Analysis of "Jesus Shaves" by David Sedaris
Fiction Essay
“Jesus Shaves” by David Sedaris takes place during a French class’s discussion of holidays. When the teacher asks what takes place during Easter, a Moroccan student expresses that she has never heard of the Christian celebration. The rest of the story continues to follow the class’ poor attempt to describe Easter with their broken French. The story is also narrated in 1st person by what is most likely a student from an American background. “Jesus Shaves” explores several views on shared religious tradition in a classroom setting with Sedaris’ comical inclusion of characters from many geographical backgrounds, the use of broken English dialogue, and the narrator’s straight forward take on what he is hearing during his class.
Even though the narrator and the French teacher are the two main characters in “Jesus Shaves”, Sedaris’ decision to include several small characters from many different backgrounds plays an important role in this short story. In order for the reader, who is most likely American, to understand that other cultures do not recognize the same religious traditions, the Polish, Italian, and Moroccan classmates are added to the plot. If the reader is of Christian background, or even American or European, they may have an understanding of what Easter is from a religious perspective. By definition, Easter is one of the most important Christian celebrations, which is dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Collins English Dictionary). Despite that, when the Moroccan student expresses that she has never heard of Easter before, the other students try to express what it by using sharing their own cultural experiences. The Polish students make an attempt to explain the crucifixion that took place to Jesus while others try to express their ideas about who Jesus was (Sedaris 427- 428). The Italian student then brought up what traditional foods are eaten on the holiday, sparking a debate between the narrator and the class about the Easter bunny and the flying Easter bell from Rome (428). From an outside religious perspective, many of the different cultural traditions associated with Easter may seem strange. Sedaris uses his characters to share a wide array of the traditions. Even though the Moroccan women in the short story has never heard of Easter, there are several traditions that the students explain that are not practiced everywhere. Some families may not eat lamb on Easter, and of course the most prominent tradition in “Jesus Shaves” is whether or not the children believe in the Easter bell or rabbit. Sedaris uses all of his characters to help the reader understand that even if our religious practices and culture are different, many ethnicities share common ground, such as a religious holiday.
Another way that Sedaris helps the reader relate to his characters, even though they may have a different religious or cultural background, is through his use of dialogue. The entire short story is written is English, most likely because Sedaris expected an English speaking audience, but it takes place in the middle of a French class. What the reader might skip over the first time reading is the fact that the dialogue taking place is meant to express that the characters are speaking broken French. The inability for many of them to find words is what makes their descriptions of Easter seem so abstract, especially to other classmates. When trying to describe what seems to be the crucifixion of Christ a Polish student does their best to say, “He call his self Jesus, and then he be die one day on two…morsels of…lumber” (Sedaris 427). To someone who had never heard of Easter, like the Moroccan student, that makes absolutely no sense at all. All of the students come from different cultural backgrounds and the majority of them are not yet fluent in French. Despite that, each of them uses their common knowledge to try and help one another to explain Easter, in a sad attempt to bestow knowledge to the clueless Moroccan student. “I wondered then if, without the language barrier, my classmates and I could have done a better job making sense of Christianity, an idea that sounds pretty far-fetched to begin with” (Sedaris 429). According to the narrator, it seems their efforts to describe such an abstract religious concept were in vain.
Even though all of the dialogue represents broken French, the thoughts and biases of the narrator allow the reader a better understanding of what is taking place in the classroom. The narrator never expresses what nationality he or she is, but it is most likely American because of the strong views about the Easter bunny that are expressed through the narration. After the long discussion of many religious traditions associated with Easter, the language barrier allows the narrator to reflect inwardly on faith. The narrator expresses the struggle he or she has with French, but doesn’t give up because of faith. Much like religion, it is hard to understand and seems so impossible, yet there is still faith in the idea (Sedaris 429). At first, the narrator seems very naïve because of the Easter bunny debate, and the inability to accept the idea of the bell. Despite that, the narrator shows a great deal of growth in his or her own religious faith because the narrator makes a connection with the other students and their shared inability to master the language quite yet.
Behind all of the comedy and fast paced dialogue, Sedaris shares with his readers a much deeper message. He expresses through his characters that there is much more to religion than traditions and food, but instead what is most important is the idea of faith. During many holidays religious people are often sidetracked by family get together, gifts, food, and candy, but there is always an important religious concept behind every holiday. Sedaris’ many characters may not be able to come to a conclusion about what Easter really is through their attempt to describe it in French, but the events that took place and the faith associated with the holiday is what is truly important.
