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Blake DaQuino
Dr. Gregory
Honors 2
December 18, 2025
Genesis 1-9 shows what it means to be human and to struggle with the concepts of power,
responsibility, and general morals. Stories such as Cain and Abel and the Flood show us that the
human condition is to seek power, but it will inevitably misuse that power. Humans as a whole
have complete control and authority over the world they live in; however, Genesis clearly
emphasizes that this power is not free but is restrained by a moral responsibility. When those
moral obligations are crossed or broken, evil and unforeseen consequences follow. Two
hypertexts that build off of these ideas are the movies Bruce Almighty (2003) and The Lion King
(1994). Although these have completely different tones and concepts, both share Genesis’s
struggle with power, choice, and accountability.
In Genesis 1, humanity is shown to be created in God's image. People were given
complete dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). This privilege shows that humans are
simple creatures rather than divine rulers. The text also demonstrates the limits of human power
in Genesis 2-3, where we see that Adam and Eve are not permitted to eat from the forbidden tree
known as the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Their decision to break this command
reveals a huge struggle in the human condition itself: the desire to control humans are not
allowed to control. After the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, God sees that “the man has
become like one of us, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:22). This statement shows us that
human understanding is incompetent and dangerous when there is no responsibility. The stories
that follow, such as Cain and Abel and the Flood, expand this concept. When human power is
influenced by jealousy, it tends to be violent and escalates to the point of collapse. In Genesis,
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this leads to divine judgment not just for punishment but to make sure similar actions will not
occur again (Genesis 4; 6-9).
Bruce Almighty presents the themes in Genesis in a comedic way by placing God’s
divinity in the hands of a simple creature. When Bruce is granted God’s abilities, he uses them
for personal gain and convenience. This is an almost immediate parallel to Genesis’s portrayal of
how humanity misunderstands power as entitlement. Just as with Adam and Eve, Bruce assumes
that access to greater power will ensure his own happiness. However, Bruce’s actions always end
in chaos rather than the peaceful environment he craves. The movie shows that free will reflects
Genesis’s moral logic by showing that Bruce, even with all of God’s glory, cannot replicate love.
Power without moral insight can in no way produce any positive outcome. The film concludes
with Bruce relinquishing his power by his own will, having learned that human judgment is fatal
in the context of immense power. The resolution simply emphasizes what Genesis insists upon:
moral order requires that humans be humble rather than controlling.
The Lion King offers a more symbolic but equally important view of Genesis 1-9. The
Pride Lands start off as a perfect world with no harm and perfect order. This reflects the perfect
Garden of Eden in Genesis 1-2. Mufasa explains the “circle of life,” which enforces a similar
responsibility rather than a domination moral system, paralleling Genesis’s idea that authority is
relational. After Simba is exiled, Mufasa’s death serves as a symbol that humanity has been
removed from the Garden of Eden. Guilt and fear are now part of a world that was once perfect
and beautiful, as was the world early in Genesis. This is followed by Scar’s exploitation and
environmental destruction, just as corruption was described before the Flood, when “the earth
was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). Restoring this once beautiful world when Simba
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accepts that it is his role to fix it rather than flee aligns with Genesis’s idea that moral worth is
dependent on accountability.
Together, Bruce Almighty and The Lion King show that Genesis 1-9 shapes the way
power and responsibility are described and retold. Genesis presents these in a way that shows
authority is a privilege and is controlled by a moral burden. Whether it is a comedy or an
animated story, these films work greatly to reinforce the core themes that Genesis portrays: the
human condition is defined by power; without proper use of wisdom, it is harmful and should be
exercised carefully.
Bibliography
Genesis. Translated by Robert Alter. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.
Bruce Almighty. Directed by Tom Shadyac. Universal Pictures, 2003.
The Lion King. Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. Walt Disney Pictures, 1994.