In Jeffrey P. BrownÆs (2005) Black Body Radiation and the Ultraviolet Catastrophe, I find that the author is encouraging us, through the story of a boy named Augustus, to rediscover our hope and faith by focusing on the eternal instead of the temporal. We are told in ôOne WitnessÆs Appeal,ö that Commander William Holtenzennerson attests to the ôurgency and accuracyö of the message we are being provided through the story of Augustus (Brown, 2005, p. 1). The urgency and accuracy of the message stems from a human tendency for pursuing temporal ôdesires of the flesh and not of the greater, eternal spirit that resides withinö (Brown, 2005, p. 2).
A mysterious being visits Augustus in his bedroom. The mysterious spirit is there to deliver the message ôkeep the faith,ö though it is both derogatory and ôlike some outdated hippieö in AugustusÆ perspective (Brown, 2005, p. 5). Bebe explains paganism to Augustus and the belief that nature represents the environment of the spiritual. In this real, respect for all things is observable, from the mischievous Sparrows who work hard to the boar Garrett who solicits individuals to sign his petition because ôThere is a real need for our getting back to our roots and to a basic respect for boarsö (Brown, 2005, p. 48). Of course, the animals are symbols for human beings an industry, respect, and the connectedness of all living things are represented by the animals.
In the story we see that there are many elements of Eastern religion, particularly Buddhism and Zen. We see that Buddhist-like Owls teach errant and irreverent Chipmunks the way or path to enlightenment. Throughout the story, Brown (2005, p. 50) invests his story with a good measure of humor. When the Owl explains the Chipmunk will get 30 whacks with a stick if he says ôyesö and thirty whacks if he says ôno,ö the Chipmunk inquires what will happen if he says ômaybeö (Brown, 2005, p. 49). The Owl re
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