Heidi--Lots of Christian connotations?

[madteaparty]

Wondering about this. Do not recall this from my childhood, and I'm not neccesarily opposed (we're agnostic, generally and specifically on this book ;)) but I simply want to be prepared in case there are questions.

Are some translations better than others?

[Candid]

I suspect a lot of versions of Heidi will not only involve translation but abridgment and maybe even retelling.

 

If I am reading it out loud I like to do the original, but if I have weak readers, then I will get what is appropriate for their reading level.

 

If you want to read more on this subject, here's a nice discussion of abridgment to remove worldview:

http://www.firstthings.com/article/2008/09/002-the-strange-shipwreck-of-robinson-crusoe-1

 

(Note: deicdedly Christian content.)

[Chris in VA]

Yes, the entire plot involves major Christian/religious ideas. One of the themes is about God's timing and how he works things together that we may not understand at the moment. The explicit example in the book is when Heidi sees that, had she not gone to Frankfort, she would not have learned to read, and that brought much pleasure to Peter's grandmother--further, because she met Clara, she could take her back to the Alps, where Clara grew strong and then was able to relearn how to walk. Had Heidi not left, the Grandfather may not have reconciled, etc.

The whole book is full of examples of Grace, and it is a major theme in the sequels, too.

[nmoira]

Heidi is something of a little evangelist too, in her conversations with Peter (this may not me in the first book.)

 

The only thing I edit out when reading aloud (the first time) is a *very* long and boring speech about Grandfather by Dete very early in the book. I substitute a quick summary.