“… as Death Comes for the Arch Bishop reflects a way of life achieved by the author after she had gone through a nadir of despair over her failure in human life” (Stouk 107). Throughout Willa Cather’s writing career she wrote many great novels. Such a novel was Death Comes for the Arch Bishop written in the early twentieth century. The book is a story of Father Jean Marie Latour’s journeys through New Mexico. Throughout the book Father Latour encounters a rough mountainous landscape, rebellious priests, unlawful natives, and his own inner conflicts. As he encounters each of these toils he grows in his own spirituality and morality. Such a book known as a bildungsroman, a novel whose principal subject is the moral, psychological, and intellectual development of the main character, is one of the many literary devices used by Cather throughout the novel. By looking at these literary devices, and also the change of religious emphasis the author’s style is reflected. In the book Death Comes for the Arch Bishop, by Willa Cather the author’s style and life are reflected through her use of literary devices, character development, and change of religious emphasis.

faith.” (Keene 64). When Cather wrote this book she originally had little knowledge of the Catholic religion. After she undertook the task of writing Death Comes for the Arch Bishop though, she had learned about a new religion, that of the Catholic religion. By undertaking the task of learning the ways of the Catholic church, she grew spiritually. Though she never converted to Catholicism she now had a new understanding and knowledge of a new religion. This in itself is an aspect of a bildungsroman. The spiritual growth of Cather, as she wrote the book, is not unlike the intellectual growth Father Latour experienced throughout his journey’s in New Mexico.

the Indians did not understand that what was being done was for their own good. They were in need of greater enlightenment, so stricter laws were enforced in the towns. Father Latour then began to explain that the word of God and the use of a council to help find a solution would have been a much less violent way of solving this problem.

Father Latour’s teachings were not only used with the natives of the land but also with the established authorities and churches. (Bonhom 54). After Father Latour travels through Snakeroot he comes into Albuquerque. In Albuquerque Father Latour encounters

benign presence, anticipated and over graciously entertained.” (Arnold 137). Throughout Latour’s journeys he effected the lives of those he met and of those he had never known.

helped but also those who were unable to come and be with him during the construction of the cathedral. “Death is neither a calamity nor a final surrender to despair, but rather a

“The predominant mood is that of faith: the belief in a transcendent reality which gives meaning and order to human life…” (McFarland 96). Throughout the novel Cather establishes that mood of religion. The basis of Father Latour’s journey is originally to obtain his Bishopric, or the office of being a Bishop. To obtain this office he must help to spread the word of Christ throughout the new land of New Mexico. By traveling from town to town and visiting the already established churches of each town he accomplishes his journey to become bishop. This mood is not only reflected inside the walls of the church, but also on the trails in which Father Latour travels. Throughout his travels he meets up with the good and the bad. He deals with the rigors of the terrain and weather, but never looses sight of his plan to spread the word of God.

Through the death of Father Latour one can see how those close to him not only lost somebody, but overall the people in New Mexico lost a great figure. Just as in Latour's life, Cather found despair in relationships and family. In the book Death Comes for the Arch Bishop, by Willa Cather the author’s style can be seen through her use of literary devices and change of religious emphasis.

By talking with Padre Martinez he helped to better the lives of the Taos Indians. By helping to arrest Scales, he may have saved the lives of many men. As he laid on his death bed accompanied by those closest to him, his actions were very well seen. A cathedral, in which he constructed out of his own sweat and blood, many people now worshipped at under

Some topics in this essay:
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