Gilead - Through the End

[Tamara]

This is a place to discuss the entire novel of Gilead by Marilyn Robinson. Please place spoilers under a spoiler tag like so... (< spoiler> < / spoiler> with the spaces removed.

[Kamil]

Finally I reached the end, what a hard journey it was. The hardest I’ve taken this year, one of the hardest ever. Let’s start from the beginning though.

The book is a letter, being written by dying reverend to his 7 years old son. I liked the idea, didn’t like the execution much. It lacks trajectory, what seemed at the beginning as a interesting (although not innovative, e.g. Iron Age, Coetzee and many others) idea turned into dull, going back and forth, stream of consciousness that made me crawl through pages, basically through the whole book.

No denying there is a great deal of warmth, intelligence and realism regarding importance of human relations, however due to almost absolute lack of plot for most of the parts and overwhelming amount of scripture and Christian theology very often of purely academic nature I found it heavy and uninteresting. It was very unbalanced, academic, theological parts absolutely dominate the book, overshadow the story in it, and I just don’t’ find them neither thought provoking enough nor touching, to make up for that.

I really enjoyed the last 50 pages, when the plot came up to life and it was human and beautiful. I would give it 4,5 if I was rating only last 50 pages and small, insightful parts that happened from time to time, however most of the time I was struggling unprecedented. I kept on going though, because I knew that once put down for something else to read, it would probably never got back in my hands.

[Ashley]

I'm on page 179 and finally the book is getting easier to read. I still really don't like anything about this book, but at least I'm close to being finished.

[[deleted user]]

I'm done and rereading certain pearls of wisdom in my journal. Will update , getting ready for Christmas. This book was a priceless Gem! Loved it.

[Ashley]

I finally finished this book last night. I found this book to be incredibly dull and painful to get through. The last 50 pages or so were the easiest to read and the most enjoyable. To me this book is incredibly overrated.

[Kamil]

I would have to agree as for overrated and painful to get through. Don't get the hype at all.

[مرجان]

I have translated this book to Persian. Please be patient with this book you may find it a real gem. Not all the books are written for entertaining. The words are chosen so carefully to carry the meaning. I love this book and I love all the books by Marilynne Robinson.

[Tamara]

I have the complete opposite reaction to Kamil upon finishing this book. I much preferred the first 200 pages of the book to the last 50. I rally enjoyed the rambling and would get lost in it, not really noticing that the book was lacking plot, but it almost read like a memoir. I thought the last 50 pages were a desperate plea for a plot driven book and a need to make up for what some readers probably feel it lacked throughout. Personally, being one to ramble a bit myself, and a lover of storytelling regardless if there is a plot, moral, or other aim, I truly enjoyed this book. I'll be posting some of my favorite quotes later on.

[[deleted user]]

My experience mirrored Tamara's comments on the Gilead , specifically the marking of enjoying the initial 200 pages, however, like all books being subjective and relating to you individually, that is what made Gilead such an incredible read for me.
Interestingly , I, looked up the meaning of the title because it was an unusual word, yet familiar and finally was drawn to the conclusion that it's definition means "Promised Land". The first 200 pages were filled with incredible wisdom and pearls of advice, the narrator's love of books etc and especially remarks on our humanity. It brought a sense of areas to my personhood and helped me understand wonders and themes that were like a marble rolling around in my head , finally finding a slot or hole to affix to. Whether it was a Bible verse or how he felt like (view spoiler)[

Isaac with Abraham going in circles on their journey in the beginning of the novel, I too found delight and comfort in the metaphor. Also, I loved how this novel splashed periodic puddles to bringing understanding to something that I otherwise wouldn't of known of and through the unique drama, at the end of the novel, I can completely understand the alloy of how this book received critical acclaim and a literary prize. With all due respect, and I'm sure others will add or may have drawn something completely different from this novel, this is my impression, I'll try to bring light to areas that I felt Ms. Robinson's rich novel debriefed.

Themes used in the novel:
1. United States civil war -cause and effect, personal impression, utilizing a religious narrative for contrast.
2. Visceral relational bond of generations of fathers and sons, coalescing all ilks of personalities.
3. Testing and stretching tenuous limits on oneself with strong morality mixed with piety.
4. Definition between the purpose of a righteous kill vs murder, in war.


In general, mainly this is a novel narrated by the ailing Reverend John Ames narrating to his "new" son Robert Boughton Miles and the ilk of men he has inherited along with histrionics of the Ames family and his father's, Boughton. He carries on through 3/4 if the novel using a narration of"a stream of consciousness", almost a mournful, pseudo self-dialogue to his new son, issuing a poems, events, "visions" and what he yearns and learns in his life.

To continue my summation, (view spoiler)[ ,

As far as the contrast of war and the complicated vocation of being a "Reverend", I believed the authoress uses this ultimate " moral" vocation to compare "extreme rigid morals" in the face of the non spiritual issues. As to the "old man" Ames, the first reverend (view spoiler)[
who left his church, his home to be a man called to join the Union army voluntarily ,to be an abolitionist , becoming a Champlain because of age. This event marks a turning point within the nature of the relationship between The Reverend because John commented that he could never get over how he could come back from a situation where he just left his responsibilities of his calling, his church, wife and son. This reverend when he returned from the war spoke about it's purpose was to be "purifying" on page 99 of the hardcover text. Defined by the Unionist Reverend "purity" is to free your nation from anything that pollutes it. Slavery debased and polluted humanity. Also, rights and laws being fought to be "free from foreign and objectionable elements" thus deducing standard of living and direction of the country, building a foundation of freedom for generations to come. This action was not understood by John Ames, Reverend 3.(view spoiler)[.

