Metaphors of Forgiveness after 9/11

Abstract

The outpouring of grief and the impulse for revenge in the days, weeks, and months after 9/11 made me wonder if there is room for forgiveness in our current age of the “war on terror.” As the idea for a book on literary expressions of forgiveness emerged, I decided to consider works that address various “moments of terror” from the past century, rather than to focus solely on contemporary responses to the events of September 11, 2001. The preceding chapters can be seen as a very long introduction to this one, providing a broader perspective on the crisis of our times and reminding us that what we encounter today is and is not unique. Homer’s Achilles struggled with anger and felt duty-bound to avenge his honor, and though the social and cultural codes that guide our actions today are different, they are equally complex. The stories told after 9/11 expose similar emotions and yet offer alternative responses.

Metaphor is living by virtue of the fact that it introduces the spark of imagination into a “thinking more.”

—Paul Ricoeur