Religion in Riddley Walker

Riddley’s World About 2500 years in the future

Nuclear warfare has blasted civilization back to the Iron Age

Breakdown of formal government

Church and State are one and the same.

Structure of Religion Centered around the Eusa Story

Eusa stories are portrayed as varying puppet shows.

Many parallels between the Eusa Story and the Bible

Government officials are expected to have the story memorized (church and state)

Structure of Religion

Connexion Men

Wes Mincer and Prime Mincer

Eusa People Mutants. Claim to have knowledge genetically inherent in them.

Eusa puppet shows serve many different purposes. Government Propaganda

Religious purposes

History

Religious Symbolism in Riddley WalkerRIDDLEY’S TIME OUR TIME

Eusa Story

Eusa

Addom

Mr. Clevver

Creation story, such as Adam and Eve

Humanity, Eve, Original Sin Also evidence for Jesus (pg 119)

Adam/Atom

The Devil (Pg 137)

Technology and Religion Religion in Riddley’s time is centered around the worship of ancient

technology and scientific knowledge The Addom/Atom

The 1 Big 1

The Nos. of the 1 Big 1

The 1 Littl 1

This is ironic though, because the pursuit of knowledge is seen by Riddley and others as taboo.

Religious Taboos Dogs

Not domesticated anymore

Those who are “dog frendy” are ostracized by society

Being “Dog Et” is seen as an unfortunate and ominous form of death

New Puppet Shows Seen as sacrilegious

Got Riddley & Orfing ran out of Weaping

Religious Taboos The Eusa People are also negatively stigmatized

Their shocking mutant appearance

Their unorthodox traditions (Orgies)

Their inherent “knowledge” of the Nos. of the 1 Big 1 and of science in general

The Eusa People are constantly being ceremoniously killed and tortured for this knowledge. They are kept segregated from normal society as well, much like religious prisoners.

Which modern religious group can be compared to the Eusa People?

Other Notable Characteristics of Inland’s Religion

Several times throughout the book, the word God is mention or alluded to Pg 52- “Gard my witness”

Pg 156- “What if you put the 2ness and the 1 together tho? What if you put the 2ness inside the 1? Power inside of Power myt be the 1 Big 1 and the Spirit of God.”

Pg 158- “ I felt like that power were a Big Old Father…”

Pg 197- “Spirit of God road with me!”

What do you notice about the word as Riddley uses it that is peculiar?

Page 145, Line 5

I said, ‘Whats the Spirit of God?’

He said, ‘That’s chemistery and fizzics and all its what the 1 Big 1 come out of realy theres so many ways of saying it you see. Now Heaven that’s where the hevvyness comes from innit.’