The belly of the whale is one of the most powerful symbols that illustrate the hero’s death, which may not always be physical and the rebirth that follows it. The belly may be referred to as the womb, while the darkness within it symbolizes death, and the process of the hero’s emergence is similar to the act of giving birth (Penn, 2019). The belly of the whale was not by chance chosen to signify rebirth because it relates to the biblical story of Jonah and the Big Fish.
The story is quite well-known, and many people have known it since childhood. It is about a man, Jonah, whom God told to go preach to Nineveh because people who lived there were malicious (Bible Study Tools Staff, 2022). Jonah disliked the idea and tried to escape by sea, but his ship faced a storm, and the man was forced to jump into the water. God then sent a big fish that was probably, a whale that swallowed the man and, thus, saved him from death (BibleStudy Tools Staff, 2022). Jonah spent three days in the whale’s belly, where he understood that it was wrong to neglect God’s assignment and asked Him to spare him. The whale returned the man to the land, and he went to Nineveh and told its citizens about God’s anger. After that, people there repented, and God gave them mercy.
Jonah’s story is often interpreted in many ways and has different messages. The first and most evident one is that every person in the world has debt and responsibilities that need to be fulfilled. People should not neglect them in order to make their existence easier because the things that should be done will follow them no matter where they go. The story also teaches the readers to live their lives through love that is complying with their duty and providing assistance to those who need it.
References
BibleStudy Tools Staff (2022). Jonah and the Whale – Bible story. BibleStudy Tools. Web.
Castleberry, S. (2021). One creation: Examining creation myths across time and culture. Ouachita Baptist University. Web.
Penn, A. (2019). The belly of the whale: Hero’s journey, stage 5 (explained). Shortform. Web.