“Short in Writing”

Brant Gardner

Narrative analysis: Nephi is indeed becoming "short in writing" at this point. Where he has given details before, and might be seen as relating almost a verbatim narrative, he clearly abandons that and moves quickly through the last points. At this point in the narration, Nephi has presented enough of the essentials of Lehi's dream to set up his own experience, and he begins to move more rapidly to that point in his story. It is interesting that he begins to hurry through right at the denouement for the righteous. What might have been the highlight of Lehi's vision becomes a near afterthought in Nephi's relation - the justification of the righteous.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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