Go Tell it on the Mountain door James Baldwin

SETTING The novel is set in Harlem in New York City. The Grimes migrate to the North in search of new opportunities. Elizabeth bids goodbye to her aunt in Maryland and leaves with Richard. She arrives in New York with great expectations but she is sorely disappointed. "Here, in this great city where no one cared, where people right live in the same building for years and never speak to one another, she found herself, when Richard took her in his arms, on the edge of a steep place and down she rushed, on the descent uncaring, into the dreadful sea." New York is a big and bustling city but it is heartless. The only way Elizabeth and Richard make their existence meaningful is by visiting places of interest in the city on weekends. They go to the Central Park or the Museum of Natural history to take their mind off from the daily drudgery. John Grimes does the same when he has to escape out of his dingy quarters at Harlem. He climbs a hill nearby to view New York in all its majesty and imagines himself to be an influential figure in the city. From there he walks over to mid-town Manhattan and Central Park to get a feel of the city. John experiences a sense of freedom in all the places outside his home at Harlem. His house was "narrow and dirty; nothing could alter its dimensions, no labor could ever make it clean. Dirt was in the walls and the floorboards, and triumphed beneath the sink where roaches spawned; was in the fine ridges of the pots and pans, scoured daily, burnt black on the bottom, hanging above the store; was in the wall against which they hung, and revealed itself where the paint had cracked and leaned outward in stiff squares and fragments, the paper-thin underside webbed with black." In similar quarters live Florence and other Negroes like her. If they look out of their window, they can see "scraps of paper and frosty dust, and --- the hanging signs of stores and storefront churches." In the evenings, the Negro families visit the churches at Harlem called the “Temple of the Fire Baptized. "It was not the biggest church in Harlem, nor yet the smallest, but John had been brought up to believe it was the holiest and best." John and Roy attend the Sunday school in this church conducted by Elisha before the
morning service. "The Sunday morning service began when Brother Elisha sat down at the piano and raised a song." In the evening, John goes to the church to clean it up before the service. Life within the homes seems to be secure for the inmates of Harlem. However, when they step out of its confines, they are alert. When John walks along the Fifth Avenue and 42nd street, he is cautious lest the White men apprehend him. He desires to enter the Public Library but he is apprehensive as he had never gone in because the building was so big that it must be full of corridors and marble steps in the maze of which he would be lost and never find the book he wanted. And then everyone, all the white people inside, would know that he was not used to great buildings, or to many books, and they would look at him with pity." Roy is more daring than John. He strays outside his territory and provokes the white youth to challenge him. In one such encounter, he hurts himself. Life for the Negroes in New York in the mid-twentieth century was insecure. Fear always gripped their hearts and they were restricted from pursuing their normal activities. If they dared to rebel, they became victims of racial prejudice.
LIST OF CHARACTERS (Major) John Grimes
The teenaged son of Elizabeth, he is intelligent and sensitive. The novel traces his growth from childhood to adolescence. Gabriel Grimes
Step-father of John, he is a hypocrite. As a dean of the church at Harlem, he appears respectful and just but nurtures feelings of prejudice against John and behaves sternly with the boy. Elizabeth Grimes
John’s mother and Gabriel’s second wife. In youth, she elopes with Richard and gives birth to his child. After Richard’s death, she marries Gabriel. Florence
Sister of Gabriel, she is a woman of character and principles. She is unlucky as a daughter and a wife but takes the responsibility of acting as Gabriel’s conscience keeper. Minor
Deborah
The unfortunate teenager who is raped and discarded by a white man. She is selfless and devout. She gives oral support to Gabriel after the death of the latter’s mother and later, marries him. Esther
The charming girl who ensnares Gabriel to share a relationship with her and later, gives birth to his child. She works as a cook in the same house where Gabriel works as a helper. Royal
The illegitimate son of Gabriel and Esther. In adolescence, he lands into trouble and gets killed by white youth in Chicago. Roy
Son of Gabriel and Elizabeth, he loves life and is daring. He hates his father for imposing his authority on him and restricting his

freedom. Elisha
The young and handsome preacher at the Baptist church at Harlem, he is sensible and serene. He acts as a guide to John and helps him get salvation. Ella Mae
The charming teenager who attends the service at the church at Harlem with her grand mother. When she becomes friendly with Elisha, the elders in the church warn her and her companion and separate them. Sarah
John’s kid sister, she is sprightly and talkative. CONFLICT Protagonist
John Grimes is the protagonist of the novel. The book dwells into the life of the boy from childhood to adolescence. From a boy unsure of himself, he develops into a young man who succeeds in establishing his identity. Antagonist
John’s stepfather, Gabriel is the antagonist in the novel. Gabriel dislikes John and looks at him with suspicion. Even when John receives enlightenment in the church, Gabriel raises doubts in the mind of the boy about fulfilling his responsibilities in the future. Gabriel creates fear and anger in the heart of John. Climax
Gabriel’s authoritarian ways and severity create animosity in John and makes the boy rebellious. John desires to taste the pleasures of life and enjoy freedom to indulge in activities of his choice. However, after he watches a movie, he feels guilty about doing so. He is also angry with his father for slapping his mother. Thus, in the evening at the church, he turns to god to give him peace of mind. Outcome
He falls down near the altar and imagines being punished for his sins. Torn by conflicting desires, he feels helpless. However, his faith in god and his innate goodness help him in attaining salvation. John receives the grace of God but Gabriel feels unsure of himself.
PLOT (Synopsis) James Baldwin opens his novel Go Tell it on the Mountain with John entering his fourteenth year. On this day, he realizes that he should do something different from what his father expects him to do. From the time he is conscious, he has been told that he should become a preacher when he grew up. On this birthday, he is not sure whether he wants to satisfy others by becoming a man of the church. John recollects certain incidents from his childhood that had cast an impression on his mind. He remembers their visits to the church, the Temple of the Fire Baptized every Sunday at Harlem. His father was the deacon of the church and thus, it was an occasion to visit the church. They would all dress up in their best
clothes and walk through the streets passing the hospital where his brothers and sisters were born. After reaching the church, they would seat themselves in different portions of the church according to their age groups. John and his brother, Roy occupied their places with other boys of their age group and were attended by Elisha, the young but talented preacher. On his birthday on Saturday, John wakes up with a fond hope that his family members would come to wish him. However, when no such thing happens, he goes back to sleep and gets up very late. He hears voices from the kitchen. Roy is arguing with his mother about his father’s attitude. John enters the kitchen hesitantly and waits for a special breakfast. Once more he is disappointed. He eats the routine fare as he listens to his brother’s rebellious words. When his mother asks him to clean the drawing room, he reluctantly starts doing his job. John is distressed that even on his birthday he is asked to do work like any other day. He does his job listlessly and feels exhausted after finishing it. His mother enters the room and surprises him by wishing him a happy birthday. She also gives him some money to spend it on himself. John feels overjoyed and goes out to enjoy himself. He walks over to the Central Park and climbs over a hill to view the city of New York. He is overawed by the immensity of the city and craves for the good things of life. In such a mood, he walks down to mid-town Manhattan and towards the cinema halls. He buys a ticket at one of the cinema halls and catches a movie with excitement. However, after the show, he feels guilty for indulging in worldly pleasures. Nearing home, he observes Sarah running to the medical store. He fears trouble at home. Sarah mentions about Roy’s accident as he enters the house. He notices that aunt Clarence had arrived. Inside, he notices his brother lying on the bed and his parents attending on him. His father questions him about his absence and informs about Roy’s encounter with white boys who had punished him. Gabriel is angry with his wife for allowing Roy to go out but Florence chides her brother for being authoritative. When Elizabeth tries to defend herself, Gabriel slaps her on the face. Roy is outraged and curses his father. Gabriel feels insulted and beats his wounded son. John feels revolted by the scene and hates his father for it. He leaves for
the church to fulfill his evening duties. As he cleans up the floor, he keeps thinking of his father’s attitude. He hates his father for his arrogance. In the mean time, Elisha arrives to perform his chores. He teases John for being clumsy in his cleaning work. John gets provoked and challenges Elisha for a duel. Elisha is taken unawares as John overpowers him and deals him blows. However, he brings the matter under control. John feels sorry for his action and regains his composure, though he is still bitter about his father. After the Sisters of the church arrive, they commend John on his work and bless him. Shortly afterwards, Gabriel enters the hall followed by his wife and sister. John is surprised to find his aunt at the church. The second part of the novel opens up the past of Florence, Gabriel and Elizabeth. Florence tries to pray to god and seek his pardon for the sins she had committed in life. Visiting the church after a number of years, she feels the need to unburden her heart in front of the Lord. Thus, she relives the past that had caused more pain than pleasure to her. As a child, she had visited the church with her mother. Her mother was a devout Christian whose faith in god was unflinching. After working in the plantation for a number of years
as a slave, she had got married and given birth to many children. However, only two of her children remained with her. Florence was older and had to look after Gabriel after his birth, while her mother was away at work. Florence had missed out on the pleasures of childhood and education, as she had to attend to Gabriel and help with the housework. Gabriel was pampered and given special treatment. He was dressed in clean clothes and sent to school. However, Gabriel had failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a good son. He was not interested in studies. He missed school and roamed around with vagabonds. He would get into mischief and cause trouble to his mother. His mother would punish him but it made no difference to Gabriel. Insecurity always haunted them. A young Negro girl called Deborah was raped by a white man and left helpless. Her father was killed because he raised his voice against the atrocity. This incident had created fear in the heart of the Negroes. Florence’s mother had been very protective towards her daughter. Florence
