1st half of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Charlie Spinale

AP Literature & Composition

8/29/14

Prompt: “Often we can learn a lot about a character through his relationship with another character or characters. Discuss a relationship you see between two characters in Gilead and what that relationship tells you about the characters and the novel as a whole.”

            The common saying that history repeats itself is interconnected with the novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. The narrator, John Ames, is seventy-six years old and is the son of John Ames and grandson of John Ames. Not only does his father and grandfather share his name but also his vocation as a minister. Throughout the novel the reader sees how Reverend Ames relationship with his father helps him shape an image for himself. Through Reverend Ames letter he ensures a deep relationship with his own son as well as providing him with an apprehension to the history of their family before his inevitable death.

            The ceaseless idea of history repeating itself is seen in the novel because from the beginning the reader learns that Reverend Ames is living a life generations of his ancestors have lived as a preacher: “My mother’s father was a preacher, and my father’s father was, too, and his father before him, and before that, nobody knows, but I wouldn’t hesitate to guess. That life was second nature to them, just as it is to me” (6, Robinson). In this quote Reverend Ames not only mentions how his entire family of men has been preachers but also that becoming one was “second nature”. This suggests that Reverend Ames had no doubt in his mind that he would become a minster because that is what his father had done and it was almost a natural instinct for him to start a life as one. It is made explicit that Reverend Ames looks up to his father and respects his position. The sheer fact that both men are so involved in religion allows them to share common qualities because they both strive for similar things that any minster would strive for in terms of religious success within their churches and lives. Reverend Ames and his father are not only similar in the sense that they both live religious lives but also the fact that they both cherish the presence of their children: “He was a fine, vigorous man into his old age. We played catch in the evenings after supper for years, till the sun went down and it was too dark for us to see the ball. I think he just appreciated having a child at home, a son. Well, I was a fine, vigorous old man, too, until recently” (17). This quote exhibits how much Reverend Ames enjoyed the time he spent with his father as a child. He describes his father as “vigorous” meaning he was healthy and always energetic. Reverend Ames states he himself was “vigorous” “until recently”. This suggests Reverend Ames feels guilty that he may not be able to share the same experiences he had with his father with his son due to his sickness. This allows the reader a greater comprehension as to why Reverend Ames is writing this letter. The similarities between Reverend Ames and his father are evidently clear. Both are minsters allowing an immediate bond in terms of respect for each other and both raised their children with the similar principles of their ancestors. However, Reverend Ames time teaching his son about the world is being cut short.

               The reader sees how strong of a relationship Reverend Ames has with his father through the stories and memories he shared with him. One of which was when Reverend Ames was twelve years old and went with his father to his grandfather’s grave in Kansas. Reverend Ames refers to this memory with his father as being a time of great joy: “[…] what a sweet strength I felt, in him, and in myself, and all around us. I am glad I didn’t understand, because I have rarely felt joy like that, and assurance. It was like one of those dreams where you’ve filled with some extravagant feeling you might never have in life, it doesn’t matter what it is, even guilt or dread, and you learn from it what an amazing instrument you are, so to speak, what a power you have to experience beyond anything you might ever actually need” (48-49). This quote explains how Reverend Ames felt when he was walking next to his dad the night they visited his grandfather’s grave. Reverend Ames felt “strength” walking besides his father that day. This suggests that his father provided him with the knowledge he needed in his life and the knowledge he would give to his own children. He also felt “joy” and the ability to experience things in life that he may never actually need to experience to feel fulfilled. This suggests that his father provided him with not only joy but the ability to experience life however he wanted even though he was happy with that moment alone. The reader also sees how Reverend Ames’ father influenced his beliefs that kept with him through his adult life. This is the scene on the same day they visit the graveyard and Reverend Ames' father is praying when the full moon began to rise as the sun was setting and the grave and Reverend Ames and his father were exactly between them. Reverend Ames’ father refers to this as something everyone saw not just them suggesting it was not a miracle of any kind: ‘[…] You know, everyone in Kansas saw the same thing we saw’ “[…] Later I realized my father would have meant that the sun and moon aligned themselves as they did with no special reference to the two of us. He never encouraged any talk about visions or miracles, except the ones in the bible” (48). This quote shows how Reverend Ames’ father refused to view that beautiful moment as a miracle. The way Reverend Ames describes the moment suggests he viewed it as a miracle. However, he states “later he realized” that his father meant it was not a miracle. This suggests that “later” in life as he got older he came to realize that miracles did not exist only the ones involving the Bible due to his strong religious beliefs. This shows how much a parent can influence a child because they want to be just like them in every aspect when they grow up.

