Armodoxy for Today: Adding to Saroyan

One of the great Armenian-American writers of the twentieth century was William Saroyan. He was a novelist, playwright and short story writer, winning a Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award for Best Story for his novel, “The Human Comedy.”

Saroyan was a native of Fresno and his writings gave a colorful picture of life in the Western United States. Saroyan’s stories documented immigrant life in California’s Central Valley, writing about the early community that found haven in America following a genocide which had distributed survivors to the four corners of the globe, thereby defining the Armenian diaspora.

The characters in his story come alive with attributes such as stubbornness, tenacity and the persevering drive to survive.

In Armenian circles, especially in the Diaspora, there is a short paragraph attributed to Saroyan capturing the Armenian spirit that is quoted and recited ad nauseum. It begins, “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose history is ended, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, whose literature is unread, whose music is unheard, whose prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy this race…”

This quote has Saroyan concluding with a statement, “When two Armenians meet they create a new Armenia.” In 2020 the William Saroyan House Museum revealed that those words were never stated by Saroyan. Pointing to the actual quote, they further revealed that the words were the wishful thoughts and sentiments of someone who realized those thoughts would carry more weight if attributed to Saroyan. For example, Saroyan wrote, “… Whose prayers are no longer uttered” and not “no longer answered.” There is a difference.

While the gist of the remaining words is about the living-Armenian spirit, I share it today as a reminder to be careful of what is attributed to a person, especially when it comes to matters of Christianity. Just because someone says Jesus said something, that doesn’t make it so. Saroyan passed away in 1981. Imagine in the short time since his death how words are taken from the English language and changed in the English language. Consider, Jesus words were spoken in Aramaic, translated to the Greek, Hebrew, Armenian, and into English some 1300 years after Jesus.

For your consideration, not all that glitters is gold, and not all words attributed to Jesus are his. Read, ask, question and feel.

We pray, Lord, I hear with my ears, I read with my eyes and even my hands, but help me to receive with my heart, the message of Love and Peace that comes from You. Amen.

Read more from the Saroyan House Museum: https://saroyanhouse.com/single/news/39