoritism and criticism. These two different interpretations are only one of the many differences between the two tales. However, both of them can be classified as creation myths, with Romulus and Remus creating the city of Rome, and Cain creating the city of Enoch. With this

Cain and Abel are the first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain is the eldest and Abel is the youngest. Cain is described as the tiller of the ground whereas Abel is the keeper of sheep. Both men know that God requires an offering, but the offering of Cain is quite different from that of Abel. Abel fears God, and because of this he offers the best of his flock to the Lord. He kills the animal and makes a sacrifice of blood. Abel understands that the shedding of innocent blood for the forgiveness of sin is acceptable. He also knows that this action of his is representative of surrendering his heart to God. By contrast, Cain brings what he has grown and gathered from the earth. In a way, a foolish man would think

For example they told about a man and a women in the beginning of time who lived in the sky world and one day the women was hungry and wanted some bark from the forbidden tree. Wait a second, that sound familiar, sound like the story of Adam and Eve that we know today. She fell through a hole near the tree and was caught by animals and began to build up this new area that was full of water my making land. The women had a child that she walked the lands with and helped create the land. Her daughter was then to bear twins. This is just like the story of Mary conceiving Jesus. The two twins were in constant competition trying to beat the other one one twin was born normally and the other through the armpit killing their mother. “As the twins became men full grown, they still contested with one another,” (pg 42). They created the animals, one would create a good one and the other would create one to kill the others animal therefore creating balance in the world. Just like today there is good and evil still working against each other to create a balanced

A boy longs for connection at the same time he feels the need to pull away, and this opens up an emotional divide. This struggle between his need for connection and his desire for autonomy finds different expression as a boy grows. But, regardless of their age, most boys are ill-prepared for the challenges along the road to becoming an emotionally healthy adult. Whatever role biology plays (and that role is by no means clear) in the ways boys are characteristically different from girls in their emotional expression, those differences are amplified by a culture that supports emotional development of girls and discourages it for boys. Stereotypical notions of masculine toughness deny a boy his emotional resources. We call this process,

Ellis claims that in order to understand the true significance of the duel, one must first consider the characters of the assailants, and the argument that brought them there. The Founding Fathers feared that if the federal government collapsed then it would result in war. Hamilton and Burr’s confrontation is a manifestation of this fear of collapse.

The novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck is an allegory to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, and many of its characters become embodiments of both good and evil. As they struggle to overcome what has been decided for them they are taught they hold the power to overcome and rise above their destiny’s. When the Hebrew idea of “timshel” is introduced to the allegory of Cain and Abel, it become apparent that whether life is predestined or not; mankind holds the ultimate ability of deciding what will become of himself. Adam’s choice to move on from Cathy, Cal’s decision to

Luke 15:11-32 is one of the most famous parables in the Bible. It is the parable of the prodigal son. This parable is about a son who runs away with his inheritance, wastes all of it, and then comes back home to his father’s open arms. Tim Keller goes more in depth into this parable with his book The Prodigal God. In this book, Keller compares the two sons’ sins, “two brothers, each of whom represents a different way to be alienated from God, and a different way to seek acceptance into the Kingdom of heaven” (9). Throughout the book, comparisons can be made between the younger brother’s sin and the older brother’s sin. The younger brother was selfish and

Booker T Washington, photo retrieved from the image archives, index04B4RVIR from the New York Public Library. Booker T. Washington in Public Domain (Free Copy Right Use).

When studying any piece of literature there are many different methods and techniques that can be used. The Bible, in specific, is often referred to as a source of moral code, hope, and answers to social, ethical, and political questions. However, this incredibly influential book can also be read as if it were any other novel. The events, settings, and characters can all be evaluated for what they are, forgetting the notion that they are from a religious text. This approach is called narrative criticism. When regarding to the Bible in this way, we do not need to know any historical information or focus on seeking a deeper theological meaning. Instead, the stories are evaluated in terms of how

When I was younger my brothers and I would fight over the attention and gratitude of my parents. From reading the Stories of brothers in the Bible I have discovered that brothers have been fighting ever since the beginning of time. Through the stories of Cain and Abel, and Jacob and Esau I have determined that Brothers stories are one of childhood ignorance and desire to obtain everything. Once adolescence has turned to adulthood, brothers seem to reform there ways toward each other due to the realization that you don’t need to have everything to obtain happiness.