Sin In Go Tell It To The Mountain

A Pocket Full of Sin In “Go Tell It to the Mountain”, John Grimes has to constantly deal with sin, an idea that is constant in the world around him. Additionally, sin is a driving force for the story, where every character has evolved from sin. One person’s sin is another person’s burden, and another person’s sin is another’s happiness. Sin can also be used as a shield in order to protect a loved one. This book is a constant struggle between each person’s sin and how they combat it. Within the first few pages of the book, John has already “sinned with his hands”, implying that he has already done sexual acts. He also sins by fantasizing about how some boys,”…who made bets with each other as to whose urine could arch higher” (Baldwin 15).
He also finds it hard to forgive himself for thinking up this atrocity. Even though it was only once, he could only feel the shame of it, thinking that his connection with God is already breached. Sin plays a huge role in this book due to it lurking around every corner. Every undesirable act of humanity is viewed as a sin and John is trying hard to not get caught in its talons. Although sin is terrible, people still commit it, and one such person is John’s father, Gabriel. Although Gabriel is a Deacon of his church and a hardcore preacher, he still has sex in the other room. John sometimes hears the action, over “…the sounds of rats’ feet, and rat screams” (Baldwin 5)… Even a deacon, who is a high member of the church, commit these acts because it feels good. It’s only human. Sometimes, sin can play as an escape and a form of happiness. Aunt Florence, Gabriel’s sister, has committed sin in order to not be dragged down along with her dying mother. In the past, Gabriel was much more valued than Florence due to him being a man. But, Gabriel turned out to be a no-good criminal, who always drank. Florence resented him