Even though the narrator and the French teacher are the two main characters in “Jesus Shaves”, Sedaris’ decision to include several small characters from many different backgrounds plays an important role in this short story. In order for the reader, who is most likely American, to understand that other cultures do not recognize the same religious traditions, the Polish, Italian, and Moroccan classmates are added to the plot. If the reader is of Christian background, or even American or European, they may have an understanding of what Easter is from a religious perspective. By definition, Easter is one of the most important Christian celebrations, which is dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Collins English Dictionary). Despite that, when the Moroccan student expresses that she has never heard of Easter before, the other students try to express what it by using sharing their own cultural experiences. The Polish students make an attempt to explain the crucifixion that took place to Jesus while others try to express their ideas about who Jesus was (Sedaris 427- 428). The Italian student then brought up what traditional foods are eaten on the holiday, sparking a debate between the narrator and the class about the Easter bunny and the flying Easter bell from Rome (428). From an outside religious perspective, many of the different cultural traditions associated with Easter may seem strange. Sedaris uses his characters to share a wide array of the traditions. Even though the Moroccan women in the short story has never heard of Easter, there are several traditions that the students explain that are not practiced everywhere. Some families may not eat lamb on Easter, and of course the most prominent tradition in “Jesus Shaves” is whether or not the children believe in the Easter bell or rabbit. Sedaris uses all of his characters to help the reader understand that even if our religious practices and culture are different, many ethnicities share common ground, such as a religious holiday.
Another way that Sedaris helps the reader relate to his characters, even though they may have a different religious or cultural background, is through his use of dialogue. The entire short story is written is English, most likely because Sedaris expected an English speaking audience, but it takes place in the middle of a French class. What the reader might skip over the first time reading is the fact that the dialogue taking place is meant to express that the characters are speaking broken French. The inability for many of them to find words is what makes their descriptions of Easter seem so abstract, especially to other classmates. When trying to describe what seems to be the crucifixion of Christ a Polish student does their best to say, “He call his self Jesus, and then he be die one day on two…morsels of…lumber” (Sedaris 427). To someone who had never heard of Easter, like the Moroccan student, that makes absolutely no sense at all. All of the students come from different cultural backgrounds and the majority of them are not yet fluent in French. Despite that, each of them uses their common knowledge to try and help one another to explain Easter, in a sad attempt to bestow knowledge to the clueless Moroccan student. “I wondered then if, without the language barrier, my classmates and I could have done a better job making sense of Christianity, an idea that sounds pretty far-fetched to begin with” (Sedaris 429). According to the narrator, it seems their efforts to describe such an abstract religious concept were in vain.
Even though all of the dialogue represents broken French, the thoughts and biases of the narrator allow the reader a better understanding of what is taking place in the classroom. The narrator never expresses what nationality he or she is, but it is most likely American because of the strong views about the Easter bunny that are expressed through the narration. After the long discussion of many religious traditions associated with Easter, the language barrier allows the narrator to reflect inwardly on faith. The narrator expresses the struggle he or she has with French, but doesn’t give up because of faith. Much like religion, it is hard to understand and seems so impossible, yet there is still faith in the idea (Sedaris 429). At first, the narrator seems very naïve because of the Easter bunny debate, and the inability to accept the idea of the bell. Despite that, the narrator shows a great deal of growth in his or her own religious faith because the narrator makes a connection with the other students and their shared inability to master the language quite yet.
Behind all of the comedy and fast paced dialogue, Sedaris shares with his readers a much deeper message. He expresses through his characters that there is much more to religion than traditions and food, but instead what is most important is the idea of faith. During many holidays religious people are often sidetracked by family get together, gifts, food, and candy, but there is always an important religious concept behind every holiday. Sedaris’ many characters may not be able to come to a conclusion about what Easter really is through their attempt to describe it in French, but the events that took place and the faith associated with the holiday is what is truly important.
Works Cited
Collins English Dictionary. "Easter." Dictionary.com, 2009. Web. 21 June 2014.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/easter>.
Sedaris, David. "Jesus Shaves." The Norton Introduction to Literature. 11th ed. New York: W.W
Norton &, 2014. 426-29. Print.
Collins English Dictionary. "Easter." Dictionary.com, 2009. Web. 21 June 2014.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/easter>.
Sedaris, David. "Jesus Shaves." The Norton Introduction to Literature. 11th ed. New York: W.W
Norton &, 2014. 426-29. Print.
Wikimedia Commons. Web. 30 July 2014.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Easter#mediaviewer/File:Ostereier-Griechenland.JPG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Easter#mediaviewer/File:Ostereier-Griechenland.JPG