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John Ames Character In Marilynne Robinson's Gilead

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In “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson, John Ames III is the 3rd minister in a small town in Iowa. He is dying and he is aware that he is leaving his wife and children with nothing except books of his work. Ames sole purpose of the novel was to write to his son so that he would understand his family's history and along that get to know his father that most likely his son will have no recollection of his father. Ames started writing his book when he was eight years before his death which gave give a good time to write his thoughts, his regrets, his sad life, and the joy of having his son but, to not be able to be part of his life. He has never truly experienced a happy life and has lived in solitary for 40 years after the death of his sweetheart Louise and his first born son who died after birth. John went on with his life but, the benefit after the event was “ a religious vocation is that it helps you concentrate”(Pg.7) Ames leaves his lifetime work to his son as a way to teach him the knowledge he has gained through years of writing and, for Ames “writing has always felt like praying, even when he wasn't writing prayers.”(Pg.19) Since the death of his first wife and son in a way this was a way to not lose faith in god. Ames learned …show more content…

I wanted to explain that Ames is a good father who devoted his life to god no matter how strongly I believe that some things that happened in his life were curses. The death of his wife and child was a horrible experience in his life and to me this would have devastated me but, Ames continues to love god because everything that happens is for a reason just like the soldiers. The Soldiers was a great example to why he did not lose faith in god, and to me is because Ames believed that god does things for a reason and the reason the soldiers died before they saw war is to spare them from the guilt of

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