Gilead - Marilynne Robinson Flashcards
About Robinson
born in 1943
American novelist
work often includes the theme of religion
the novel as the Bible
written in the style of the KJV with sentences joined by ‘And’
written from the perspective of John Ames for his son
- son is only referred to as ‘You’ which implicates the reader, making is appear as if he is speaking directly to the reader. Ames as God, son as humanity, book as the Bible? The book teaches his son a lesson about loving everyone as it accounts Ames’ journey to loving his Godson, Jack
shifting characters (the Prodigal Son)
Ames’ elder brother as the prodigal son: Edward leaves for Germany and returns an atheist. John on the other hand remains at home and takes on the career of his father and grandfather: he refers to himself as “the good son”
John Ames’ father is also a prodigal son. He rejects his own father and eventually leaves home to join Edward.
Ames’ best friend Boughton also has a prodigal son, Ames’ godson, Jack, who returns home as his father is dying in his old age
Jack as a broken man who engages in wrong behaviour
As a child, Jack used to steal from John and taunt him about it because he knew Ames would not want to tarnish the image of Boughton’s beloved son.
Jack also got a young woman pregnant and then refused to take care of the child.
Jack returns and Ames does not understand why we would be welcomed home
“he was allowed to go right on disgracing his family”
- indicates Jack is the prodigal son - Ames does not yet understand the unconditional love a father can have for his child.
Ames fears that Jack has bad intentions
fears that he will somehow hurt his wife and young boy “for the sly, unanswerable meanness of it”
Jack poses a threat to Ames’ theology
Ames struggles to answer any of the questions about religion that Jack poses - Ames realises that Jack is “winning the conversation” and this brings him to tears. In the eyes of Ames, Jack is purposely trying to outwit him.
Jack’s genuine desire to understand the gospel
Jack has a wife and son who he wishes to return to, however his father-in-law believes all white men are atheists, and in the case of Jack, this is true. He wishes to be good enough for his family.
Jack as a foil for Ames
Jack and Ames both have “unconventional marriages”
- Jack is married to a black woman, which was mostly frowned upon at the time.
- Ames married a woman much younger than him.
Ames’ revelation about Jack
By understanding Jack’s life, Ames realises he is not malicious as he initially thought he was: leads Ames to “see the beauty there is in him”
As Ames is towards the end of his life, this revelation allows him to die peacefully without hatred or fear of Jack’s intentions in his heart
The novel as a lesson for Ames’ son
Ames’ journey to understand Jack; to go from hating him to loving him, is a valuable lesson for his son to read later in his life. It is like a Bible, teaching his son how to love.
