In Marilynne Robinson's narrator and Reverend Gilead, John Ames seeks to transcend the isolation he feels from the title city through a letter to his son. John Ames plays the ironic role of moral leader and recluse, which leaves him alienated from the people who respect him. His isolation is a byproduct of his independence; an independence that distances him from those he loves: Jack Boughton and his son. This alienation is represented in the text by his heart disease which prevents him from seeing his son grow up, metaphorically illustrating the damage that his years of solitude have caused him. Therefore, in order to find a way to transcend his temporal life and impending death, he writes a letter to his son offering him advice, as a consolation for having left him in poverty and destitution. The letter serves to offer his son advice and understanding of his father's identity after his death and as a call for forgiveness for the narrator's isolation, critical ways, and for leaving his son's life too soon . Ultimately, Gilead depicts a forced distance between father and son due to the father's death. It reveals the isolation of independence and expresses forgiveness in the face of loneliness. Through this construction of a father-son relationship, the text critiques independence and reveals a value in forgiveness, recognizing that the ephemeral nature of humanity leaves distance between people and that the nature of writing gives a certain level of permanence. Ironically, John Ames' role as a preacher, he becomes the morally alienated leader of the community that respects him so much. Those who respected him for "all those hours [he] was up there working" on his sermons and studies distanced themselves...... middle of paper ...... it provokes between him, Jack, and his young son illustrates the dangers of independence and autonomy in Gilead. Ultimately, the novel recognizes the imperfections of others but offers not so much a method of change as an emphasis on understanding and forgiveness. John Ames' letter to his son reveals a father's plea to his child regarding his own faults and his desire for forgiveness because of them. Ultimately, writing allows an individual to live after death and have a level of permanence that allows them to have a lasting identity. Gilead critiques judgmental attitudes and isolation and reveals the value of forgiveness through the story of John Ames. Forgiveness allows us to transcend misunderstandings and differences and recognize the value of others. Work cited Robinson, Marilynne. Gilead. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004