WHAT IS “AMEN”

 “AMEN”

The reflection that I have undertaken to write is on the book “Amen;” written by a lapsed nun in Kerala (India). The reflections that I have written does not in any way intend to hurt the nun who out of her existential frustration has written the so called “autobiography.” However, my views may not be very pleasant to read, for it will mostly be critical and cynical at times. The article comes as result of the knowledge that I have gathered from the “autobiography” of Sr. Jesmie.

Like many people whose attention the hype the novel caught, I too was interested in exploring what the so called “shocking revelation” of this senior nun would be like. But reading through it I would say, it has to be read with a pinch of salt. The best thing to do would be not to read it at all.[1] I do not in any way intend to stop someone from gaining knowledge about the so called “secrets of religious life,” by the way there is no great secret in the so called “shocking revelation.” If some one wants to waste 200 bucks go ahead I am not stopping you. But the point I want to make is, it is not worth spending 200 bucks. Instead of that go to Mc Donald’s or a good ice-cream parlor or a Coffee stall and enjoy away your 200 bucks.  

Amen is a “simplistic novel” written by a nun in Kerala who had an “irreligious” experience in a religious congregation. The summary or the cover page of the book says, “The courageous and shocking revelation of a life behind the convent walls.” Reading through the so called “autobiography” it seems there is nothing that really happened behind the walls. Most of the incidents narrated in the book happened in the college set-up where she worked as a teacher and later as the principle. The incidents narrated too do not seem to be shocking at all because some of the things narrated are normal things with a little exaggeration; probably the idea was to make the book marketable. Most of the troubles she had to undergo appear to be due to her own stubborn character. I think it was not proper from her part to cook-up so many incidents to make herself popular; she could have done so in some other way. Writing the book was a foolish choice; as the book itself proves so.

            “Amen,” does not deserve the media hype that it enjoyed because it is far from reality. As it appears to me the sole aim of the nun in writing to book was for self-glorification and justification of one’s excessive egoistic desires. Above all the style of writing itself deceives the apparent cajoling from true reality of the incidents narrated in the “autobiography.” After reading through the book what you will feel is, ‘why did I waste such a lot of time and energy in going through this worthless piece of “art”?’ So you decide whether to read it or not; believing is out of question, because reading the book the impression you get is “foolishness manifested.”

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[1] I know it is not from my part to stop any one from doing so but all I can say is it is not worth; a badly written "made up story;" illogical and unrealistic.