began hating all men including her brother who behaved callously. She had sympathized with Deborah’s plight and befriended the latter. However, she felt trapped at home. The opportunity to escape from home came when her master at work proposed to her to be his mistress. She could take it no more and had walked out of her house and the life of her sick mother with a heavy heart. One chapter of her life had thus ended. In New York, she had met Richard and liked him for his simplicity. When he had proposed to her, she had accepted his hand, unaware that their future held no promises. Richard was a fun loving, carefree person who could give no thought to his responsibility as a husband. He drank and spent the money he had, contributing very little to the household income. Florence had tried her best to correct him but he found it hard to improve. Finally, she had shown him the door and he had left never to return. Now, Florence led a lonely and dreary life. She was ill and the pain in her bowels was torturing. Her end was near. Today, she had come to the church to seek the mercy of the Lord to relieve her suffering. She also wanted to confront Gabriel and show him the letter Deborah had written long ago exposing his relationship with Esther but she is not sure she will be fit enough to talk to him. As Gabriel stands before God, he too recollects his past and the sins he had committed. He remembers vividly the time when his mother was sick in bed and relied on him to give her moral strength. However, he had betrayed her faith by indulging in all kinds of vices and succumbing to the pleasures of the flesh. Most
of the time he was away and the Sisters of the church or Deborah would attend to his mother. As he made merry, his mother would pray for him at home. One day, after spending the night with a prostitute, he was torn with guilt as he returned home. Nearing home, he had heard his mother’s soulful singing. The song and her voice had moved his heart and he had decided to change his life. Gabriel had accepted the offer to preach at a neighboring house. Deborah had lent him moral support and encouraged him to execute his job. Thus, he became a preacher. After his mothers demise, Deborah had been his constant companion and conscience keeper. She had helped him to address an august gathering of religious men and get recognized a good speaker. Gabriel was indebted to her and thus, had offered to marry her. Their married life was peaceful, though it lacked excitement. In the house of the white family where he worked as a helper, he had met the charming Esther. He had befriended her and invited her to listen to his sermon. Esther had liked him, though not his religious ideologies. Thus, she had lured him towards a relationship with her. Gabriel had felt guilty but had carried on the torrid affair for a week. Finally, he had broken off with her. Deborah had suspected the affair but had kept silent. Esther had got pregnant with his child and had persuaded Gabriel to marry her. When Gabriel had refused to comply with her demand, Esther had asked him to give her money to go abroad for her confinement. Gabriel had stolen the money from Deborah’s box and given it to Esther. Esther had gone away but had returned back after the birth of their child. She had died soon after. Esther’s parents were looking after the little boy. Deborah had paid them visits often and reported about the growth of the child to Gabriel. Gabriel had felt guilty but refrained from confessing his sin to his wife. Whenever he met his son, Royal, he would exchange pleasantries with him and warn him against the danger of encountering white men. However, Royal had gone to Chicago and got killed by white men. When Deborah had told Gabriel about it, the latter had been shocked. He had broken down and confessed his relationship with Esther to his wife. Deborah had felt sorry for the boy and was sad that she could not take care of him. After Deborah’s demise, Gabriel had moved to the North. Here, he had met Elizabeth and had married her. He had promised to accept her son as his own but could not consider him as his offspring. He regrets having lost Royal and losing the trust of Roy. His heart is heavy. He seeks the mercy of god to enlighten his life. It is Elizabeth’s turn to offer her prayers and unburden her heart in front of the Lord. As a child she had been cheerful and happy. Her mother was strict with her but her father was indulgent towards her. She had loved her father but was deprived of his love, when her aunt had taken her away from him after her mothers demise. She was fed up of her aunt’s discipline and had longed to taste the pleasures of life. Thus, she had got drawn to Richard who had worked as a clerk in a departmental store. When Richard had asked her to accompany him to New York, she had followed him. However, she had to undergo a life of struggle in the city, especially after Richards’s death. She also had to suffer the pangs of bearing and bringing up her illegitimate child all alone. In the place where she worked as a cleaner, Elizabeth had met Florence and befriended her. Florence had sympathized with her plight and invited her home. On one of her visits to Florence, she had met Gabriel and got impressed by his dignified manner. He had given her moral support to face her life with courage and
offered to marry her. Elizabeth had felt honored to accept his proposal. However, Gabriel had changed his attitude towards her after marriage. He had questioned her past life and felt reluctant to accept John as his child. He was always stern and formal with the boy. Today, he had raised his hand against her and provoked her children. Elizabeth’s heart is full and she prays to God to make life better for her and her son. As Elizabeth looks towards John, the latter falls down on the floor in a state of delirium. He is not sure whether he would be able to get up. He is afraid god would keep him down for the sins he had committed. He is also tempted to escape out of the church and taste the pleasures of life. His mind is in turmoil. He remembers the past and fears about the sins he had committed. He relates his father to his sins and hates the latter for it. Thus, fearing the wrath of god, he gives up the effort to get up. However, an ethereal voice
persuades him to try and reach up to god. He goes through a great struggle before he gains the strength to stand on his feet. And when he does that, he feels excited. Elisha is the first one to congratulate him. His mother is proud of him and the sisters wish him the best. Only Gabriel cautions him about the difficult way ahead. As the book closes, John steps into his house with confidence. He is no more afraid of his father or apprehensive about his destiny. He is determined to follow the path of god and work towards his goal. He is not angry with his father any more. He smiles at Gabriel, even as the other frowns at him.
THEME (S) Major The major themes of the novel are “Search for Identity and “Quest for Love. On his fourteenth birthday John experiences a crisis in his identity. All along he had been expected to become a preacher when he grew up. His father had imposed religion on him and conditioned him to believe that everything else was sinful. John
feels resentful towards his father’s attitude and desires to establish his identity on his own free will. John is also in quest for love. Denied of his fathers love, he craves for affection from others. Thus, on his fourteenth birthday, he expects his family members to wish him. When his mother wishes him and gives him a present, he is overjoyed. Later, he is delighted to gain the love of god and the approval of Elisha. Other characters in the novel are also in the constant quest for love and when they are denied human affection, they turn to god. Minor The minor themes of the novel are “Wages of sin and “Power of religion. All the characters commit blunders and are paid for it. Florence deserts her sick mother and suffers a bad marriage and a painful existence. Elizabeth runs away from her aunt to elope with her lover, only to be left with an illegitimate child and uncertain future. Gabriel betrays his mother and Deborah and cheats Royal and John of a fathers love. In turn, his children turn against him and his sister threatens to expose his colorful past. Gabriel is torn with guilt and fears persecution. All these characters as also John turn to god, when they feel helpless. Unable to resolve their problems, they seek the mercy of god to improve their life. Surrendering themselves to god, they feel relieved and enlightened. MOOD The mood of the novel is sober as it traces the evolution of John from childhood to adolescence and exposes the spiritual dilemma faced by all the characters that influence John. The novel begins on
a note of doubt as John seeks worldly pleasures but feels guilty for his actions. However, by the end of the novel, John resolves his dilemma. He surrenders himself to god to guide him in life. His prayers are heard and he feels enlightened, after a short period of struggle. The novel ends on a note of hope, as John feels confident about tackling his life in the future. Literary/Historical Information A number of years went into the writing of Go Tell it on the Mountain. Baldwin had been shaping the novel for eight years but could not give it the form he wanted. Thus, he was close to scrapping it. However, he did not do so. An incident happened that gave him an impetus to rewrite the novel. His friend, Lucien owned a small chalet in Switzerland and got permission from his father to live in it during the winter months. Baldwin accompanied his friend to the beautiful mountain village and got inspired to reset his novel. Thus, the novel took shape in 1952 and Baldwin posted it to his agents for approval. In the beginning, Baldwin had typed the title of the novel as Crying Holy following the religious spirit of the novel. However, after going on a mountain expedition in the heavenly Switzerland and observing the ethereal carpet of snow from the top made him remember the gospel song “Go tell it on the Mountain. This line of the song seemed more telling and Baldwin kept it as the title of his novel. In May 1953, he got the book published. The novel was a success and won Baldwin critical acclaim. Go Tell it on the Mountain is an autobiographical novel. The book reflects the life of Baldwin till his adolescence. It reveals the psyche of the fourteen-year-old Baldwin who had been pressurized by his stepfather from childhood. The protagonist, John, like James chooses to become a minister of the church at a young age, even though he had been averse to follow the profession of his father. In February 1953, when Baldwin was asked about the autobiographical intent of his book, he had denied it. He had said, "I had been carrying (it) about with me since the day of my fathers funeral. My father’s funeral does not appear in the novel-had nothing whatever to do with it-and by this time my father had nothing to do with it, either. There’s great misapprehension abroad to the effect that writers take people out of life and put them into books, but nothing could be further from the truth...If I had never known my father, if I had never lived in Harlem-I would never have written the book. That’s obvious. But the novelist is not a portrait painter, he deals in distortions." Thirty-two years later, Baldwin had to concede that the novel was autobiographical in intent. He said, "I suppose that Mountain can be considered a kind of love song-a confession of love-for that David Baldwin it took me so many years to understand ... Mountain comes out of the tension between a particular father and a particular son. No matter that he was not my biological father." Go Tell it on the Mountain is a fictional reproduction of James Baldwin’s early life. The novel, thus, rings true with the emotions of a teenager standing at the crossroads of his life. Only because Baldwin could feel the pangs of the protagonist, he could make the novel intense and interesting.
