8 /10 1 Votes
Language English OCLC 24659110 Originally published 1953 Genre Autobiographical novel Country United States of America | 4/5 Goodreads Publication date 1953 LC Class PS3552 .A5 G6 Publisher Alfred A. Knopf | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ISBN 0-440-33007-6 (Paperback edition) Characters Sarah, Ruth, Roy, Elizabeth, John Similar James Baldwin books, Autobiographical novel books, Classical Studies books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Go Tell It on the Mountain is a 1953 semi-autobiographical novel by James Baldwin. It tells the story of John Grimes, an intelligent teenager in 1930s Harlem, and his relationship to his family and his church. The novel also reveals the back stories of John's mother, his biological father, and his violent, religious fanatic step-father, Gabriel Grimes. The novel focuses on the role of the Pentecostal Church in the lives of African-Americans, as a negative source of repression and moral hypocrisy and also as a positive source of inspiration and community. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Go Tell It on the Mountain 39th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Time Magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.
Contents
Major themes
Also like John, Baldwin underwent a religious awakening at the age of 14, when Baldwin became a Pentecostal preacher. His later novels expressed his growing disillusionment with church life, and they also feature homosexual and bisexual themes. His novel Giovanni's Room serves as an example of these themes and is taken as an indicator of Baldwin's sexuality.
There are some hints of homosexual themes in Go Tell It on the Mountain, for example John's fascination and attraction for Elisha.
Societal factors: The consequences affecting the individual because of societal norms. John Grimes is a confused adolescent boy, but most of his confusion is driven from questioning himself. These questions include his sexuality and the reasons that he is, "at war," with his father. Upon examination of the reasons for which he questions himself, it is determined that norms placed on him by society and more importantly the church, which is embodied by his father, deem his actions wrong. John cannot look at anything without having it painted in the light of the church, therefore, he is committing sin because of his own nature, which is the cause of his confusion. With this auto-biographical novel, Baldwin is particularly invested in the reason why he split from the ideals of the church after being raised so rigidly within its confines. The very first page, "Part One: The Seventh Day, And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come..." is included to highlight his view of religion and the conflicts brought about the very framework of Christianity. It is not constrictive, but inclusive—"let him that is athirst, come"—there is no restriction with God, and yet, he was raised in a church (highlighted by Elisha and his girlfriend in the novel) where the simple act of temptation by a lover is damnable to hell.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
In an attempt to copy the success of the 1977 mini-series Roots, which was also an African-American family saga, the ABC network produced a made-for-television movie based on Go Tell It on the Mountain in 1984. Stan Lathan directed the film, with Paul Winfield starring as Gabriel in his adulthood and Ving Rhames playing Gabriel in his youth.
The work was translated into French in 1957 by Henri Hell and Maud Vidal under the title Les Élus du Seigneur.