Main Piece:

“God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers.”

Background:

The informant is a 19- year-old female from St. Louis, Missouri. However, she now lives in Los Angeles and attends the University of Southern California. She was raised in a Catholic household, where her mother would tell her this when times got tough. Since then, however, she is not quite as religious, so she says it somewhat ironically when people accomplish small tasks.

Context:

The informant is my roommate. I acquired this proverb after asking if she knew any.

My Thoughts:

This is a proverb that is rooted in religious ideology. I think it’s most interesting actually to look at the change of meaning behind the proverb and its usage. The informant specifically discussed how although her mother used it literally, she now uses it mostly ironically. I think this is reflective of a younger generation that is more pessimistic and in many cases strays from religion, due to its basis in “god’s will”. I also think that when the proverb is used literally, it is reflective of a positive mindset that encourages human perseverance.