African American Literature Published in 1953 James Baldwin s Go Tell it on the Mountain 2 27 2014 The book is very autobiographical He grew up in Harlem Deals with the archetypal struggle between esh and spirit Better known as an essayist than a novelist though he also wrote plays etc Notes of a Native Son is a collection of essays including an essay Autobiographical Notes describing tense family relations namely the relationship between he and his father who wanted baldwin to follow the religious path They never resolves the schism Also Baldwin was dramatically saved by a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem which is detailed in The Fire Next Time an extended essay For the rst time we get a novelic look at signi cant aspect of black lit religion John Grimes is the 1st person narrator at rst then it grows into the other members of the family Additionally there is a shift in time as the older members of the family talk about migrating from south to north The events leading up to his moment of salvation was a tarry service an all night church service John never learns that Gabriel is not John s father Again Baldwin focuses on two institution the family and the church Gabriel displaces his anger onto John bcuz he doesn t want to punish his own son it is written like an essay there is dramatic irony in which the reader later learns something about John Particularly noteworthy about the rst part of the novel Grimmes that he himself does not know The action takes place in the 7th day end of old order beginning new one there is a Revelations epigraph North as Promised Land Myth Grimmes family goes north thinking things will be better but they aren t Baldwin thinks the church ignores the day to day needs of the black masses instead it was compensatory or considered with earning reward in the future this is what brought about harsh slave obedience in the slave narrative The second part Some girl with cancer s position contradicts how she wants to John struggles with his masculinity and his sexuality The Scene of John s Chore if dusting the mantel Sisephus Story John compares his lot within his family to this greek myth John becomes the archetypal displaced black man he cannot nd a positive selfhood black is always associated with evil in western culture while white is associated with good the church exacerbates that issue Part I What does Gabriel s prayer tell us isn t good not by PM son is not in fact holy Gabriel is so conceited that he believes since John doesn t come from him John The vision of the seed makes Gabriel think his son must be holy but his biological There is a 9 day affair between Gabriel and a seducing woman Esther Debora s foil so Gabriel Grimes has a dual nature both sinful and carnal Gabriel marries Debora the raped and infertile woman in the south so Gabriel like John is in a no win situation because he cannot be with or without the church Gabriel received all of the attention in their youth How are John and his father Richard similar Richard commits suicide after falsely accused of robbing a store he is sensitive and resistant to the church Part II Told mainly from Aunt s and Gabriel s POV