CHAPTER SUMMARIES WITH NOTES Part 1, Seventh Day, Summary
The novel opens with John’s recollection of his childhood. As the eldest son of his parents, everyone expected him to become a priest when he grew up. John also had started imagining himself in that role till his fourteenth birthday. John’s earliest memories are of Sunday mornings, when the whole house was in a flurry of activity. As the head of the family and minister of the church, his father would lead them to the church. Wearing clean clothes and cheerful in spirit, they would walk to the church. They would go past the hospital where his siblings were born. John remembers the times when his mother brought home the babies to make him feel estranged. John’s family would walk towards the church in a superior attitude, looking down on people who were enjoying the leisure of a Sunday morning. Reaching the temple of God, they would get separated to their seats in the respective parts of the church according to their age groups. John and his younger brother would be seated together along with other teenaged boys and hear the sermon read out by the young and handsome Elisha. The priest of the church would always talk of virtues and sins. Once he had chastised Elisha for being friendly with a young female visitor to the church and warned him. Elisha and the girl had parted ways. At home, his father laid down rigid rules but Roy would always play truant. He would escape from the house or the church and return back late in the evening. His parents were worried about Roy and prayed to god for his safety. With John they were stricter. They wanted him to be good and virtuous. They wanted him to follow the path of god. Thus, they always kept a watch on his movements. John is disillusioned with religion and his life as ordained by his father. On his fourteenth birthday, he wakes up with rebellion in his heart. He hopes fondly that someone would wake him after wishing him a happy birthday but no one comes to cheer his spirits. Feeling restless, he goes back to sleep. When he wakes up again, it is late in the morning. He hears the voice of his brother in the kitchen. Washing up, he reaches the kitchen to see his brother arguing with his mother. Roy is disgusted with his father’s autocratic ways but his mother tries to justify her husband’s behavior. John eats his breakfast in silence. When his mother asks him to clean the drawing room, he leaves to do his job with distaste. As he cleans the room, he feels distressed that he has to do dirty work even on his birthday. However, after he finishes his job, his mother gives him a surprise. She enters the room to wish him and present him with a few coins for him to spend. John is grateful to her and loves her the more for it. He walks out of the house to enjoy his freedom. For some time he walks aimlessly towards the Central Park. Then he climbs a hill to look down at the magnificent city of New York. He observes people carrying on with their activities. He imagines himself holding a good position in life and enjoying the comforts of life. He longs for the luxuries of life, even though he is aware that it is sinful to dwell on worldly pleasures. Walking down, he passes through Broadway and observes the advertisements put up. He decides to watch a movie. With this intention, he walks down the lane of Cinema halls. A poster depicting a fallen woman catches his attention and he buys a ticket for that movie. He feels conscious entering the Cinema hall and taking his seat. After glancing around at the audience, he casts his eyes on the big screen. Soon, the story of the fallen woman grips his attention. The heroine is a beautiful but arrogant woman given to all vices. A cripple student falls for her charms and professes love to her. The woman thwarts his love and flirts with other men. John sympathizes with the woman and places himself in her position. However, when the woman dies a miserable death, he is reminded of punishment for committing sins. With thoughts of the movie and a sense of guilt, he returns home. As he walks towards his house, he notices Sarah running towards the medical stores. He is afraid something is amiss at home. Before he steps into his house, his neighbors inform about the accident of Roy and Sarah confirms the news that bullet had hit Roy. As he passes through the kitchen to enter the drawing room, he becomes aware of the presence of Aunt Clarence in the house. Inside, his aunt and his parents are gathered around Roy. Even as he gives first aid to his son, Gabriel informs John that Roy had been hit by a White youth in an encounter. He blames his wife for allowing Roy to get into trouble. Aunt Clarence comes to the rescue Elizabeth and the latter complains that her heavy housework does not allow her to keep a watch on all her children. Gabriel gets infuriated with his wife and slaps her. In turn, Roy curses Gabriel for hurting his mother. Gabriel gets provoked once again and whips Roy, in spite of his injury. John feels revolted watching the tense scene at home. His anger towards his father increases and he wishes his parent dead. In this state of mind, he reaches the church to clean its premises for the evening service. As he dusts and swabs the floor, Elisha enters. He observes John and remarks about his sloppy work. John gets provoked and beats up Elisha. Elisha controls the situation by conceding defeat and seeking pardon. He asks John to turn to god and purge himself of his sins. He relates his worldly experiences and the joy of establishing communion with god. The two Sisters of the church enter and commend the work of the boys. They bless John to carry on the work of god. John feels embarrassed in their presence. Shortly afterwards, Elisha and the sisters start singing and John is made to repeat their words. As he sings, John’s thoughts stray. The arrival of his parents and aunt bring him back to the present. He is surprised to find his aunt in the church. John’s anger towards his father turns to god for forcing his aunt to come to the church. Notes The first part of the novel reveals beautifully the thoughts and feelings of an adolescent who is repressed by the autocratic rule and religious dictums of his father. John desires the pleasures of the world and the comforts of life like any other boy of his age but are afraid of offending the Lord by indulging in his whims. This dilemma between the worldly and spiritual tortures him and he feels troubled. Part one is appropriately entitled “Seventh Day. The Seventh day is the last day of the week and also the Day of Judgment. John’s birthday falls on a Saturday and on this day he realizes that he has to decide his own destiny, instead of being led by his father. He hates his father for his authoritarian ways and thus, feels the need to rebel against the norms laid down by his father. On his fourteenth birthday, he passes judgment on his father. He considers his parent as evil. The five biblical lines quoted below the title: And the spirit and the bride say, Come
And let him that hearth say, Come
And let him that is athirst, Come
And whosoever will, let him take
The water of life freely. Enhance the meaning of this part of the novel. John is forced to follow the path of god by his father and the church. However, instead of obeying his father meekly, he feels the need to taste the pleasures of life. Instead of treading the path of spiritual glory, he decides to drink the "water of life freely." The couplet that ushers in Part One is also significant. I looked down the line
and I wondered. These two lines can be interpreted in more ways than one. "I looked down the line" might refer to the line of worldly men and women who profess faith in god but desire the pleasures of life. John is confused by this dichotomy. "I looked down the line" might also mean that John looks at the line of human race and wonders why the Whites were treated differently from the blacks. Finally, "I looked down the line" might refer to Johns viewing the line of his growth from childhood to adolescence. Each happening in his life and encounter with different people makes him wonder about the meaning of life. As John emerges out of childhood to enter adolescence, he becomes aware of the hypocrisy of people who assume a superior attitude because they are inclined towards religion. His father talks of sin and punishment and calls himself the agent of god. However, he is more of a sinner than others. He is intolerant towards thaw views of his family members and ill-treats them if they raise their voice against him. He indulges in the worldly pleasures secretively, while the common man enjoys himself openly. John is able to see through the mask of his father. Hence, he hates him and desires to rebel against him. He wants to enjoy the comforts of life and taste success. John and Roy are brothers with a difference. They both desire freedom but they think differently. The two brothers hate their father for imposing his authority on them and restricting their life. However, John silently nurtures a grudge against his father, while Roy speaks out his mind. Roy is outspoken and daring, while John is reserved and subdued. John mostly suppresses his feelings and fumes within. Mrs. Grimes and Aunt Florence are like John and Roy. Elizabeth does all housework and attends to her family without complaining. She patiently listens to Roy’s grievances and her husbands counsel. Only once, when Gabriel scolds her for allowing Roy to get into mischief, does she express her feelings. However, when Gabriel slaps her, she silently bears her humiliation. Florence, on the other hand, exposes the arrogance of Gabriel and reminds him of his errant past. She defends Elizabeth and warns Gabriel of his rash actions. She is not afraid to call a spade a spade. Like Roy, she uses swear words and crude language to voice her anger. John becomes aware of the racial prejudice existing in his country and develops an inferiority complex. He does not accept his father’s views that all White people are sinners. His teacher at school and Principal had treated him respectfully. However, when he walks along the Fifth Avenue, he becomes conscious of his

color and fears punishment by the Whites. Also, when he enters the Cinema hall, he watches his steps and sits down cautiously. He is afraid to enter the library because he is afraid of the whites observing him and making fun of his awkward movements. James Baldwin convincingly portrays the feelings and sentiments of an adolescent. As a teenager, John becomes aware of the adult world. He knows about the love games men and women play and what his father does with his mother secretively. He admires the young priest Elisha for his personality and talent. He is conscious of his appearance and views himself in the mirror. He is aware that he is ugly. However, he tries to overlook his ugliness by visualizing himself as a handsome young man. He craves for attention and appreciation. On his fourteenth birthday, he longs to be greeted by his family members and when no one comes to wish him, he is disappointed. When his mother gifts him a little money for his birthday, he is overwhelmed. He loves her the more for it and desires to please her. John is angry with his father for his autocratic ways. However, he does not have the courage to challenge him. He can only desire to overpower his father. Thus, when he watches a movie and observes the heroine acting arrogantly towards her lover, he imagines himself to be like her. He wants to act tough with his father and pay him back in his own coin. Later, at the church, when Elisha teases him about his work, he gets provoked and lets out his anger on his father on the young priest. He releases his frustration on Elisha and hurts him. His inferiority complex and his hatred for his father transform into violence. John burns with the fire of revolt and rebels inside the temple of god. Part 2, The Prayers of the Saints, Florence’s Prayer (Summary) Florence fervently prays to God. Then remembering a song of surrender sung by her mother, she sings with full-throated ease, unmindful of her surroundings. She recollects the past when her mother had taught her to pray with devotion and to trust in the mercy of God. She does not possess such faith in god. It is because
of the fear of death that she seeks protection of god. She had been seriously ill for many days now and has a premonition that she would die soon. The burning sensation in her bowels had caused her pain and discomfort and she had suffered the misery all-alone. She had thought of seeking the help of god but had not had the courage to do so. Today, she had accompanied her brother and sister-in-law to the church to beg for the mercy of god. As she prays, she has visions of all those she believes she had hurt in the past but she feels answerable to no one but god. However, she remembers her life with all those who haunt her memory. Topping the list of tormentors is her mother. She vividly remembers the day when her mother had sought the protection of
