Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
In what ways is 'In The End' a reversal of the creation story in Genesis?
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The genesis creation story in the Bible begins with the words 'in the beginning.' This story begins with the words 'in the end.' The story then describes the events of genesis in reverse, as everything that was done in the creation story is set back to the way it was. Man and Woman, here called Earth and Breath, return to the Garden of Eden that they were thrown out of at the end of the Genesis story. Earth and Breath refer to God creating Adam and Eve using earth and his own breath. Man is carrying a fruit, which he gives to Woman, who gives it to the Serpent. The Serpent hangs it back on the tree in the middle of the garden. This fruit was plucked in the Genesis creation story when the Serpent persuaded Woman that God was holding something back from them. She gave the fruit to Man, and both then gained knowledge of good and evil. They realized they were naked and tried to cover themselves with leaves. In this story, the fruit is replaced, and Man and Woman remove their clothes. All is well in Eden again. God gives the Serpent back his legs, which he lost when he encouraged Eve to pick the fruit. At the end of the story, Man takes away all the names of the animals, which is a reverse of Genesis, in which God told Man to name all the animals.