Peace like a River: Annotative Post

"Peace like a River" by Leif Enger truly imposes the meaning of a miracle onto the reader. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word miracles as, "a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency." ("Miracle")  In class, we discussed that it becomes more than just an extreme event in the books chapters, but more of an outspoken discussion between the main characters such as in the beginning of the book when the narrator says, "The answer, it seems to me now, lies in the miracles." (McCarthy 3) Though some book may pass over the religious tenses, "Peace like a River" faces the subject head on. It is significant because in culture, we think of miracles as being a very religious subject and even when talked about among Christians, some don't want to seem too "religious" by believing in God's miracles. The threat of feeling uncomfortable in dealing with such religious matters can sometimes frighten believers because they are scared of what the world might think of them. The world's defense against not believing is to out rightly call Christians hypocrites, saying that what is being done is not true and only seeing it as a trick of the eye. It shows that among our friends and acquaintances we must trust God that he will change the cruel and unruly heart of the worldly to something that is more willing to accept the fact that God is everything to us. The fact of just accepting miracles is one of the toughest test of faith, and in it, we find the reward of knowing God better through a spiritual awakening. The whole idea behind a miracle is to see something unreal and not possible, but shouldn’t its potential be more powerful than its definition? It should speak truth and change the impossible to possible in someone’s life. This not only pertains to those of the world, but also to Christians, because in them lies the power to change the world.


"Miracle". Oxford English Dictionary Addition Series. 2012. OED Online. Oxford

      University Press. 29 March 2012

McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York: Vintage Book, 2006. 237. Print.