god for Florence more than for Gabriel. This was the day when there was trouble in town. A day earlier, her young neighbor, Deborah, had been raped by a White man. When Deborah’s father had challenged the white man, the latter had killed old man. There was fear that the white men would retaliate against the Negroes and burn their houses. Thus, Florence, Gabriel and their mother had stayed indoors and spent anxious moments. Her mother had heaved a sigh of relief only when they had left town and thanked god for his mercy. Florence’s mother was a silent, suffering woman. She had worked in the plantation for years before getting married. She had raised many children, but only two remained with her. Her first husband had died and the second had fled home to the North, away from slavery and in search of fresh pastures. Almost everyone was fleeing from the town, but her mother had stuck to her home. Gabriel was the apple of her mother’s eye. She dressed him in decent clothes and sent him to school. She expected a lot from him but Gabriel fell far short of her expectations. He was a truant child. He had no interest in studies and wasted his time in idle company. Later, he had taken to drinking and other undesirable habits. Florence, on the other hand, was intelligent and keen on education. However, her mother preferred her to stay at home and help in the household activities. When Gabriel was young, she had to look after him. Later, she had been sent to work as a cook for a White family. She had felt trapped and longed to escape outside. She had hated Gabriel for his dissolute ways. Deborah was the only person with whom she could share her woes. At the age of twenty-six, Florence had walked out of her house. Her White master had proposed to her and desired to make her his mistress. She had rejected his proposal and left the job. She had also decided to leave her home to start life afresh. Her mother had been sick in bed and had begged her to have mercy on her. Gabriel also had persuaded her to stay back but she stood by her decision. She bid them goodbye and boarded a train to New York. In the process, she had betrayed her mother. Now, as she stands before the Lord, she seeks forgiveness for her past behavior. As her heart weighs heavy and eyes close in prayer, Florence thinks of Frank with whom she had spent many passionate years. She had first met Frank at a community meeting. Shortly afterwards, she had decided to marry him. However, their marriage was a failure. Frank was good at heart but irresponsible. He was a habitual drinker and wasted his money on unnecessary things. She had tried to reform him but it was of no use. He would apologize for his mistake but get back to his old habits again. He did love Florence and showered attention on her but he failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband. Thus, after tolerating him for ten years, she had shown him the door. She thought he would come back to her as always but he did not turn up. He had sought the company of another woman and had breathed his last during the war in France. Now, when she remembers him, her heart is heavy and her eyes are filled with tears. The last person Florence remembers is Deborah. Deborah had kept in touch with her even after she had married Gabriel. She had written to Florence during all the years of crisis in her marriage. One of the last letters she had written had exposed Gabriel’s relationship with another woman and the existence of his bastard. Florence had wanted to confront Gabriel with the facts of the letter but could never do so. Now too she had the letter with her but is not sure whether she would be in a position to ask her brother about it. Notes Part Two is rightly entitled "Prayer of the Saints." Three of the principal characters in the novel echo the prayers of the saints to redeem their life. First section of Part two deals with the prayer of Florence. The couplet below the title of this section aptly describes the feelings of John’s aunt. Florence desires god’s mercy to cure her of her physical ailment for
Light and Life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings. All these days, Florence had thwarted god since her heart was filled with bitterness. Life had been a struggle for her and she had never got what she deserved in life. As a child, she had lost out on childhood. When she was hardly five, her mother had given birth to Gabriel and tied her down to the house. Florence had to look after Gabriel and the house, while her mother was away at work. Gabriel was given the best of food and clothes and sent to school because he was a male child, while she was denied education and fun, because she was a girl. Gabriel had misused his rights. He would often miss school and fool around with his friends. Neighbors complained about his behavior and his mother punished him but Gabriel never improved. In fact, he became worse as he grew up. At the age of twelve, Gabriel was baptized much against his wish. Her mother believed it would purge the boy of his sins. For the ceremony, when he was thrown into the water, he had raised a hue and cry, even as the holy song was sung. Florence had hated him then and also on the occasion when he had come home drunk. In fact, she had started hating all men especially those who lusted for her because she was beautiful. And at the age of twenty-six, her white master had asked her to be his concubine. That was the turning point of her life. She had left home, turning away from her responsibilities towards her mother and leaving the burden on Gabriel’s unsure shoulders. New York and marriage brought Florence no joy. She had married Frank because she felt he understood her feelings but she was greatly disappointed. Though he loved her and earned a living to take care of her, he wasted all his money on drinks and useless expenditure. She had very little to run the house. She had tried her best to reform him but it did not help. She had married in order to gain a companion and friend but Frank proved to be a burden. Thus, she had got separated from him and started leading a lonely life once again. Life had played a cruel joke on her and she had turned bitter towards god who had failed to give her security. She had felt cheated in life. Gabriel who had indulged in all kinds of vices was leading a respectable life and enjoying the company of his family, while she who had stood by her principles and acted on her conscience, was left to lead a miserable life. Gabriel had deprived her of a normal life and she wanted to expose his hypocrisy. She had proof of his dubious past and wanted to confront him about it. Her heart desires to rip off his mask but her body is weak. She feels helpless. Section one of Part two throws light on the social problems confronting the Negroes. The black Americans are suppressed by the Whites and discriminated by them. This creates insecurity and tension in the life of the Negroes. This is what had happened to Bath Sheba, Gabriel’s mother, Gabriel and Florence. They live in
fear the white Americans exploited the Negroes especially their women and left them to lead miserable lives. Deborah had been raped by a White man and condemned by her society. All those who eyed her looked at her with lust. Florence had also become a target of men’s evil eyes. All along she had ignored their lewd

behavior. However, when her White master asks her to become his mistress, she is able to take it no more. She leaves for New York to lead a respectable life but she has very little luck. Being black, she has little chance to remain dignified and spend her days in comfort. Insecurity makes most of the Black men take to drinking and womanizing. Gabriel forms bad company and indulges in shameful pastimes because he has no father figure to guide him and give him confidence. He becomes responsible only when Florence leaves home. Necessity makes him face reality and act respectably. However, he strays from the chosen path, commits a sin and betrays the trust of Deborah, even after donning the mantle of a preacher. He lacks the will power and strength to overcome his temptations. Later, he behaves autocratically with Elizabeth and his children. Suppressed by the white society, the Negroes either act like bullies or as cowards. Frank and Richard are other characters who lack the courage to face life. Frank takes to drinking and jeopardizes his married life. Richard feels insulted and betrayed and commits suicide to escape from his cruel world. Discrimination and exploitation creates inferiority complex in the Negroes and they find escape routes to forget their plight. The life story of Florence is pathetic. She sacrifices her childhood for Gabriel and her mother, ruins her youth working for the Whites and living with a drunkard, lives her middle years in loneliness and misery. Her life is painful and wasted. Gabriel’s prayer (Summary) Hearing the cry of Florence, the conscience of Gabriel gets aroused. He remembers the past when his mother lay in bed, weak and ill. His mother would wait for him to return back from his secret rendezvous. She hoped god would forgive him and put him on the right path to life. On Sundays, the Brothers and Sisters of god would visit her and give her moral support to bear the agony of life and pray for Gabriel. Deborah would also come often to take care of his mother and sit patiently by the side of the sick lady. Gabriel would feel guilty of his sins and wish to follow the path of god. However, he was weak in mind. In the night, he would walk out of the house and visit places of disrepute to satiate his carnal desires. Gabriel recollects the evening he had got intimate with a widow and relished the moments in her company. However, on reaching home, he was torn with guilt and remorse. He had lost hope of redemption but his mother had saved him once again. His mother was singing a soulful song and hearing it, Gabriel had experienced a change of heart. He had felt enlightened. At twenty-one, Gabriel was a different man. He had started preaching in the neighborhood. Deborah would often accompany him and encourage him in his endeavors. After his mothers demise, Deborah gave him moral strength to continue his mission. He was not attracted to her physically, but her dignity and poise
had attracted him to her. He was also moved by her faith in him. The Evangelists had arrived in town one evening to conduct the Twenty-Four Elders Revival meeting a few days later. Gabriel had been chosen to be one of the members and asked to preach for an evening. He had felt honored but was diffident to address such an august gathering. Deborah had encouraged him and Gabriel had delivered his sermon convincingly. Everyone had commended his abilities as a preacher and he had become recognized. Gabriel had been thankful to Deborah for her support and decided to marry her. Gabriel led a peaceful married life with Deborah, though their union was more spiritual than physical. In the mornings he worked for a White family, while in the evenings he preached. In his work place, he had met Esther, the young cook and had got attracted to her. He had invited her to listen to his sermon and had felt elated when she comes to hear him. She had not cared for his religious ideas; she was interested in him as a man. Gabriel had tried to reform her but with little success. One day, when the White family was out, Esther had lured him towards her and he had succumbed to her charms. For nine days, he had carried on a passionate affair with her before he had been overpowered by his guilt. Then, he had cut off all relations with her. Filled with remorse, he had turned to god more fervently but his problems were far from over. Shortly afterwards, Esther had informed him that she was pregnant with his child. She had also asked him to marry her. When he had refused to comply with her request, she had demanded money to travel abroad to deliver her child. Gabriel had stolen money from Deborah’s savings to give it to Esther. Esther had remained abroad till she had delivered her child. She had returned back home with her baby, only to breathe her last. Esther’s parents had taken charge of the child. Deborah had kept in touch with them and reported about the child’s progress to her husband. Deborah knew about Gabriel’s relationship with Esther but had not questioned him about it. Royal had grown up to be a healthy boy but lacked refinement. He was fearless and daring but crude in his manners. Whenever Gabriel had met his son, he had been courteous and solicitous. One day, Deborah brings the news about Royals death in Chicago at the hands of White youth. Gabriel is shattered. He breaks down and confesses his relationship with Royal. Deborah takes pity on the boy and regrets not having looked after him. Gabriel is smitten with remorse. He had been carrying his guilt and repented for his sin for long. After the death of Deborah, he had married Elizabeth. He had promised to accept her son as his own but had failed to do so. He could not think of anyone as his first born except Royal. Thus, his relationship with John was strained. Roy, who was his dear son, had revolted against him. He is distressed. He was being punished for his sins and now, he asks the mercy of god. As he surrenders himself to god, he is haunted by the visions of all those whom he had wronged in the past. Even John looks at him with hate and reminds him of his evil ways. Gabriel is provoked to anger but restrains himself. Instead, he kneels down in front of the Lord. Notes Gabriel is a hypocrite. Having the name of an angel and working for the Almighty, he nurtures evil desires within him. He calls others as sinners and expects punishment for them but is tortured from remorse for his own sins. He is weak and selfish. To cover up his guilt and shortcomings, he bullies his family members. When he feels helpless, he turns to god. Even in the act of surrendering to god, he nurtures feeling of ill will against Florence and John. Gabriel is a good preacher but a bad preceptor. In youth, Gabriel had fallen into bad company and taken to evil ways. Forgetting his responsibilities towards his family, he had indulged in drinking and womanizing. Even as his mother was ill in bed and kept offering her prayer for him, he had spent his time carelessly with characterless women. His mother had been patient with him. Instead of losing her temper on him, she had made him aware of his sins through her restrained attitude. Thus, Gabriel had got reformed. Her beseeching looks and her soulful voice had melted his hardened heart and made him realize his mistake. His mother’s faith and perseverance had changed him into a refined man. After his mother’s death, it is Deborah who provides him the moral strength to carry on his responsibilities towards god. She takes care of his needs and encourages him to do his best on the pulpit. When he goes up on stage to address the august gathering of Evangelists, it is Deborah who helps him read out the sermon from the Bible and explain it for the benefit of the audience. The positive aspects of Gabriel emerge under the influence of Deborah. No wonder, he feels indebted to her and marries her. However, when he cheats on her by having an affair with Esther, he is punished. Deborah serves as Gabriel’s conscience. When Gabriel betrays her, he betrays himself. Gabriel betrays the trust of all the women who love him. His mother had adored him and given him the best of life and education but he betrays her trust by indulging in all kinds of unlawful activities. Deborah is devoted to him and encourages him to do his best but Gabriel cheats her by having an affair with another woman, stealing her money and hiding the truth from her. Esther sacrifices her youth for Gabriel, but Gabriel deserts her when she needs him the most. Finally, Elizabeth marries him because she believes he would give her love and respectability that she had been denied in the past. However, Gabriel disappoints her
