Go Tell It on the Mountain By James Baldwin
Go Tell It on the Mountain By James Baldwin John Grimes struggles with his father and himself in this novel about a family's relationships with one another and with their Pentecostal Church values. The book follows John's struggle with his father, who is not his biological father (unknown to him) and how his father (Gabriel) treats him poorly and abusively. John finds his way into his faith and hopes it will bring him closer to his father. Gabriel's backstory is explored, showing the moral hypocrisy of the church as Gabriel acts in ways that counter the moral values of the church. He refuses to see his wrongdoing, claiming that he has found forgiveness in God's eyes. Elizabeth's backstory shows her falling away from her religious upbringing when she meets and falls in love with John's biological father. When she meets Gabriel she is brought back to the church and her faith, with the promise that he will take care of her and John. The church is both a positive ...