American Literature

Cora Tull is Vernons wife. She is a devout Christian. This is illustrated by the way she constantly sings to the lord and asking for forgiveness for both herself and for Addie. She also does not understand Addies belief system and wants her to confess her sins. In a discussion, she held with Addie, she tells her that God should be the only judge.

Cora is judgemental. This is illustrated by the way she seems to think that Addie is too proud for her own good. She also has her perspective of the bundrens. She insists that Anse is going against Addies wishes when he insists on taking her back to Jefferson for her burial. She also insists that Darl wanted to stay at his mothers side but Anse and Jewel forced him to leave. Cora is stubborn. This is illustrated by the way she shouts down at her husband when he disagrees with her. She insists that her view is right and it cannot be that she is mistaken. Cora is quite loving. This is illustrated by the fact that she has a special love for Darl, a child of Addie. She says that this child is very special. Addie is a mother. This is illustrated by the fact that she has four children from Anse. These children are Cash, Darl, Dewey Dell and Vardaman.

Addie, is a nihilist. She is rarely religious and to her life is a mere preparation for death. She even believes that her son, Jewel is the one who will be her cross and her salvation. He would save her from the water and the fire. Addie is bad-tempered. This is illustrated by the way she beats up her children like her students. Addie is well educated. This is illustrated by the fact that she is a school teacher. Addie is secretive. This is illustrated by the fact that she had a secret extramarital affair with Reverend Whitfield.

Cora seems to be very spiritual. She tells Addie of the fact that God should be the only judge. Cora seems to insist that no man should be a judge of the other man. She seems to believe in a power higher than herself (Cather, 1995). Addie on the other hand has no such beliefs. She speaks of Jewel in terms more appropriate than God himself. He believes that his son is more powerful than anything.

Lucys rejection of God is clearly illustrated in the summer time. She seems to think that at summer time there would be no slowing down to the village pace. At this particular time, there would be no walking down for hours and hours in the moonlight, down to the post office and home again. At this particular time, she clearly says that there would be no walking for hours and hours in to the Lutheran church. She clearly shows that she is a pagan. Lucy does not seem to like the idea of going to church at all and there seems to be a thought of belittling the church. When she talks about the little Lutheran church, she seems to take no interest of its existence or the purpose of its existence. She sits on the church steps, oblivious of what is going on inside the church.

When she is tired of sitting on the steps and cannot sit down any longer, she dives back into the black tents of shadow under the maple trees. There is nowhere in the book that is illustrated that she actually has ever gone to the church. She only looks at it from a distance. She seems to be content that she did not have to go to church and spend all day there. She even wonders if she had left a trail in the Lutheran church. There seems to be no existence of God in Lucys life or any indication that she even believes he exists. Therefore it is clear that Lucy is portrayed as having rejected God (Cather 1995).
Paulines acceptance of God is clearly indicated by the way she goes to church. She is even part of the choir. She seems to love her little sister and is very kind toward her. She cares for her and even stops cutting the tree when she finds out that her sister is in the view of not cutting down the tree. Pauline is very fond of her sister as she has taken care of her since their mother died. Even though she has always envied her sister, she does not show it. She treats her as well as she always has and does not seem to portray it.

Lucy seems to have other things that occupying her mind. She seems to think about Sebastian all the time. In the orchard she tried to repeat lines from some of Sebastians songs trying to get exactly his way of saying the words. I t made her cry, but it melted the cold about her heart and it brought him to her more than anything did. Oh that I knew.where I might find him. She used to sing it repeatedly until she was choked with tears. Even in her sleep she could her him sing. Lucy seemed to be preoccupied with thinking about him all the time and did not seem to have anything else in her mind that seemed to occupy her mind. So shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in their heavenly fathers realm.

It was what she heard when she as asleep. Lucy does not only seem to be preoccupied with Sebastian alone. There was an instance when they were traveling when she would look at the other boys. She seems to be obsessed with the boys. There was also Harry who was also a lover of Lucy whom she dumped because of Sebastian. He seemed to preoccupy her mind with Harry before she met Sebastian .

Addie on the other hand is central to the entire plot. She seems to have a replacement of belief in God. She seems to be attached to her son Jewel who is her son. She is so much into the boy that she even confesses to Cora that Jewel will be her salvation. At this point, Jewel has already saved her from the water and so this is anticipated that he will also save her from the fire. This is clearly indicated when her son saves her life from the water and will save the coffin from the fire. She seems to also insist on people to listen to her and makes them carry out a promise to take her to Jefferson. She also turns to Whitfield as a substitute to religious beliefs. She hopes that the minister will give her some form of violence to keep her alive. Addie it seems did not care about God together with Lucy and this has been illustrated clearly.