by his autocratic behavior and insensitivity. Gabriel, who poses to be just and merciful, behaves badly with all the women who had loved and trusted him and becomes responsible for their fate. Gabriel does not learn from his mistakes. Even after being punished for his sins, he continues to hurt people with his unreasonable attitude. He remains arrogant and severe with his wife and children. He fails to understand their sentiments and treats them callously. He refuses to own his mistakes and correct his ways. And when someone points out his mistake, he gets angry. Even though he had committed adultery and begotten a bastard in the past, he finds it difficult to accept Elizabeth’s past and her son. He looks at John with suspicion and refuses to give the boy his love. Gabriel is a devil in an angel’s garb. Of all the characters in the novel, it is Gabriel who needs the mercy of god to redeem his soul since he has committed more sins than others. Elizabeth’s prayer (Summary) After Florence and Gabriel, it is the turn of Elizabeth to reveal her inner self as she surrenders herself to god. Kneeling in front of the Lord and offering her prayers to Him, she recollects the past that had brought her both hope and despair. In childhood, her father had compensated for the love her mother had deprived her of. Her mother remained aloof from her. She wondered whether her mother, being fair and beautiful, felt ashamed to own her as her daughter. Her aunt, who lived with them, was stern and harsh. Only her father was very affectionate. He pampered her and gave in to all her wishes. She had adored him. She often wondered why her mother and aunt held him in contempt. After her mothers demise, her aunt had taken her away from her father. It was only then that she had become aware of her fathers dubious profession. He owned a house for women of disrepute and a bar for vagabonds. Her aunt was afraid that Elizabeth’s image would be tarnished if she lived under his shadow. Thus, she had bid goodbye to her father, even though she felt bad doing so. She loved her father and she felt distressed to go away from him. Her youth was carefree. She was aware of her good looks and was delighted with the attention boys gave her. She was angry with her aunt for restricting her life with rigid rules and regulations. She wanted to break away from the shackles of her guardian and escape to a distant land to enjoy her freedom. The opportunity came soon enough. She had met Richard at a departmental store where he worked as a clerk. His reserve and discipline had attracted her to him and she had felt the desire to renew her acquaintance with him. And the day he commended her appearance, she was excited. There was no turning back after that. She met him often and later, planned with him to go to New York. Elizabeth’s aunt had not approved of Richard and warned the girl about going away with him. Elizabeth had remained unmoved and kept her stand. Her aunt had finally given her permission but laid down certain conditions for her. Elizabeth was to live with an elderly acquaintance and follow her advice. Thus, she had left her small town to go to the city of her dreams. However, the reality was far from her expectations. To survive in the big, bad city, she had to work as a cleaner in a hotel where Richard worked as an elevator boy. Only on Saturdays and Sundays, they could spend time together. They had got adjusted to their life and were fairly happy. Richard was devoted to her. She had conceived his child but had kept it a secret from him. She did not want to shatter his dreams immediately. So, she waited for an opportune moment to tell him about it. However, such a moment never came. One day, he was beaten up by white youth and imprisoned for no fault of his. Richard had felt miserable. Elizabeth had tried all means and spent all her savings to release him. He did return home but he was no more the same person. His will was broken and he had committed suicide. With his death, Elizabeth’s life was shattered. In the merciless city, Elizabeth had struggled hard to retain her dignity. Carrying the burden of her unborn child and working for a living was difficult. She had moved over to another locality to avoid embarrassment. Here, she had undergone the agony of delivering her child and tending to him. Shortly afterwards, she had found a night job. It is in this place of her work that she had met Florence. They had established rapport as suffering women. Florence had taken a liking to John and invited them home. In one of her visits, she had met Gabriel. Elizabeth had admired Gabriel’s refinement and dignity. She also found him sympathetic and understanding. He seemed to like John too. Thus, when he had proposed to her, she had accepted him willingly. However, her marriage to him was disappointing. He had taken care of her and John but failed to give them the love they deserved. He was harsh to them. Elizabeth is disillusioned. She hopes god would help her and her son in the future. As she prays to god, she hears the cry of John as he surrenders himself to god. Notes The third section of Part Two opens with the couplet

Lord, I wish I had died
In Egypt Land. These two lines reveal Elizabeth’s state of mind. Elizabeth had married Gabriel because she believed he cared for her and would provide her security. However, he had changed his attitude towards her after marriage. He had started imposing his authority on her and John and taken them to task for unavoidable mistakes committed by them. Now, she repents having married him. She regrets losing Richard and being his wife. The reference to “Egypt land is symbolic of her happy though insecure life with Richard. Elizabeth’s plight is like that of Florence in some respects. Both she and Florence are good-looking women who were wooed by many men before they got married. Florence had chosen Frank as her life partner and hoped to lead a harmonious life with him. However, Frank had let her down. He had taken to drinking and wasteful spending. After he had walked out of her life, she was left to lead a lonely and miserable life. In the case of Elizabeth, she had eloped with Richard and dreamt of leading a life of love and fun with him. However, insecurity and fear haunts them in New York and they find it very difficult to realize their dream. Richard dies before marrying her and leaves her pregnant with his child. Elizabeth like Florence feels disillusioned with her love life and spends the rest of her days in regret. Gabriel’s hypocrisy is exposed in this section of the novel as well. He charms Elizabeth with his suave manners and polite words. He sympathizes with her lot and persuades her to marry him. He promises to respect her wishes and care for John as his own child. However, Gabriel exposes his true nature soon after marriage. He takes Elizabeth for granted and is harsh to John. He leaves her to shoulder the responsibility of the house and children and blames her when something goes wrong. He fails to appreciate her work or
understand her sentiments. He is suspicious of her past, but forgets his own sexual escapades. Gabriel takes advantage of the helplessness of Elizabeth and marries her to fulfill his needs. He is a selfish individual who hides his guilt behind his arrogance. Elizabeth is more concerned about John than herself. She loves him as much as she had loved Richard. John reminds her of Richard and true love and she desires the good things of life for the boy. However, she is not sure whether Gabriel would allow him to flower in life. Thus, she feels sorry for John and shows concern for him when he utters a soulful cry under the spell of godly power. Elizabeth is unlucky in love. In childhood, she had loved her father and desired his company but her aunt had taken her away from him. She was denied a fathers love that she had craved for. In youth, she had fallen in love with Richard and looked forward to leading a happy married life with him. Fate intervenes and takes away Richard from her life. Her love life is abruptly interrupted. Later, she meets Gabriel and considers him a gift of god in marriage. However, his arrogant attitude after marriage proves contrary to his earlier humble manner and she feels cheated in love. Thus, Elizabeth is unlucky in love and life. Part 3, The Threshing Floor (Summary) Part Three reveals Johns agony before he achieves salvation. As he falls down on the floor of the church, he undergoes mental turmoil. He remembers the sins he had committed and believes god would punish him for them. His sins are small but he is afraid they are unpardonable. Thus, he visualizes himself struggling to get up from the floor and escaping out of reach of god. His conscience troubles him. On one hand, he feels the need to reach out to God; on the other he is tempted to escape out into the world to enjoy its pleasures. When he tries to get up, he is unable to do so. He is like one possessed. He feels the weight of his body on the floor and tied down to it. He is afraid he has fallen down in the eyes of god and hence, is dragged to hell. He observes Elisha standing above him at the altar and his father behind him. Elisha inspires John to rise up and reach out to god, while his father threatens to drag him down with guilt. He longs to be like Elisha and escape out of the reach of his father. The vision of his father creates fear in his heart and he is desperate to get out of his clutches. He is afraid he is damned and loses all hope of
redemption. However, he is saved just on time. He hears the voice of god urging him to get up. His heart kindles with hope. He tries to rise up but is unable to pull himself up. Every time he gives up, the voices persuade him to try harder. Finally, he observes a light and gets enlightened to stand up. Elisha comes forward to cheer him. Soon, his mother, aunt and the sisters of the Convent congratulate him and bless him. John is elated. He experiences a strange feeling that enervates him. Only his father refrains from applauding him. As they leave the church, John walks with Elisha; his father walks with Gabriel and the Sisters walk with his mother. The sisters of the Convent share his mothers joy and wish her all the best. Florence warns Gabriel from ill-treating John and Elizabeth. She also shows him the letter written by Deborah exposing his affair
with Esther and the birth of their bastard. Gabriel is shaken but appears unperturbed. Florence warns him before taking leave of him. John thanks Elisha for his encouragement and asks him to pray for his soul. Elisha promises to help John before bidding the boy goodbye. John, who had earlier felt hesitant to enter his house, now steps inside with confidence. He also faces his father boldly and smiles at him, even though Gabriel looks at him with bitterness. Notes James Baldwin beautifully relates the process of redemption experienced by the common man weighed down by his sins. John surrenders himself to god but feels guilty of his past actions. His falling down on the Threshing floor and experiencing the agony of self-doubt is symbolic. The common man is so weighed down by his sins that he finds it difficult to shed his burden and look up with confidence. However, if a man has total faith in god and sincerely desires his mercy, the Lord saves him. John keeps remembering the words "Jesus saves" even as he is enveloped in darkness of guilt. These words of grace give him strength to get up and face the Lord. Thus, John observes light in the darkness and lifts himself up with confidence. Elisha acts as the agent of god to enlighten John. John transforms himself into a new self. He feels enriched by the
awakening of god and decides to follow His path. John can be compared to a simple mortal tempted by both the good and the bad. Elisha is like an angel encouraging him to rise up, while Gabriel appears as the devil that threatens to overpower John with his sins. Thus, John visualizes Elisha as a glowing presence, while he thinks of Gabriel as a dark and frightening creature. Elisha reminds him of godly hope and benevolence, while Gabriel threatens him of punishment and damnation. John longs to run away from Gabriel to the welcoming arms of Elisha. Elisha always gives him a reassuring smile, while Gabriel gives him a stony stare. John experiences anguish while trying to extricate from the clutches of the devil to reach up to the home of the angels. His faith in god finally helps him to reach out to Him and enter the world of hope and peace. Elisha welcomes him into this fold, but Gabriel alerts him of the hardships ahead. John gains the moral strength from Elisha to overcome worldly temptations and threats and walks ahead of his father with a smile, even though Gabriel looks at him with a frown. John overcomes his fears and feels determined to tackle his mission. This section of the novel brings into focus the conflict existing between Gabriel and John. Gabriel never really accepts John as his son and hence, fails to give him the love the boy deserves. He pretends to care for John to please the society. He is condescending in his attitude towards Elizabeth and John. Instead of providing love and understanding to them, he neglects them and takes them to task for little lapses. As a preacher, he talks about tolerance and generosity, but in practice he is intolerant towards his wife and looks at John with suspicion. Wearing the mask of godliness, he hides his guilt behind it. Gabriel is a devil in the apparel of god, while John is an angel who thinks he is possessed by the devil. After indulging in all kinds of vices, Gabriel fails to repent and improve but John feels ashamed of his mistakes and surrenders to god. In the end, it is John who is blessed by god and enlightened, while Gabriel is left to lead a life of regret and brood. The five poetic lines below the title are significant. Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people

