Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult: What about Systemic Sin?
Dec 5th, 2008 by John
Some stories haunt you and Jodi Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes is a story about a horrific school shooting in Sterling, New Hampshire. Her story keeps seeping through my mind, unsettling, needling me.
Do you remember Achan who “stole the bacon” in the battle of Jericho? Achan got found out in Joshua 7 after the shocking defeat at Ai. Achan had taken a Babylonian robe and a treasure of silver and a wedge of gold. Achan confesses to Joshua, “I coveted them.” Achan admits that he saw the banned items, he coveted the items, he stole and buried the items in his tent. So far, so good.
But Achan was not the only one who died because of his individual choices (sins). Joshua 7:24-26 reads, Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since (emphasis added).
I hear the chirping of the blue parakeet. One person makes bad choices and is punished. But wait! There’s more! Achan’s whole family dies along with his cattle, donkeys and sheep. That’s not fair. That’s not just. It sounds like Yahweh’s scorched earth policy. I can hear one of Achan’s children crying to Joshua, “You just can’t do this to me. Dad did it, not me! The one who sins shall die. I didn’t steal the stuff. I knew nothing about it!” Joshua responds, “God told me to kill you, too.” The bewildered, fearful child replies, “What kind of God is it that we serve? A monster god?”
I’m not sure what relational connections in the mind of God fuel this act of killing the many because of the evil choices of one. I am guessing that our ideas of individual responsibility versus community responsibility somehow are skewed. I would rather conclude that I am missing something than to conclude that God/Yhwh is a monster.
Jodi Picoult weaves together the realities of both individual and community responsibility as she tells the story of Peter Houghton’s nineteen minute killing spree in his high school. Seemingly without conscience Peter creates a diversion by placing a pipebomb in a bully’s car and in the chaos of the explosion walks into the school with several handguns and shotguns and willy-nilly kills students and a teacher. What pushes a skinny, geeky kid to cross a line and finally “take control”? Is it merely his own evil choice to act? Is his choice shaped by the (less) evil choices and actions of others against him over years of his growing up? Picoult takes us into the lives of the family of Peter, an eyewitness and one time friend, Josie, until she became “cool” and into the lives of the victims. Can a whole high school be culpable in tragic crimes perpetrated by just one of its students?
At times I did not like this book. My conservative values tend to lean heavily against Peter. He is the lone student who did the killings. But Picoult will not let me rest easy by just playing the individual responsibilty card. What about the daily ridicule and abuse of Peter by the “cool” guys and girls? What about the cool, strong, athletic brother who is disgusted by Peter? What about the fear and shame Peter experiences every hour while on school property? What about being verbally, physically and emotionally assaulted every day? What about daring not to trust adults–parents and teachers and coaches–who were charged to look after your well-being but failed because “you know, kids will be kids”? What happens to the brain, to the soul of one who is constantly living in fear, embarrassment and shame?
If you want a gripping story of both systemic and individual sin, then read Nineteen Minutes. Yes, the character Peter committed horrific crimes in a burst of terror. Picoult does not dilute Peter’s responsibility nor whitewash his breaking the law. Picoult leads us, pulls and pushes us into the evil web of systemic sin…against which there seem to be very few laws.
After reading Picoult’s story in light of Joshua 7, I wonder if God would say today, “Take Peter, his parents, his teachers and his fellow students to the valley of Achor. I am a God who is against both individual and systemic sin.”
But that’s not fair! Yeah, but would it be right?
Popularity: 4% [?]
I was also very taken with the mother of Peter, forgive me its been awhile since I read this book I forget her name, and her profession, But she was a nurse midwife I think, and I have so much respect for midwives of any sort, and it was really hard to see this whole tragedy through the mother’s eyes. Really made me think about my relationships with my parents, and the relationship with my children, and how everything counts. Thank you for the connection to this bible story. Some terrific food for thought here! Hope you are well, I hold you and your family in the highest regard.
Stephanie,
When we hear or read the sensationalized news stories of Columbine, Peducha, etc. we seldom get inside the lives of the people. Lacy, Peter’s mother, both loved and hated her son. The agony that must have been. She was a midwife so in the story many mothers of children she delivered wondered how she could have raised a monster, a killer. Tragic.
[...] instructed under; but he is far more readable when he works with a cowriter.) 8. A review of “Nineteen Minutes” by Judi Picoult and thoughts on systemic sin 9. Breaking Christian chain letters/emails 10. [...]
Way of the Pilgrim,
Thanks for the link, my friend.
John
wow. heavy stuff. i am very interested to read this book at any rate.
The comparison between the Achan story and Peter’s story is interesting, but I’m sitting here thinking about the contrasts. Peter lived in a society that isolates people as individuals at a very young age, and no one steps in to protect him from the bullying and to help him cope. In Ai, Achan’s family is treated as a single unit, and they live and die by his actions. Most of his family died unjustly from our individualist view. You kinda get the downsides of both systems in this post.
justin,
This is the kind of book to jolt your thinking. We all need books like this once in a while.
Post Blackbird Song,
Yeah, I admit there is not a clear correspondence between the two episodes–Achan and Peter Houghton–other than the idea of both individual and collective guilt. Though, in Joshua 7 it is hard to establish the guilt of the sons and daughters, whereas in *19 Minutes* you can see the culpability of Peter’s high school peers. I like your observation that “we get the downside of both systems.”
setting these two illustrations side by side seems a stretch to me…what are you thinking?
daryl underwood,
the thinking is the weaving of individual acts and community judgment…how much do we stress systemic sin?
John – this post makes me want to read this book. I recently read my first book by this same author, and I hope you read it someday for I would love your thoughts on it. It’s called Change of Heart, and it really opened up some areas of faith I need(ed) to wrestle through.
Melinda,
On your recommendation I will read *Change of Heart.* A few of my good reader friends have been after me to read Jodi Picoult.
See you Thursday.
this was a great eye opener to what this book is really about. i never really thought about the biblical side to it so in depth as you had explained. i read this book for a school presentation. i really enjoy reading picoults books. she does write things that i stongly disagree with, but she brings up the point of view of the world. When i was reading it, i kept thinking how we dont ever do exactly what the Lord wants us to do things, but he is a forgiving and merciful God. Amen to that!