Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gilead, is a gripping story that follows the life of a Congregationalist pastor at a small-town Iowa church in the 1950s. The novel’s protagonist, Reverend John Ames, father of a seven-year-old son, is already an old man nearing the end of his life.
Through reminiscing in journal form, Reverend Ames contemplates his short life and all that he wants to leave behind in his final days, including a book for his son and the many teachings of his faith. Even with his last days drawing near and his health failing, Reverend Ames consistently finds solace, humor, and hope – even in the most difficult moments and predicaments.
Ames’ understanding and reflection of his life, as well as the lives of those in his town of Gilead, Iowa, offers readers a window into the complexities of small town and spiritual life. Readers follow Ames on his various errands and visits, leading up to his eventual death, while getting to know the characters who make up the small community of Gilead and understanding their perspectives on the larger, societal issues of the day.
The town, full of colorful characters like young bereaved Boughton and spirited Ames’ son, Teddy, is also rife with issues of social injustice and religious intolerance. While Reverend Ames may not initially find himself at the center of these issues, he is constantly brought into them due to his faith and his nature as a frontline leader of his community.
A second narrative thread in the novel follows the relationship between Reverend Ames and Jack Boughton, son of his pastor friend, who has returned to Gilead seeking salvation in a jailhouse conversion. The two men have a shared history, that of friendship and deep understanding, and their relationship tests Ames’ faith and honor as a pastor.
Robinson’s Gilead is a powerful narrative of faith, loss, and understanding. Through an intimate portrait of Reverend John Ames, readers are left with a thoughtful exploration of hope and redemption. As Ames puts it: “Loss--through death, or any other kind of separation - is terrible and final, but understanding is incrementally attainable.” Though characters’ lives are brief and fleeting, faith, hope, and understanding are the cornerstones of a meaningful life.