Of unclean lips; for mine eyes have
Seen the king, the Lord of hosts. John, guilty of his sins and aware of the sins of his father, loses hope of salvation. However, his inherent goodness, humility and faith in god, saves him from damnation. He is not only saved, but chosen to act as the agent of god. The couplet at the beginning of the section is also relevant to the contents of the chapter. Then I buckled up my shoes, And I started. John gets enlightened and gains confidence to face god. With determination, he decides to follow the command of the Lord for the betterment of his fellowmen. These two lines can be connected to the couplet that begins the first Part of the book. I looked down the line
And I wondered. In the beginning of the novel, John reacts like any normal boy of his age who is forced by his parent to act in a particular fashion. Being made to understand that he should grow up to be a preacher, John begins to hate religion and longs for the pleasures of the life. However, guilt and fear chase him. He is unable to understand the complexities of life and the will of god. Thus, he is a confused individual who "looked down the line" and "wondered. However, at the end of the novel, divine grace showers on him. Now, he is no more doubtful of his future. He is aware of his mission in life and is determined to pursue it. Florence gets the opportunity she had been waiting for. She confronts Gabriel and tells him about the letter of Deborah that exposes his unlawful union with Esther. She succeeds in creating fear in the heart of her brother and warning him about his conduct towards Elizabeth and John. She shakes his secure world and shatters his pride. When she leaves him, Gabriel is a bitter man tortured by his past mistakes. Florence is relieved but Gabriel is burdened with guilt. The ambulance plying on the road and alerting the passersby is a symbol of danger for men who have sinned but fail to repent for their actions. Gabriel is reminded of his deeds and the punishment of god, as he views the speeding vehicle. However, instead of confessing his guilt and acting repentant, he loses his temper and chides Florence for digging up his past. Florence becomes aware of the shadow of death lurking over her, when she notices the hurrying ambulance. However, she is prepared for her end now, since she has unmasked the godly image of Gabriel and exposed his sins to him. She has done her duty towards Elizabeth and John by warning Gabriel from being harsh to them. James Baldwin ends the novel on a note of hope. John steps into his house with confidence and greets his father with a smile. He sheds his fears and doubts and gets ready to perform his formidable task. Elizabeth and Florence feel relieved and get prepared to confront their future boldly. Only Gabriel looks grim. He realizes the futility of carrying on an act and pretending to be righteous but is afraid to accept his defeat. Perhaps, John might bring about his reformation! OVERALL ANALYSIS, Character Analysis John Grimes John Grimes is the hero of the novel, as the book relates his life and the lives of all those characters that influence him. At fourteen, John is at the crossroads of his life. His desires clash with his father’s attitude. Everyone, especially his father, expects him to become a priest when he grows up but John wants to taste the pleasures of life before choosing his vocation. He is tempted to the luxuries and comforts of life and dreams of having them in the future. On his fourteenth birthday, he rebels against his father by going out into the world and indulging in his whims. John is intelligent, sensitive and imaginative. He is aware of his ugly looks and is conscious of it but thinks positively. He observes people uglier to him and feels better. He knows he is intelligent and is happy about it. In school, when his teachers appreciate his work, he feels rewarded. He does not blindly believe in the words of others. He does not adhere to his father’s views that all White men are evil. He considers a few white men like his teachers to be good and considerate. John is as sensitive as a normal adolescent. As a child, he had felt bad whenever his mother had brought home her newborn baby. He was jealous of his siblings because they diverted his mother’s love from him. He is also angry with his father for being rude and arrogant. Thus, he decides to do whatever his father acknowledges as sinful. He hates his father for being harsh with his mother. His father had failed to give the love they deserved to both John and his mother. However, he loves his mother and siblings. He expects them to wish him on his birthday and when they fail to do so, he is disappointed. Later, when his mother gifts him some money, he is moved. He decides to make her happy in the future. John is highly imaginative. He knows he is ugly but does not brood about it. Instead, he visualizes himself as a handsome and influential man in life. He admires Elisha for the latter’s personality and talent and wishes to be like the young priest. He visualizes Elisha as an angel and his father as a devil. He dreams of escaping from the clutches of his father and go into the arms of the benign Elisha. Thus, with Elisa’s encouragement, he achieves salvation and determines to fulfill his mission. James Baldwin has succeeded in bringing alive the character of John Grimes as an emotional but precocious teenager. He is as human as any boy of his age. He feels restricted in the autocratic household of his father and desires to experience life on his own terms. He indulges in the temporary pleasures of life but later, experiences a feeling of guilt. Finally, he resolves his dilemma by surrendering himself to god. Unconsciously, John acts according to the wishes of his father and feels happy about it. Gabriel Grimes The personality and nature of Gabriel are a contrast to that of Johns. He has an imposing presence that attracts women to him. He also possesses a smooth tongue that persuades people to listen to him and act on his advice. However, behind the mask of courtesy and respectability, he hides his arrogance and insensitivity. He is autocratic at home and imposes his ideas on his children. He considers himself to be the master ruling over his family of slaves. He fails to understand the feelings of his wife and children and hurts them with his criticism. He forgets his reckless youth when he wasted his time drinking and womanizing and expects his off springs to be paragons of virtue. His children see through his hypocrisy and condemn him for it. Gabriel is a weak character who is unable to withstand the pressures of life and overcome temptations. In his younger days, he had felt stifled at home living with a sick mother and a stern sister. Thus, he had taken to visiting bars and houses of disrepute to get away from the problems at home. Instead of relieving the burden of his mother and sister, he causes them pain by his reckless attitude. He fails to understand the feelings of his mother and the mental turmoil she would experience because of his irresponsible ways. He does feel guilty to face his mother after his secret outings but repeats his mistakes again the next day. Gabriel is too weak to control his longings and improve himself. He corrects himself only after continuously listening to his mother’s fervent prayers and Deborah’s soothing words. Gabriel is basically a selfish person. He does everything to satisfy his needs but turns a blind eye to the feelings of his family members. As a youngster, he had shirked the responsibility of looking after a sick mother and helping his sister in housework. Instead, he had indulged in licentious activities and satisfied his carnal desires. He had caused pain and anguish to his mother and evoked hatred in his sister but he had not realized his mistakes. After Florence decides to go away to New York, he persuades her to stay back because he is afraid to shoulder the burden of a suffering old woman. Shortly after his mothers demise, he marries Deborah because he needs someone to look after him and help him in his work as a preacher. Deborah remains faithful to him but he betrays her trust by getting involved with Esther. He takes advantage of Esther’s infatuation for him and has a torrid affair with her. Esther believes that Gabriel is in love with her and thus, foolishly conceives his child but Gabriel had used her only to satisfy his sexual hunger. Later, he fails acknowledge Royal as his son because it would
injure his reputation as a minister of the church. In the process, he deprives Royal of a fathers love. After Deborah’s demise, he arrives in New York and falls in love with Elizabeth. In order to marry her, he promises to accept her child as his own. However, after marrying her, he goes back on his word. He treats John as a stranger and behaves with him in a curt manner. Often, he speaks to him harshly and creates fear in the boy. He likes Roy better. Gabriel is unfair, prejudiced and narrow-minded. He exploits people who love him and carelessly hurts their sentiments. Gabriel is the prototype of a black American. In an environment filled with fear and insecurity, he gets addicted to vices in order to escape the pressures of life imposed on a Negro. Born to black parents, he develops an inferiority complex and often feels unsure himself. Like all Negroes, fear and insecurity haunt him like shadows. Fearing persecution and punishment, he keeps things to himself but feels guilty of his actions. Like many of his fellowmen, Gabriel wastes his life chasing shadows and ends up leading a life

of regret. Gabriel is the only major, negative character in the novel. He has more bad qualities than good but does very little to better himself. Having sinned more than others in the novel, he fails to be humble and repentant. He reminds others of their sins instead of confessing his mistakes and is bitter with his life. When Florence exposes his shameful past, he refuses to accept his mistakes but chides her for digging up his past. Gabriel is selfish, arrogant and hypocritical. No wonder, his children hate him and he is condemned to lead the rest of his life in doubt and fear. Florence Florence poses a contrast to Gabriel, though she is his sister. Gabriel is weak in mind, while she is mentally strong. From childhood, she shoulders the responsibility of running the house along with her mother and takes care of Gabriel in her mother’s absence from the house. Later, she attends to her sick mother and
also goes out to work to earn a living. Even as Gabriel spends his time and money on debauchery she struggles hard to keep the home fires burning. However, when her White master asks her to become his mistress, she decides to put her foot down. She quits her job and walks out of her home. She does not want to taint her character by submitting to the wishes of her master and thus, bids goodbye to her mother to escape from the city. She does feel guilty about deserting her sick mother, but circumstances compel her to do so. Florence possesses great courage and determination to fight against the odds of life and establish her identity. Florence is unlucky in life. Endowed with good looks and intelligence, she fails to get the recognition she deserves. In childhood, she desires to have fun like other children but is denied these simple pleasures. Instead of spending time on the playground, she is made to share the work of her mother at home
