these three pieces of media are in my brain, holding hands and dancing and making out sloppy style

The Shack Book Review

Coby Grant

Ms. Adkins

English 11 Honors

4 May 2019

The Shack

           “Mack loses his youngest daughter, Missy, who has been abducted during a family vacation…” The author of this book, William Paul Young, referred to as WM. Paul Young or Paul Young, he is a Canadian author, born on May 11, 1955. He was raised among a stone-age tribe by his missionary parents in the highlands of what was New Guinea. He suffered great loss as a child and young adult, and now enjoys the “wastefulness of grace” with his family in the Pacific Northwest. This novel was published in May of 2007 by Windblown Media, 4680 Calle Norte, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Now, let’s get to know the characters, Mackenzie Philips, also known as Mack, who is the father of three, but loses his daughter Missy during their annual family vacation. Missy Philips, youngest daughter of Mack and Nan is abducted, during their vacation. Sarayu, fulfills the role of the “Holy Spirit” in the three-part version of God seen in this novel. Elious, also know as Papa in the novel, was an African American woman, who told Mack, that he should let out all his feelings, that it would do his soul good. Jesus was a middle Eastern man whose attire presents him a construction worker. He becomes a close friend of Mack’s and helps him understand the meaning of sacrifice and love. Sophia is someone who believes she has a connection with God and finally, The Ladybug Killer, a serial killer, who kidnaps little girls and kills them and leaves his mark with a ladybug pin. The storyline of the story is a father who loses his daughter on a family vacation and years later he is in the presence of God and is invited back to the shack for a weekend. “The Shack” is the most absorbing work of fiction read I enjoyed it because of its well thought of theme, symbolism, and the setting.

           First, the dreary, gloomy setting of the run-down shack in the deep Oregon wilderness. The shack is the place where Missy’s blood-soaked dress was found. It is believed this is where she was killed. When Mack gets a note in his mailbox three and a half years after Missy’s death, it appears to be from God asking Mack to meet him at the shack where Missy was killed. The shack becomes a place where Mack meets with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for a weekend of healing. As I was reading, I wasn’t expecting a note 3-4 years after Missy has been, so called murdered, but why was the note signed “Papa?”

           Next, with a fecund symbolism, this story shows why “The Shack”, can have different interpretations to its readers. “The Shack” tackles one man’s quest for faith and reassurance in God through several metaphors, parables and symbols. These symbols are used to compare the story religion itself; and from this comparison it is easier to grasp a deeper understanding. However, with this underlying symbolism, it’s possible to over analyze and disregard the fictitious nature of the book. Despite this, there are many symbols within The Shack that are essential to the story and the deeper significance within it. Symbols are used within The Shack to really enunciate the relationship transition that Mack experiences while visiting the shack and the newfound relationship he was with the Trinity. Symbolism within in The Shack is found almost everywhere, with symbolism it is possible to understand God through the analogies expressed. These analogies range from simple to complex and have many dimensions; the symbol itself and the reality it exposes. I can’t believe how much The Shack relates to so many things in our life.

             Then, The Shack has many themes, the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition. Such as, Christian faith, grief, gender, fatherhood, freedom, beauty, and forgiveness. The most important topic in my opinion is forgiveness. The final challenge Mack faces before leaving the shack is being able to forgive Missy's killer. Papa coaches Mack through this process for much of the chapter titled A Morning of Sorrows, instructing Mack to let go of the idea that forgiving the Little Lady-killer would mean forgetting what happened to Missy or letting the killer off without judgement. Papa assures Mack that judgement should be left for God, and Mack's duty is to forgive the man and leave room to love him in the future. Papa even says that Missy already forgave her killer, because God's presence was in her. Papa instructs Mack to start by asserting that he forgives the Little Lady-killer aloud and says that he will need to keep doing so for as long as it takes to be true. This practice seems to relieve Mack of a burden he has been carrying since Missy's death, and Young tells the reader in the Afterword that Mack even petitioned to meet face to face with the Little Lady killer, likely to forgive him in person. Importantly, forgiving Missy's killer also seems to allow Mack to forgive himself and others more easily; it is after Mack starts to forgive the Little Lady-killer with Papa's help that Sarayu tells Mack about Kate blaming herself for Missy's death. When Mack wakes up in the hospital, he brings this up to Kate and assures her that she too can reach self-forgiveness.

           In conclusion, “The Shack” is the most absorbing work of fiction read I enjoyed it because of its well thought of theme, symbolism, and the setting. I would recommend this novel to believers of the Christian faith, because this novel book has the essentials you need to go through your trials and tribulations. Mack, a Christian man, lost all his faith in God after his daughter was murdered, but, God, also known as “Papa”, comes in at the right time, and saves Mack before it was too late. Read this novel if you feel like you have gone astray from God’s love. If you don’t believe in God, then don’t bother reading this novel. In this novel you see how God changed one mans life over the course of a weekend. The Shack will still be a successful, classic, novel to read in the future, because if you’re lost in any way, read this book, so, it will show you that God has never gave up on you.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+shack+trailer+2017