It was understood that even though this reverend entered as a chaplain being too old and to be a "grey beard" , he went and through the secret tunnels, helping a man and ended up "covering" for the man who carried the"spirit of the cause of freedom " and " winged him , who thus fell off his horse and the Reverend left him in a bad spill" , thus covering and keeping his word to what old John Brown had asked him to do, " cover my retreat". (Sic)

Throughout John Ames' (reverend 3) who narrates this novel, Gilead, I see him as like a Moses who like him, was the last to deliver and pass the torch to "a Joshua" his "son "
to to the promise land who he wrote on the last page" of Gilead, the Reverend John Ames concludes to Robert:
" I'll pray that grow up to be a brave man in a brave country. I will pray you find a way to be useful."
I know it may be a stretch to those who may not see a conclusion related to the Bible, but like Moses leading the Isrealites out of "slavery" from Pharaoh, the authoress uses this novel of "godly men", the past John Ames' lives , who did not enter their "promised land" because of their behavior. But, like Moses' did abolish slavery in the United States through the Civil War giving John Ames, heir,Robert , as penned in his last words to a free nation, a promised land. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kamil]

As Lisa said sometimes it's up to your personality while other times it's up to your mood or combination of both.

Last part that I enjoyed the most was very close home, in a sense I knew it from somewhere, the trouble,outcast son in the sixties/seventies marring a black woman and having a kid with her coming back home to share it with his folks. I felt like I've seen it, exactly the same story, I was so sure that I even started looking for trailer at youtube, to see if Gilead was filmed and if I haven't seen it already.

[Tamara]

Kamil, I think it's great that you related to the end story personally. It was really touching and I appreciated how we got to see some humanization of previously elusive characters.

[Tamara]

Laura Jean wrote: "Finished listening to Gilead today. In truth, I am in awe. The development of father/son relationships, ames & his father; ames'father & his father; ames & his grandfather; ames & hi..."

Love this comment! Love how you took the bread as a symbol of life and removed it from the religious sense and recognized the familial sense. Really great observation.

I bet it was great to listen to, since for me it read a lot like someone speaking.

Thanks for reading and sharing!

[Rick]

I really liked this book. I found it poignant and it was relevant to my current life (losing aged loved ones).

[Jenn]

This book is just so beautifully written. It's character and idea driven, rather than plot driven. I found myself copying out sentences and paragraphs just to savor them. For that reason, it wasn't a quick read, but was well worth every moment I spent with it. I could hear John Ames voice in my head and grieved that he was fictional.

I do understand that this book won't be for everyone. The quiet, sparse prose demands a certain patience from the reader. Many of the ideas have a theological basis, so that may be a turn off to some. However, the humble awe Rev. Ames has for the gift of life's joys and struggles is profound to me. This book made me slow down and contemplate and for that I am grateful.

[Tamara]

Jenn wrote: "This book made me slow down and contemplate and for that I am grateful. "

Me too, Jenn. I definitely took away the message that it's important to take notice of even the little things in life. And also, to write down your own history, because once you're gone, you can't share that anymore.

[Cat]

I just finished reading Gilead. I'm left with a calm sense of peace. This book was a sort of balm for me. It felt so soothing to let the words wash over me. I enjoyed the theological parts, because so little of my life is religious anymore.

I really identified with Boughton when he said, "I am in a state of categorical unbelief. I don't even believe God doesn't exist, if you see what I mean." I am a half-hearted agnostic and it's exhausting to keep up this level of cynicism. So many times I've just wanted to believe in something that could give me some comfort. It was comforting to listen to this preacher, to suspend my disbelief, to see joy, love, grief and death, through a Christian lens, if only for the length of the novel.
As an aside, apparently Obama mentioned Gilead as one of his favorite books.

[Cat]

I just typed up my favorite quotes from the book and realized how deeply this book actually affected me when I got teary eyed, thinking about how he won't get to see his child grow up. I'm typing this now with my 19 month old son asleep in the other room, realizing that I probably won't live to see him grow to be an old man. This is my time with him. Here. Now.

Here are a couple of my favorites about that sense of being in the moment with your child.

"Sometimes now when you crawl into my lap and settle against me and I feel that light, quick strength of your body and the weightiness of your head, when you're cold from playing in the sprinkler or warm from your bath at night, and you lie in my arms...and tell me what you've been thinking about...I imagine your child self finding me in heaven and jumping into my arms and there is a great joy in the thought...Adulthood is a wonderful thing, and brief. You must be sure to enjoy it while it lasts.”

"Why do I love the thought of you old? That first twinge of arthiritis in your knee is a thing I imagine with all the tenderness I felt when you showed me your loose tooth...I wish I could help you carry the weight of many years. But the Lord will have that fatherly satisfaction."

[Irene]

I read this book a few years ago. I neither loved nor disliked it. I did think it was a bit over rated. The wisdom it contained did not strike me as particularly profound or novel. The rambling recalling of memories became tiresome after a while. I needed breaks, I think. At the same time, I found the voice to be authentic and enjoyed the way characters were revealed as they grew over time. Personally, I thought Housekeeping was heads and shoulders better than Gilead.