and attend to her little brother. Later, she shows interest in attending school, but her mother prefers her to stay at home in order to send Gabriel to school. Florence sacrifices her education for her brother’s sake, even though she is more capable of handling studies than Gabriel. She acts as a devoted daughter and a responsible girl by taking care of her ailing mother and earning an income to run the house. However, she is unable to continue with her duties towards her family, when her White master threatens to exploit her. She leaves for New York, to begin a new life. She gets a job and also a husband but her life is far from satisfactory. Frank is a good man and a lover, but fails to provide her security. He is addicted to alcohol and wastes the little money he earns on trifles. Thus, he fails to share the burden of running the house with Florence. Florence tries to reform him but Frank finds it difficult to change. Thus, they get separated. Florence is once again left alone to sort out her life and her problems. Florence is good at heart and thus, is unable to tolerate injustice. As a young girl, she had seen Deborah being abused by young men after a white man had raped her. She had sympathized with Deborah and condemned all young men who cast evil eyes on her. She had hated Gabriel for shirking his responsibilities and indulging in vices like drinking and womanizing. Later, when she receives a letter from Deborah about Gabriel bastard son, she decides to confront her brother about it and expose his licentious past. When she observes Gabriel behaving autocratically with Elizabeth and Roy, she reminds him of his careless, youthful days. Finally, she warns her brother from acting tough with his wife and children in the future. She is angry with Gabriel for acting hypocritically and arrogantly. Florence comes across as a woman who is used by the people she had loved and deprived of her due in life. She cuts a sorry figure as she stands in front of the Lord asking for his mercy. Getting on in years and rid with the pain of her disease, she needs support and care but is left to fend for herself. In her helpless state, she seems pathetic and earns the sympathy of her readers. However, after confronting Gabriel and exposing his sins, she feels relieved. She had obeyed her conscience and stirred the soul of a sinner. Now, she waits for god to pronounce His judgment on her. Elizabeth Elizabeth is the silent, suffering woman who accepts her fate with resignation. She does not possess the courage of Florence to take decisions on her own and assert her rights. She does undergo suffering and withstands the pressures of life but finds it difficult to resolve her dilemmas. As a child, she had loved her father and enjoyed his company. However, after her mothers demise, when her aunt decides to take her away from him, she fails to protest. Later, she leads a restricted life with her aunt but is unable to break away from her. Only when Richard appears on the scene, does she entertain ideas of escaping from her trap. She loses her heart to Richard and elopes with him to New York, instead of asking him to marry her. Later, she conceives Richards’s child but keeps it a secret from him. And after Richard commits suicide, she is desolate and distraught. She is afraid to face the world living in the same environment. Thus, she shifts her residence to another locality in the city. Here she delivers her child and experiences the anguish of being a single parent. Elizabeth is romantic and gullible. As a youngster, she keeps chasing dreams but feels disillusioned when she confronts reality. She runs away with Richard to New York to taste freedom and experience bliss. However, she gets chained to the vicious routine of the city and finds little time to enjoy life. Also, she conceives Richards’s child before marrying him and traps herself into a life of misery. Her impulsive action leads her to a life of struggle. Later, she meets Gabriel and gets married to him because she visualizes him to be her savior. After marriage, when she becomes aware of his real, autocratic self, she feels disappointed. She resigns herself to her situation and hopes for a better tomorrow. Elizabeth combines the good looks of Esther and the goodness of Deborah. Thus, she is a better partner for Gabriel than the other two women and deserves a better life from Gabriel. However, she has no complaints for herself. She only wants justice for John. She hopes Gabriel would treat him better in the future. She is happy that John is blessed by god to become His agent and feels rewarded. Elizabeth is content with the little pleasures of life and holds on to them with hope. PLOT (Structure) The plot of Go Tell it on the Mountain is simple. The novel opens with the dilemma faced by John Grimes on his fourteenth birthday. In order to highlight the crisis in his life, it exposes the life of other characters that had influenced to shape Johns character. The last part of the novel reveals the trauma John undergoes before he establishes his identity. The plot of the novel, thus, can be traced through the beginning, the middle and the end. The beginning of the novel, comprising of Part One, shows John in conflict with his surroundings and the attitude of his father. Thus, in a mood to rebel against his authoritarian father who wishes him to become a priest when he grew up, he tastes freedom and worldly pleasures. However, despite his anger against his father, he feels guilty for his actions. In this state of mind, he goes to the church for the evening prayers. The beginning of the novel, thus, reveals the crisis in John’s life. The middle of the novel, comprising of the three sections of Part Two, relates the life story of Florence, Gabriel and Elizabeth. In the process, they reveal hidden secrets about John’s birth and his status in his family. John being the illegitimate son of Elizabeth and Richard comes to light. Also, Gabriel’s reluctance to accept him as his son and treating John as an alien in his home are told to the readers. These facts help in understanding the psyche of John on his fourteenth birthday. The end of the novel, comprising of Part Three, exposes the turbulent state of mind of John before he attains salvation. John goes through the pangs of guilt and fear before establishing a rapport with god. Finally, as he is enlightened, he is relieved. He has resolved the crisis in his life and established his identity as the messenger of god. The novel ends on a note of hope. THEME (S), Major The major themes of the novel “Search for Identity and “Quest for Love are linked to each other as the characters in the novel crave for love in their search for identity. Thus, they can be explained together. On his fourteenth birthday, John Grime faces a crisis of identity. He is not sure whether he wants to pursue the career chosen for him by his father. Like other boys of his age, he loves life and wants to enjoy the benefits of it. Thus, when his mother gives him money to spend on himself, he watches a movie with it, even though he knows his father would condemn his action. Later, he is angry with his father for slapping his mother and whipping his brother. John loves his mother and Roy and is outraged by his father’s rash behavior towards his loved ones. He had never loved his father and now he hates him. In this state of mind, he goes to the church to clean its premises and also offer his evening prayers. However, fate plays a joke on John. When he surrenders himself before god expecting punishment, he is pardoned and blessed by god. When god accepts John, the latter’s search for identity ends. John has been chosen to spread the message and love of god to his fellowmen. The love of god infuses in John the love for all including his father who dislikes him. Thus, John’s “Quest for Love and “Search for Identity ends with his salvation. Other major characters like Gabriel, Florence and Elizabeth are also in quest for love and search for their identity. Gabriel turns to other women for love when he feels insecure with his mother's sickness and Florence reserve. However, his mothers love and belief in him, lures him towards god and he decides to become a priest. After his mother’s death, Deborah helps him to establish his identity and gain confidence in himself. Deborah’s love and devotion attracts her to him and he marries her. He is at peace with himself but not for long. When he meets Esther, his sexual desire is stirred and he has an affair with the latter. After he learns about Esther’s conceiving his child, he feels threatened. His identity is at stake. So, he sends Esther abroad and cuts off all relations with her. Gabriel betrays the love of both Esther and Deborah and refuses to accept Royal as his son. Only after he loses all three of them, does he realize his love for them. Finally, he marries Elizabeth because he needs a woman and a wife would provide him respectability and security. He loves Roy not John but when the former speaks against him, he feels insulted. Once again he experiences a crisis of identity. He turns to god but finds no relief because his ego comes in between god and him. Thus, Gabriel’s search for love and identity remain incomplete. Florence and Elizabeth experience crisis in their identities, when they leave their homes in search of fresh pastures. Living in a strange city, they feel their identity threatened. They try to earn security through their partners in love but feel disappointed. Both Frank and Richard give Florence and Elizabeth love and not security. After their lovers leave them, they are left to lead a life of struggle and misery. They are successful neither in their quest for love, nor in their search for identity. Thus, they turn to god to fill their void.
Minor The minor themes of the novel are “Wages of sin and “Power of religion. The characters in the novel are made to commit sin either through force of circumstances or impulsiveness. Florence sins due to the force of circumstances, while Elizabeth slips due to her impulsiveness and Gabriel repeatedly sins because of both reasons. Whatever, the reasons be, all these characters are punished for their sins. Florence leaves her sick mother only to fall into the arms of the irresponsible Frank and lead a life of regret. After Frank’s departure, she is deprived of love and protection. Also, she has to struggle for a living and cope with her falling health. In her desperation, she turns to god to seek his mercy and finds solace. Elizabeth runs away from her aunt to live with her lover. She imagines a life of bliss but experiences insecurity and fear. And after the demise of Richard, life becomes a nightmare. Marrying Gabriel gives her security but not peace of mind. Thus, she turns to god in the hope of finding happiness in the future. Her prayers are partly answered in the form of John’s salvation and she is satisfied. Both Florence and Elizabeth like John gain strength after surrendering to god. Gabriel’s weak mind makes him indulge in vices repeatedly. Though he regrets for his actions, he causes harm to his loved ones through his weakness. Thus, he sins more than others and is also punished justly. He loses his mother and Deborah, his emotional anchors and Royal, his dear son because of his callousness. He lives to regret his actions. However, his arrogance and hypocrisy come in the way of his surrender to god and he is left with the burden of his guilt. Preaching the power of god, Gabriel is denied His mercy because his heart is unclean. OTHER ELEMENTS, Symbolism James Baldwin’s Go Tell it on the Mountain is replete with symbolism. The novel echoes with biblical allusions and religious symbols. The very title of the book has symbolic implications. Taken from a Negro spiritual, Go Tell it on the Mountain in the folk hymn refers to the call given to people about the birth of Christ and also about the message of Moses to Pharaoh. Thus, "Go tell it" is a cry of all faithful Christians and "on the Mountain" is Mount Sinai or Mount Zion that Moses and John climbed on to
speak to the Jewish exiles. The children of Israel or the suffering Christians were given the good news about the birth of their savior from the top of a mountain. In general and in the novel in particular, "Go Tell it on the Mountain" refers to the announcement of good news or the shout of victory. John Grimes, after experiencing crisis in his life, achieves salvation. It is the proclamation of his success that "Go tell it on the Mountain" refers to. The allusion continues. Jesus is born not to live peacefully but to undergo suffering on the cross in order to save his people. Similarly, god has blessed John but John has to
experience hardships before fulfilling his mission. Initially, John is not sure whether he can handle his success, but he gains confidence after hearing the words of Elisha spoken just before he takes leave of John: "Run on, little brother, Don’t you get weary. God won’t forget you. You won’t forget." These lines echo
prophet Isaiah’s word of assurance to the captives: "They that wait --- shall walk and not faint." Elisha is the prophet encouraging John to work with full faith in god. Each part has a title and an epigraph and each of the prayers in Part Two begins with a quotation or a hymn. The title of Part one, "Seventh Day" refers to the seventh day of creation. John’s birthday falls on a Saturday, the seventh day of the week and on this day he evolves out of the creative process; from birth till his dependence on his parents. It is also the day of the Sabbath when accounts for his activities to god. John lays bare his sinful activities before the Lord and waits for his command. The two epigraphs following the title allude to the conflict raging within John as he enters his fourteenth year. The epigraph just following the title
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hearth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take
The water of life freely. These lines echo the plea of his father and his people asking him to become a preacher when he grew up. John has been hearing such words often and had started believing that he would spread the word of god some day. The epigraph at the starting of the part reveals Johns dilemma. I looked down the line, And I wondered. On his fourteenth birthday, John remembers the past and the expectations of the elders from him and wonders whether he should follow their advice or act according to his wishes. The title of Part Two "The Prayer of Saints" begins with a hymn that voices the anguish experienced by the characters that offer their prayers in this part. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, Dost thou not judge and avenge our blood
On them that dwell on the earth? Florence, Gabriel and Elizabeth regret the hasty actions they had taken in the past and feel bitter about the happenings that caused them anguish. Florence and Elizabeth desire justice from god, while Gabriel seeks the mercy of the lord to give him a better deal in life. The three quotations below the prayers of Florence, Gabriel and Elizabeth expose their states of mind as they stand before the Lord. The quotation

