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I just finished Crystal City this week. Great book. Of course I had to reread all the other AM book previous and as I did, I was really intrigued by the obvious and somtimes hidden parallels between the lives of Alvin and Joseph Smith. There are many parallel events as well as characters that reminded me of historical LDS figures. I would love to start a thread and see what others thought. I'll get my books back out and show you what I came up with so far..........
Posts: 3 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Here is the start of my list: Alvin = Joseph Smith [leg surgury as young boy] Measure = Hyrum Smith [dependable till the end] Calvin = William Smith [jealous younger brother] Margret Larner = Emma Hale Smith [often seen as cold and stern] Goody Guester = Lucy Mack Smith [fiesty old lady till the end!] Mike Fink = Porter Rockwell Verily Cooper = a mix between Oliver Cowdrey and Heber Kimball -who was a cooper! Arthur Stewart = Brigham Young? Successor in the making? What do you folks think?
Posts: 3 | Registered: Aug 2004
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locations were also interesting. I see Hatrack river as an alternate Palmyra with Vigor Church being Kirtland and Furrowspring County being Nauvoo. The crystal tabernacle is an obvious reference to the Nauvoo temple. For those who have been to the temple, his description of the purpose of the Crystal tabernacle was fitting.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Aug 2004
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John Taylor was from England and a cooper. Let me bust out my old "Parallels is the wrong word" saw...
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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No one helped Alvin make the plow. Unless you want to count the Master Smith (can't remember his name all the sudden) as Oliver Cowdery/Sidney Rigdon, which would really be a stretch.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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The Death of Joseph Smith and the death of Alvin Smith is set to be the ultimate parallel. I wonder if there will be a link between consequences of the time manipulation by La Tia that allowed Alvin to save baby Vigor and his death in the future. I do not see how the link would be made but there is a feeling I get as I reread that portion of the book that this blessing comes with a price that must be paid. Once Alvin dies then the protection of Furroughsprings would falter and the the people might have to make an exodus into red lands for safety.
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