Practice What You Preach

            The concept of religion and the difference between actions and words are themes explored in James Baldwin’s “The Rock Pile.” The most curious example of this comes through the father in the story, Gabriel, who also happens to be a reverend in the local church. His characterization provides important details about the message the author is trying to convey about religion and its insincerity.

            Before Gabriel even arrives to the Grimes’s home, his strict, demanding presence already plays a significant role in the story. After John’s first attempt to get Roy to stay on the fire escape by telling him that their mother will be upset fails, he tells Roy that “Daddy will be home soon.” This plea shows that Gabriel is clearly a man of authority, even more so than his uncharacteristically strong wife, and someone to be feared which is curious given his occupation as a pastor. After Sister McCandless leaves she remarks that she plans on “preparing [Gabriel’s] mind (157).” Again the description of a clergyman having an anger issue is not a common one.

            Once Gabriel arrives at home he lambasts John and Elizabeth, who really did nothing wrong, while comforting the injured Roy who has no one but himself to blame. Even though Elizabeth promises John earlier that as long as he tells the truth he will be fine, this does not turn out to be true as he is the main objects of Gabriel’s censure. Gabriel does not seem to be able to get over the fact that John is not his son but is living in his house. This failure to forgive someone (much less for something that is not their fault) is in contrast with the teachings of the bible. Gabriel probably tells churchgoers at Saturday night prayer meetings and Sunday morning worship that they should forgive others and ask for forgiveness themselves. Yet, he cannot forgive John for having another father. This duplicity seems to be a sharp criticism of religion and it’s ability to elicit feelings of spiritual superiority.

            Gabriel has taught his boys that everyone is a sinner, and even when they aren’t sinning it is latent in them (154).  Despite the way he treats his wife and step-son, he is still seen as the leader in the community readers should be offended by this. He threatens to use corporal punishment on his son, which considering the time period may be commonplace, but not a justifiable punishment for a child that has done seemingly nothing wrong. There is not a single point in the story in which Gabriel’s actions line up with required characteristics of a pastor.  The choice to make him a pastor must mean something, then, and in this case it is to cast light on the juxtaposition between actions and words as they relate to the religious community.