YAASHA MORIAH
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Blog
  • For Readers
  • Subscribe
  • Patreon
  • Contact

YAASHA MORIAH

EXPLORE FANTASTIC WORLDS
Welcome to the pages of my Traveler's Journal!

How the Bible Models Effective Story-Telling: The Mentor-Apprentice Relationship

6/30/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
For centuries, our most well-beloved stories have shared similar patterns, but did you know that the events recorded in the Bible model those popular patterns of effective storytelling? Today we will look at the coming-of-age story, in which a young apprentice matures through the guidance of a mentor, and how the Bible’s account of Elijah and Elisha are mirrored in the story-telling patterns that we find in Star Wars, with Yoda and Luke.

Introducing the Mentors

Picture
Yoda the Jedi Master: (The Empire Strikes Back) 
This diminutive green Jedi master speaks back-to-front and hobbles around with a cane: “When 900 years old you be, look as good, you will not.” Despite his age, his cunning and wisdom make him an apt tutor.


Picture
Elijah the Tishbite: (You’ll find him in 1 Kings) 
One of the most prominent prophets in Israel’s history. His prayers for drought, or rain, or fire from Heaven are answered, and his prophecies come true with chilling accuracy. He is known for his abrupt disappearances (1 Kings 18:1-15), his fluent use of sarcasm (1 Kings 18:27), and his bold stand for God’s law (1 Kings 18:17-18).

Introducing the Apprentices

Picture
Luke Skywalker: 
When Luke crash-lands in a swamp in Dagobah, he is thrilled to meet the only living Jedi Knight left. Although he must learn to master his emotions, his raw loyalty, compassion, and boldness promise potential.

Picture

Elisha (1 Kings chapter 19): 
When Elijah first meets Elisha, the young man is plowing with two oxen in a field. Upon learning that he is chosen to replace Elijah, he sacrifices the oxen, bids goodbye to his parents, and sets off with Elijah. (Note: Yes, the picture is correct. Elisha was bald.)

Step One: The apprentice follows the guidance of an older mentor.

Luke struggles to concentrate because of his many internal conflicts: fear versus loyalty, hate versus love, and insecurity versus confidence. Plus, his impatience to become a knight sometimes slows his progress.

We don’t hear much about Elisha and the mentorship process until he is ready to take Elijah’s place as chief prophet of Israel, but it can be inferred that he is involved in many of Elijah’s adventures.

Step Two: The apprentice goes through a training or testing phase.

Luke’s greatest test occurs when he has a vision in which he vanquishes Darth Vader in a lightsaber duel—only to discover his own face beneath Vader’s helmet. His hate has become his own enemy.

When Elijah prepares to leave, he tests Elisha three times by commanding him to remain behind, first at Bethel, then at Jericho, then at the Jordan River. Each time, Elisha refuses to leave Elijah’s side. At last, Elijah asks what Elisha desires to receive from Elijah before his mentor leaves. Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah gives Elisha this warning:
“Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.” (2 Kings 2:10)

Step Three: The mentor dies and the apprentice takes his place.

"Master Yoda, you can't die!" ~ Luke Skywalker
Impatient as he was to complete his training, Luke feels unready for his role as the only remaining Jedi Knight protecting the galaxy from the evil Empire. Yet Luke rises from his fears to battle an enemy even more deadly than Darth Vader—the Emperor himself.

Elisha’s future hangs on whether he will watch his beloved mentor leave. 
“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more.” (2 Kings 2:11-12a) 
When Elisha returns to Jericho, all the lesser prophets exclaim in astonishment, 
“The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha!” (2 Kings 2:15) 
Elisha becomes a prophet even more astounding than Elijah—cleansing diseased waters (2 Kings 2:19-22), bringing supernatural victory to Israel (2 Kings chapter 3), and even raising the dead (2 Kings chapter 4).
Hundreds of years before Luke Skywalker and Yoda refamiliarized modern audiences with the classic coming-of-age story, Elijah and Elisha modeled that pattern in their own relationship.

What other stories model the mentor/apprentice relationship well?
If you like something I wrote here, you are free to share/quote it with credit and a link back to the original page on my website.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Become a Patron!

    Yaasha Moriah

    I write YA/adult fantasy & sci-fi that explores fantastic and interconnected worlds, with stories that burn through the darkest realities with hope and redemption.
    ​Learn more here!

    Categories

    All
    Artwork
    Author Interview
    Authors & Stories Worth Reading
    Azinae
    Beyond The Story
    Book Lover
    Book Review
    Coffee With Yaasha
    Cover Reveal
    #CreativeGremlin
    Dr. Fiction
    Excerpt
    Fantasy
    Firewing Chronicles
    For The Love Of Books
    Giveaway
    Humor
    Inktober
    Interactive Story
    Journaling
    Life Told Through Fantasy
    NaNoWriMo
    News
    Plan With Me
    Quiz
    Reader Interactive Story
    Reflections & Opinions
    Sale
    Science Fiction
    Short Story
    Spotlight
    Steampunk
    Stories From My Life
    Story Research
    #TellitFantasyStyle
    The Story Behind The Story
    Travel
    #TruthInFiction
    Video
    Writing Well

    Archives

    March 2021
    January 2021
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

email me
 Copyright © 2021 Yaasha Moriah
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Blog
  • For Readers
  • Subscribe
  • Patreon
  • Contact