# Religious Instruction explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Mina Loy.

## What happens

This chapter explores the contradictions of religious upbringing in a mixed marriage, where the mother's faith is imposed on female children while the father offers ironic commentary. It critiques the hypocrisy of adults who impose unattainable ideals, the violent legacy of Jehovah and the Old Testament, and the consoling yet illusory promise of Christ. Ova, child of Exodus, inherits a spirit of emigration and justice, repeatedly 'running away' from Kilburn only to be returned by the very streets to her parents, who seek to morally efface her individuality for the sake of religious and social conformity.

## Themes in this chapter

### Religion and Mythology

The chapter deconstructs religious instruction as a tool of coercion and hypocrisy, contrasting Jehovah's violent Old Testament with Christ's consoling but illusory promise, and critiques the imposition of abstract ideals on children.

### Alienation and Belonging

Ova's repeated attempts to run away and the closing in of Kilburn's streets reflect her alienation from family and society, as she seeks liberty but is forcibly returned to a system that demands moral effacement.

## Character check-ins

### Ova

X Ova's consciousness is described as impulsive to commit to justice and to walk its innate straight way out of circumstance; she is a child of Exodus who often 'sets out to seek her fortune' and runs away, only to be delivered back by the streets of Kilburn.

### Exodus

Referenced as Ova's father and a figure of emigration; his heritage is passed to Ova, who inherits his spirit of seeking fortune and opposing disintegration.

### Jehovah

Cited as the 'exemplar par excellence of megalomania' and associated with the Old Testament's 'butcherly chastisement' to coerce humanity into accepting an abstract idea.

## Key lines

> In mixed marriages it is mostly the custom for female children to adhere to the maternal religion While the Father presides over the mystical prattle with ironical commentary from his arm⁠—chair

In mixed-faith marriages, daughters are usually raised in the mother's religion, while the father offers sarcastic remarks from his armchair.

_Sets up the dynamic of religious instruction in Ova's household._

> Jehovah —exemplar par excellence of megalomania⁠— the Whole Old Testament of butcherly chastisement to coerce humanity to an 'assumed acceptance' of an abstract idea

Jehovah is the ultimate example of megalomania, using the Old Testament's violent punishments to force people into pretending to accept an abstract concept.

_Critique of the Old Testament God as a tyrannical figure._

> X Ova's consciousness impulsive to commit itself to justice —to arise and walk its innate straight way out of the accidence of circumstance collects the levitate chattels of its will and makes for the magnetic horizon of liberty

Ova's mind is driven by a desire for justice, to rise and follow its natural path beyond random events, gathering its will and heading toward the magnetic horizon of freedom.

_Describes Ova's innate drive for justice and liberty._

> So on whatever day she chooses 'to run away' the very street corners of Kilburn close in upon Ova to deliver her into the hands of her procreators

No matter when she decides to run away, the streets of Kilburn seem to conspire to return her to her parents.

_Illustrates the inescapable grip of family and society on Ova._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_17_se/chapters/religious-instruction
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_17_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_17_se/chapters