Go Tell It on the Mountain is a classic novel written by James Baldwin and published in 1953. It is a semi-autobiographical work that explores the themes of race, religion, and identity in 1930s Harlem. The novel follows the experiences of John Grimes, a young African American boy, as he navigates the challenges of growing up in a deeply religious family and a racially divided society.
Baldwin’s powerful storytelling and lyrical prose have made Go Tell It on the Mountain a timeless piece of literature. The novel is filled with poignant and thought-provoking quotes that shed light on the characters’ struggles, desires, and aspirations. These quotes capture the essence of the novel and offer profound insights into the human condition.
In this article, we have compiled a collection of memorable quotes from Go Tell It on the Mountain that will resonate with readers and provide a glimpse into the rich narrative of the novel.
Read these quotes from Go Tell It on the Mountain
“He could not remember when he had first begun to struggle and suffer; he could not remember when he had begun to want something else, something different, something better than what he had…”
“She had not quite forgiven her husband for taking her away from her own family, from her own people, from her own way of life, and for bringing her to this strange land, this strange people, this strange God.”
“God, he knew, was not the God of the white people, but the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Moses and David, the God of the prophets—he was the God of all the people who had ever existed, who existed now, and who would ever exist.”
“It was the Lord who put him there, and it was the Lord who took him away; and if the Lord had a purpose in putting him there, then it was not for him, John, to question that purpose, but only to serve and obey.”
“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
“He felt the presence of the Lord, like a great presence, like a great fiery presence; and then he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and he began to shout and to dance and to speak in tongues.”
“He saw the vision of the Lord, in robes of purest white, with a crown of gold upon His head; and He was seated upon a throne of purest gold, set upon a sea of crystal clear as glass.”
“He had thought that the Lord would come down from heaven, with a great shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and that the dead in Christ would rise first, and that then we who are alive and remain would be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”
“He had been taught to hate himself, to hate his people, to hate his heritage; and he had been taught to love the white man, to love his oppressor, to love his destroyer.”
“He had been taught that his blackness was a curse, a mark of shame; and he had been taught that the white man was superior, that the white man was the chosen of God, that the white man was the master and the black man the servant.”
“He heard the voice of the Lord, like the sound of many waters, like the voice of a great multitude, like the voice of a mighty thundering; and the voice said, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.'”
“He felt the fire of the Lord, like a burning fire, like a consuming fire; and he felt the fire in his bones, in his heart, in his soul, in his very being.”
“He had been taught that he was a sinner, that he was unclean, that he was unworthy of the love of God; and he had been taught that he must repent, that he must be saved, that he must be born again.”
“He saw the face of the Lord, shining like the sun, brighter than the noonday sun, and the face of the Lord was full of love, full of mercy, full of grace.”
“He had been taught that the white man was his salvation, that the white man held the key to his redemption; and he had been taught that he must serve the white man, that he must submit to the white man, that he must obey the white man.”
“He heard the voice of the Lord, like the sound of many waters, like the voice of a great multitude, like the voice of a mighty thundering; and the voice said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.'”
“He felt the love of the Lord, like a perfect love, like a divine love; and he felt the love in his heart, in his soul, in his very being.”
“He had been taught that he was a sinner, that he was doomed to eternal damnation, that he was beyond redemption; and he had been taught that he must repent, that he must confess his sins, that he must be saved.”
“He saw the face of the Lord, shining like the sun, brighter than the noonday sun, and the face of the Lord was full of wrath, full of judgment, full of condemnation.”
“He had been taught that the white man was his enemy, that the white man was the devil incarnate, that the white man was the cause of all his suffering and misery.”
These quotes from Go Tell It on the Mountain offer a glimpse into the complex and compelling narrative crafted by James Baldwin. They explore themes of identity, religion, and the search for meaning in a world marked by racial injustice. Each quote invites reflection and deepens our understanding of the characters and their struggles. Go Tell It on the Mountain remains a profound and relevant work that continues to resonate with readers today.
