In reading "Salvation" by Langston Hughes, I have found many underlying themes. Even though playing it safe may be non-confrontational, it is not always the best approach. The adults wanting the children to be "saved", portrays this. In the story to be "saved" is when the sinners must find Jesus. People will go along with the crowd, without knowing why.
             In the opening of the story, the churchgoers want the young children to find Jesus, because they have sinned. Young Langston's aunt Reed convinces him in numerous ways that Jesus will come into his life. The children in which have sinned make their way to the front row waiting to be "saved." Immediately children start standing up after receiving intimidation from the adults. The last two children sitting on the bench are very confused about what is exactly supposed to be happening. They think that they will actually see Jesus, "Still I kept waiting to see Jesus" (Hughes 54). Finally, when the last boy cannot handle the pressure anymore, he stands up and "finds Jesus". Lying itself, whether it is to yourself or anyone else, is a sin. He does not seem to realize that he has sinned in front of the congregation, and has completely contradicted the whole point of being saved from your sins. He ends up losing his innocence in the same form in which it was supposed to be given.
             The quote, "I always thought that we let ourselves be influenced mostly about things we don't care about because we don't know about them" (Markiewicz), relates to this story well. I think Langston was not properly addressed in what to expect when "finding Jesus". I enjoyed the way Linda Sue Grimes, an online author, expresses her thought "If Auntie Reed had explained that loving others and being loved by them is like a light in your life, twelve-year-old Langston would have accepted that as "se
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