Week 2 - Getting Stronger

 The Last Days of Brother Ray by David Ritz

The piece detailed Ritz's experiences with Ray Charles. It started with Ritz's writing of Ray's autobiography. Then progressed into the later years of their friendship. Ray had been religious his entire life, but once his health began to seriously deteriorate things began to change. Although Ray might not admit he changed because as he put it he never changed no matter what(Ritz 117). However, toward the end of his life Ray caring a lot more about his religion. The younger Ray seemed almost anti-religious. He seemed to have loved the church, however religion was something Ray didn't really seem to like. Later in Ray's life, Ray began to become deeply religious which he wasn't when he was young. When Ray was in his final years, Ray began saying he was weak but getting stronger(Ritz 128). Although it might seem as though he was talking about getting physically stronger, Ray really meant he was finding his faith. Ray began to believe more and more as he was dying. Every time Ritz would take to Ray he would hear from Ray that he was getting stronger. Not physically, but his faith was getting stronger and stronger. When finally confronted with the end of his life, Ray Charles discovered his true faith. He seemed to become deeply pious and much stronger. In The Last Days of Brother Ray, Ritz showed just how important the church was in Ray's life. Although Ray seemed somewhat against religion when he was younger, once Ray had almost nothing left he clung to the thing which was most important to him. His faith. His religion.