The Morning Watch (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: James Agee
- First Published: 1951
- Type of Work: Novella
- Type of Plot: Bildungsroman
- Time of Work: Good Friday, 1924
- Setting: An Episcopalian boys’ school in Tennessee
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman
- Subjects: Snakes, 1920’s, Tennessee, Christianity, Boys, Church schools, Secondary education, Swimming or swimmers
- Locales: Tennessee
Characters Discussed
Richard, an aspiring “saint” who suffers from the contradictions that plague many adolescents his age. He is so impressed with the holiness of the Lenten season that he vows to do as much for Jesus as Jesus did for him; his failure to measure up to Christ’s example causes him to feel deeply ashamed. Obsessed with the desire to demonstrate his piety, Richard punishes himself and almost drowns, only to suffer from feelings of false pride afterward. Despite his overpowering desire to be reverent, Richard cannot keep his mind from wandering during the...
[The entire page is 1176 words long]
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