            Reverend Ames talks about the conflict his father had with his father involving the Civil War. Revered Ames’ discusses how his father told him about his father’s church and how it was half empty after the war because the only people who stayed were widows, orphans, and mothers who lost their sons. All the graves at the church were new and what killed Reverend Ames’ father the most was how his father preached that all this had a meaningful purpose and it was something that needed to be done: “And there was his father, preaching every Sunday on the divine righteousness manifested in it all” (87). Reverend Ames’ father’s father would walk into church about to give a sermon wearing his bloody shirt and having his pistol on hand and then would preach about how God essentially wanted war. Reverend Ames’ father destroyed the items left behind from his father that involved his beliefs on this. He smashed the pistol and threw it into a lake, essentially, trying to make his guilt of what his father did go away. In telling his son this, Reverend Ames wanted his son to be aware of this to ensure he would not acquire any guilt. Reverend Ames essentially learns from his past ancestors mistakes and wishes to teach his own son what he learned from his experiences. Reverend Ames was aware that his father disrespected his grandfather but he also learned about the mistakes his grandfather made and impressed them upon his son: “He may, so to speak, have been too dazzled by the great light of his experience to realize that an impressive sun shines on us all. Perhaps that is the one thing I wish to tell you. Sometimes the visionary aspect of any particular day comes to you in the memory of it, or it opens to you over time” (91). In this quote Reverend Ames is trying to tell his son that his grandfather had a certain belief about the war and he refused to even look at someone else’s view on it. He is also saying that some visions do not come to you for a while when you have memories of those events. Reverend Ames’ guilt about his father’s disrespect toward his father essentially allows him to teach his son valuable lessons about life.

            Although Reverend Ames recalls some negative aspects of his father’s life and actions he also recalls some of the memories that are most dear to his heart. Throughout the letter, the reader sees that Reverend Ames mentions the story of when his father helped take down a Baptist church several times, suggesting it is an exceedingly important memory of his childhood and father. He remembers how his father broke a piece of a biscuit and fed it to him by hand. He thought of the moment as if his father was giving him communion. It allowed him to feel truly connected to his father in that one loving moment. However, Reverend Ames mentions that his father never placed the bread in his mouth. He just remembers it that way because he wishes his father had placed it there. Since this moment was so important to him he gives his own son a similar experience: “[…] I broke the bread and fed a bit of it to you from my hand, just the way my father would not have done except in memory” (103). This quote shows how Reverend Ames recreated a memory that he wanted his own son to have because it was a moment that he looked back upon with true endearment. This relates to the theme of history repeating itself because Reverend Ames experiences with his father were recreated for his son and tweaked so that his son would not have to experience any regret or guilt that Reverend Ames experienced.

            Throughout the Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, the strong tie between Reverend Ames and his father allows the reader a greater apprehension of their characteristics while at the same time providing an understanding of the novel as a whole. Reverend Ames’ father is viewed as a loving man who sought to teach his son the principles that his own father taught him. He does this by teaching his son the religious beliefs he was taught by his father and so forth. Reverend Ames himself is also a loving man but he does not receive the full benefit of being there to tell his child right from wrong. He sadly, does not receive the benefit of watching his son grow up and have children of his own.  The relationship between Reverend Ames and his father allow the reader to really gain a grasp on Reverend Ames’ character. The reader learns that through this letter, Reverend Ames hopes to teach his son what he otherwise will not be able to teach him after his death. He provides him with similar beloved experiences he had like placing the bread in his son’s mouth for his communion and also provides him with a greater understanding of the world and the negative things that happened in his life so they will not happen in his son’s life. Reverend Ames and his father are both worldly men and that quality must be passed down among the generations as it has always. This letter allows this tradition to continue.  The letter goes to show the true importance of parents and in this case a father. Children come into this world with no one but their parents. So everything they have ever known is something their parents have done or said. It goes to show children grow up with their parents being their true best friends and the worldly knowledge they pass onto their children is immensely vital to the development of the world’s children.