‘‘Redemption’’ was first published in the Atlantic Monthly in May, 1977. Gardner later included the story in his collection of short stories, The Art of Living, published by Knopf in 1981. Gardner was a writer who generated considerable critical controversy, in part from his prodigious writing output. Between the completion of his doctoral dissertation in 1958 and his death in 1982, according to Dean McWilliams in his book, John Gardner, the author produced ‘‘eight novels, two collections of short stories, an epic poem, a volume of lyric poetry, eight scholarly or critical books, five children’s books, and five volumes of plays and opera libretti.’’

Although The Art of Living did not generate much critical commentary, the book was generally well-received. For example, Douglas Hill in Maclean’s Magazine wrote, ‘‘Gardner is the master of the economical opening: he gives a reader just enough setting and background to slip him effortlessly into the world of each tale. . . . There’s humor in these stories, and a full measure of graceful, unstudied prose. . . . There’s considerable expertise in this book, and courage and joy.’’

Nevertheless, because the book followed Gardner’s On Moral Fiction, a book-length essay discussing the role of fiction, reviewers noted that Gardner used the stories to illustrate the points he made in his earlier books. Kent Thompson, for example, wrote in Books in Canada in 1981, that the stories are ‘‘illustrations of ideas. Their consequent value is therefore not in what they are, but in what they lead us to talk about. They seem to be written for professors and students. . . .’’

It seems notable, however, that few of the early reviews singled out ‘‘Redemption’’ for comment. This may very well be, ironically, because the story demonstrates strong writing, filled with vivid image and compelling moments. Such writing does not square with critics who want only to see the book as an illustration of On Moral Fiction. Certainly, later scholars returned to the story, noting in it a number of important ideas, themes, and images for the understanding of the corpus of Gardner’s work. These same scholars, however, while concentrating on the philosophical nature of the story, admired the strength of the writing as well.

In recent years, ‘‘Redemption’’ has appeared in several anthologies of short stories and has received notable attention from scholars, a sure indication that the story inspires debate and commentary. Ronald Grant Nutter in his 1997 book A Dream of Peace: Art and Death in the Fiction of John Gardner, for example, spends his first chapter establishing the importance of ‘‘Redemption’’ as part of Gardner’s work. He discusses autobiographical aspects of the story, and relates it to the work of Robert Jay Lifton, a famous psychiatrist.

Gregory L. Morris contends that ‘‘The theme of art as redemptive force comes through most clearly and most intensely in . . . ‘‘Redemption,’’ which is Gardner’s personal attempt to redefine a particularly painful part of his memory.’’

As an illustration of Garner’s philosophy, as an autobiographical story providing insight into Gardner’s life, or as a gripping and moving tale, ‘‘Redemption’’ is likely to garner study and critique in the coming years. Certainly, any student interested in the body of Gardner’s work ought to carefully read the story for an exploration of what Morris calls ‘‘the magic of art.’’