Criticism > Contemporary Literary Criticism > Wilder, Thornton (Vol. 10) - Edward Ericson, Jr.

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EDWARD ERICSON, JR.

That an examination of Kierkegaard's influence on The Eighth Day will prove fruitful we have Wilder's own word. John Ashley, the hero of the novel, is repeatedly called a man of faith. Noticing what seemed to me striking parallels between Ashley and Kierkegaard's knight of faith in Fear and Trembling, I wrote to Mr. Wilder to inquire about the matter. In a letter addressed to me dated April 24, 1971, he responded: "Yes, indeed John Ashley is a sketch of Kierkegaard's knight. Once one has read S.K. he remains a part of one's view of life and I'd like to think that he appears and disappears throughout the book even when I'm not aware of it. Many have noticed also the presence of Teilhard de Chardin—very few have glimpsed S.K." This compelling piece of external evidence is both sufficient encouragement to seek the internal evidences of Kierkegaard's thought in the novel and a prima facie case for their presence.

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1. Introduction
2. Douglas Charles Wixson, Jr.
3. Edward Ericson, Jr.
4. John Simon
5. Victor White
6. Gerald Weales
7. Copyright

1. Thornton Wilder