Light and Life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings! Throws light on the hope created in the heart of Florence as she surrenders herself to god. Florence realizes that she had ignored god all this while and now, had come to Him to seek his blessings for peaceful days before her death. And god does give her relief by the end of the novel. The quotation below Gabriel’s Prayer is also significant. Now I been introduced
To the Father and the Son, And I aunt
No stranger now. Gabriel remembers with anguish the death of his first born whom he considers as his real heir. He is unable to accept John as his own. Roy is his son but he is afraid the boy has turned against him. Gabriel understands his relationship with his sons and feels bitter about it. The readers also become aware of Gabriel and his legitimate sons in this chapter. Elizabeth’s prayer is the last in this part of the novel and the quotation below the title reveals her state of mind. Lord, I wish I had of died
In Egypt land! These words explain the pain experienced by Elizabeth as she remembers the past and wishes that Richard had lived to give her moral support. Her life with Gabriel is stormy and she is concerned about John’s future. Coming to the last part of the novel, the title "The Threshing Floor" is appropriate to the situation in which John finds himself. The threshing floor is a hard floor on which corns are beaten up before the chaff is removed from them. John’s conscience also gets beaten up on the floor of the church, before he is rid of his sins and blessed by god. The epigraph following the title is also significant. Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone, Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people
Of unclean lips; for mine eyes have
Seen the King, the Lord of hosts. These holy lines explain John’s state of mind as he faces the Lord. He has fallen down on the floor and he is afraid he may not be able to get up because he is burdened with sins. He feels he is “unclean and god would punish him for it. Even when he visualizes the glow of god, he is too afraid to face Him. However, the divine force urges him to get up and walk towards his goal. The couplet before the start of this part describes his condition after he has been bestowed with the grace of god. Then I buckled up my shoes, And I started. As soon as god enlightens him and infuses energy in him, he gets the strength to get up and start on his mission. John is reborn to spread the message of god. James Baldwin interestingly makes use of biblical quotations and hymns to highlight the condition of the characters and their states of mind. Symbols are used effectively through names and situations, to enhance the image and plight of the characters. Irony An undercurrent of irony runs through the whole novel to expose the hypocrisy of the characters and conflicts raging within them. John’s life is itself an irony. From his childhood, he had bee told that he should become a priest when he grew up and he had accepted the idea. However, on his fourteenth birthday, he
awakens with the thought that he may like to do something different from what his father or society expects from him. With a spirit of rebellion, he goes out to enjoy his freedom and taste the forbidden. As he watches the movie, he identifies himself with the haughty heroine who thwarts the affection of her faithful lover. He
feels the need to overpower others and ascertain his right. However, as he walks back home, he feels guilty to nurture sinful thoughts. He reaches home only to be chastised by his father. He also witnesses the scene where his father abuses both his mother and brother. He is outraged. In this mood, he goes to the church to clean its premises and also offer his evening prayers. He meets Elisha, his teacher but gets provoked by the latter’s words and

picks up a fight with the young priest in the temple of god. Elisha pardons him and John feels repentant. He had transferred his anger against his father on Elisha. Soon after the Sisters of the Church, his parents and aunt arrive the 2evening service begins. Johns mind is in turmoil. He is angry, guilty and miserable. He feels helpless. He is not sure whether he should experience the life of the outside world or surrender to god. His earlier rebellious mood leaves him and a divine force ensnares him to seek the mercy of the Lord. His fears about his sins weigh him down and he is afraid he will be unable to get up and face the Lord. His conscience tears him apart and he goes through the agony of realization. He almost loses hope but a sudden voice beckons him to try and exert himself to stand up before god. Slowly but steadily, he gains strength and courage to rise up and seek the blessings of the Lord. John, who had expected punishment from god, is saved and redeemed. The boy who had desired to
experience the pleasures of life and gain power in the morning of his birthday, now is overpowered by the grace of god and excited about working for the almighty. Baldwin has used irony to expose the hypocrisy of Gabriel. He uses the biblical saying “Set thane house in order repeatedly in the novel to remind the characters about its significance. Gabriel uses these words profusely in his sermons and to people to correct their mistakes and repent for their sins. Florence and Elizabeth take the words seriously and regret the hasty actions they had committed in the past as they stand before god. However, Gabriel who advises others about to wipe out their sins and seek forgiveness ignores his own blunders and feels hesitant to confess his sins. He criticizes the conduct of his family members but behaves arrogantly towards them and punishes them for their simple lapses. He puts fear in the minds of others but seems fearless about the wrath of god. Only when Florence confronts him about his shameful past, does he feel disturbed. However, instead of accepting his weaknesses, he chides her for digging his past unnecessarily. After being in the service of the Lord, Gabriel has failed to learn the lessons on humility, generosity and kindness. He has failed to set his own self and house in order. Comparisons And Contrasts James Baldwin has shaped characters some of who are alike in their situations, while others create contradictions among them. Florence and Elizabeth resemble each other in their plight, just as
Frank and Richard are alike in their natures. On the other hand, Esther and Deborah are pictures of contrast, while Florence and Gabriel are unlike each other in their attitude and beliefs. Florence And Elizabeth Florence and Elizabeth are unfortunate women who do not get the love they deserve and are deprived of the happiness due to them. Florence sacrifices her childhood and
youth, looking after Gabriel and doing housework. She forgoes education in order to send Gabriel to school and help her mother at home. After her mother falls ill, she shoulders the burden of attending to her sick mother and working outside to earn a living. For all her service and dedication, her mother and brother take her for granted and fail to acknowledge her worth. And when she leaves home to escape the advances of her White master and preserve her chastity, her mother and brother take it amiss. In New York, she meets Frank and marries him with the belief that he would give her love and security. Frank loves her but does not bother to take care of her needs. He spends all his money and leaves her to fend for herself and the house. All her attempts to reform Frank and make him understand his responsibilities towards their home fails and she is forced to show him the door. Florence is unsuccessful in love and marriage. When she needs company and comfort, she is denied them and left to lead a lonely and miserable life. The plight of Elizabeth is similar to that of Florence. In childhood, she loves her father but is snatched away from him. In youth, she falls in love with Richard and decides to live with him in a strange city. She bears his child out of wedlock but refrains from telling Richard about it. In the process, she suffers the consequence of her foolishness. Richard gets implicated falsely and is punished unjustly. Unable to bear the insult, he commits suicide and leaves Elizabeth at lurch. Elizabeth loses the man she loves and is made to raise her child all by herself. She is punished for her love for Richard and left to struggle in a cruel world. Later, she meets Gabriel and falls in love with him. She believes him to be loving and caring. However, after marriage she becomes aware of the whims and prejudices of Gabriel. She feels helpless to protest against his autocratic behavior and resigns herself to the situation. For all her contribution to their home, Gabriel has not a kind word to say to her. Thus, once again the man she had loved is unable to provide her security and peace. She is as unlucky in love as Florence and betrayed by life. Frank And Richard Frank and Richard are both weak characters who succumb to the pressures of life. They are insecure Negroes who feel threatened by the power of the Whites and find escape routes to forget their fears. Frank loves Florence and promises to respect her wishes but forgets all his responsibilities as he hits the bottle. He apologizes only to commit the mistake again. He, thus, fails to provide her security or harmony in marriage. And when Florence asks him to get out of her life in disgust, he goes away and starts living with another woman. Instead of improving himself and rectifying his life, he defies the codes of life. Richard is better than Frank is, but as emotional and impractical as the latter. He falls in love with Elizabeth and persuades her to accompany him to New York, even though he has no job or house in that strange city. He does not marry her but lives with her and weaves dreams about marrying her someday. He does not guess that she is carrying his baby, because he lives in a world of dreams. After he is attacked by White men and imprisoned for no fault of his, he feels frustrated. He does not realize the difficulties Elizabeth faces in securing money and help to release him. After his release, he loses hope in life and commits suicide. He forgets his responsibilities towards Elizabeth and kills himself. By quitting life, he tries to escape his worldly tensions but creates problems for Elizabeth and makes the life of his beloved wretched. Esther And Deborah Esther and Deborah are women who are completely different in their looks, temperament and attitude. Esther is physically attractive and seductive. She is interested only in dressing up and having fun with men. She is unaffected by religion or moral values. She responds to her senses and gets attached to men she likes, without thinking about their situations. Thus, she falls for the mature charm of Gabriel and lures him to have an affair with her. When she conceives his child, she asks him to marry her, even though she knows he is married. After Gabriel turns down her request, she demands money from him to go abroad to deliver his baby. Esther loves Gabriel but when he refuses to protect her, she is practical enough to take his money and continue her life. Deborah, on the other hand, is plain in looks and unattractive. She does not bother about her looks or dress. She is involved in the service of the Lord and his followers. She has deep faith in religion and believes in the principles of Christianity. She serves Gabriel’s mother till the latter breathes her last and helps Gabriel in establishing himself as a preacher. She feels honored to marry Gabriel and gives him moral support to pursue his vocation. Later, when Gabriel cheats on her and has an affair with Esther, she does not question him about it. Even when he confesses his mistake, she does not turn against him. Instead, she makes him realize his lapse in losing a precious son. Deborah is pure in heart and acts as the conscience of Gabriel, while Esther is worldly and provokes Gabriel to commit sin. Florence And Gabriel Though they are siblings, they are like strangers in their natures and attitudes. Florence is sensible and disciplined, while Gabriel is foolish and careless about his ways. From childhood, Florence understands her role in the family and fulfils her responsibilities uncomplainingly. She desires to go to school, but when her mother prefers Gabriel to get educated, she gives in to her mother’s wishes and allows Gabriel to have the best of life. However, when Gabriel shirks studies and indulges in shameful activities, she is angry with him. She feels betrayed and blames Gabriel for creating tension at home. She also feels revolted by his addiction to drinks and women. Thus, when she leaves home to keep her respect and protect her interests, she does not mind handing over the responsibility of her mother and home
to Gabriel. She wants Gabriel to realize his duties and reform himself. When Gabriel proposes to Elizabeth, she is apprehensive about the latter marrying her brother. And true to her fears, Elizabeth is unhappy in marriage. Finally, she confronts her brother and exposes his liaison with Esther and threatens to expose
him if he does not improve his behavior towards his family. Florence is good at heart and just. She acts according to her conscience and does what is right. Gabriel, on the other hand, is irresponsible and callous. He thinks only of himself and his interests. When his sick mother is lying at home, he goes outside to enjoy himself with drinks and women. He is angry with Florence for leaving him with his sick mother and curses her. He marries Deborah to enhance his respectability and to earn security. When he meets Esther, he forgets his responsibilities towards Deborah and gets into a torrid affair with the younger girl. Later, he deserts Esther and disowns his child by her. He marries Elizabeth to settle down in life and have children. He fails to respect the latter’s sensibilities and hurts her with his high-handed behavior. Thus, Gabriel betrays the trust of all the women who
had loved him, while Florence is let down by her loved ones.