Friday from the Archives: “Blind Faith” by David McGuirt from NCLR 19 (2010)
By Kenly Corya, Editorial Assistant
As Appalachia recovers from a catastrophic hurricane, we reflect on the many outstanding writers from Western North Carolina. The 2009 Doris Betts Fiction Prize Winner and author of “Blind Faith,” David McGuirt, writes a story about a church within the North Carolina mountains. Photography by Rob Amberg and John Rosenthal accompanies the piece.
On Sunday mornings, Dewey, a young boy, must load caged snakes into the family car. In Dewey’s community, Sunday morning is the time to prove one’s faith. During service, he sees “The snakes coiled and fetched, resembling the tentacles of an octopus.” If a snake bites a member of the congregation, they refuse medicine: “To depend on medical intervention was to give up on God.”
In a community where church members declare their faith by handling venomous snakes, McGuirt depicts the dangers of mindless obedience. Although a child, Dewey acknowledges the congregation’s dubious behavior.
“Dewey remained seated, and though he’d attended the church many a Sunday, he always sat mesmerized, feeling as if he’d landed somewhere near the intersection of fear and wonder. He remembered his first service at The Church of The Living Word two years earlier when he was nine. He could still taste the bile that rose up in his throat and into his mouth when the frenzied worshippers frightened him so that he ran outside and vomited in the bushes. He was now accustomed to their worship rituals, though he still could not imagine himself getting caught up in the strange behaviors of this crowd as his mama and daddy did. Witnessing the group’s deep spiritual transformation weekly, but not being a participant in it, made him feel like he was an oddball. He wondered why he didn’t feel whatever they felt.”
Dewey can only watch as his father extends his arm “to take up the snake with the hand bearing the crown and the scarlet-inked words KING JESUS.”
Read the entire short story on ProQuest or purchase a copy of the 2010 issue featuring much more Appalachian literature and art.
Our thoughts are in Appalachia as those in Western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene’s destruction. Consider donating to disaster relief efforts to aid those impacted by the hurricane’s aftermath.
