Close Reading 10/24

"But the creche's most ominous message was that the little Lord Jesus himself was missing; the crib was empty- that was why the Virgin Mary had turned her mutilated face away; why one angel dashed its harp, and another screamed in anguish; why Joseph has lost a hand and the cow a leg" (187).

Jesus is the centerpiece in a Nativity set up. He is the one that everyone is turned to and facing, the person that everyone seems to notice first. In Owen's Nativity set, the baby Jesus is missing. He is not anywhere in the set, and there are a lot of other odd things with the rest of the Nativity as well. The Virgin Mary has her face completely turned away. It seems as though she is ashamed to even look toward the place where the baby should be, a constant reminder of what is no longer there. As well as the rest of the Nativity seems to be missing something as well.

This missing piece of the Nativity and the way that the rest of the character's seem to be reacting, shows how Owen feels as though a piece of himself is gone. That piece, that person, is Tabby that has gone missing, no longer in Owen's life. He is missing someone who was so central to his life, the person who was willing to look out for him in a way his parents never have or never will. And so he has turned away, and is hurt by this. The other character's of the Nativity show how the rest of the town has reacted. They are upset as well, and feel as though a piece of their community has gone. Tabby grew up in Gravesend and she was noticed in town. People knew her and thought that she was a nice and wonderful person. When she was killed, the entire town felt the loss, thus being the rest of the Nativity, feeling upset by it.

Some of the individual character's mentioned can also show some of Tabby's closest friends. Her mother was most likely being shown by the Virgin Mary, turning her face away, denying that anything ever happened. Her sister screaming in anger once she found out, telling everyone that it is not possible. Her son losing a hand, feeling as though he lost a piece of himself as well, the one who could lead him to his father and the person who has been there for him. Her son lost his mother too soon, and it was all by accident.

Just as these things can all show the the loss, they can also show the lack of Christmas spirit and appreciation in Owen's home. His home is not decorated and he also almost never mentions Christmas. This Nativity set, a major part of Christmas is lacking so much and is broken, most likely showing how Christmas is broken and never a large part of Owen's life. He most likely never received very many presents and probably did not think about it a whole lot. Something that is a major part of many people's lives, was not part of Owen's. This once again shows how Owen is different than other people, not conforming to society, and his parents being different as well.