Go Tell It On The Mountain Gabriel Grimes Character Analysis

Gabriel: The Biblical Disappointment in Go Tell it on the Mountain All humans go through pain and obstacles. A person’s ability to overcome and handle these obstacles can highlight their strength of character as well as their personal weaknesses. In Go Tell It On the Mountain, by James Baldwin, Gabriel Grimes has to overcome many obstacles over the course of his life. Gabriel’s inability to overcome these obstacles demonstrate his few strengths and extensive weaknesses. Furthermore, his inability to properly handle these issues display his impotence to act as an adequate role model or father figure to his children and family.Throughout the novel, Gabriel faces numerous obstacles and issues, and these issues uncover a few of Gabriel’s strengths. Gabriel is intelligent, religious, and provides for his family through all of the adversity and trouble that he goes through. As an example, …show more content…
Gabriel grew up religiously, has raised his children up religiously, and now he must continue to be a great pastor. Gabriel does fulfill this requirement, as “Every Sunday morning, then, since John could remember, they had taken to the streets, the Grimes family on their way to church” (Baldwin 4). Gabriel helps provide a strong, religious foundation for his children which is admirable. Furthermore, Gabriel is smart and he offers advice and suggestions to his first son, Royal. As an example, Gabriel exhibits his intelligence by advising Royal to “be careful, son. Ain’t nothing but white folks in town today. They done killed...last night...”(142). Although Gabriel does not demonstrate the same amount of intelligence and care for the rest of his family, he does exhibit his intellect to his first son, Royal. Finally, Gabriel supports his family as he supplies them with