Death Comes for the Archbishop Essay Questions

In the novel, the speech of the characters is occasionally reported directly in a language other English, such as French and Latin. How does the inclusion of foreign languages change the texture of the story and the depiction of the characters?

A curious aspect of the novel is that, since it takes place in the New Mexico territory with two protagonists who are French priests, it is understood that most of what the characters say is not English; in fact, we hear from Father Vaillant as he is about to go to Colorado that he will have to start speaking English more often. Therefore, we usually know about the different languages the characters are speaking by implication; for example, Father Latour and Father Vaillant must use Spanish to communicate with the Mexicans. Between themselves, and later with the additional French priests who join them, they make a rule, as we hear, of not speaking French, which makes it all the more significant when they do speak French. Some of these moments are emphasized even more where Cather reports their speech in French, giving certain phrases particular emotional strength and memorability.

A large amount of the book is devoted to descriptions of the New Mexican landscapes and the social practices of the Mexicans and Indians who live there. What is the significance of these passages in relation to the plot of Father Latour's time in his diocese?

Much of the novel concerns the relation of man to nature, especially that of a Western man steeped in the cultural and religious traditions of Europe to the New World. This relation stands in apposition to the other difference relations in the novel, such as: one person's relation to themselves (e.g., Father Latour's spiritual life); one person's relation to others (e.g., the friendship between Father Latour and Father Vaillant), and one person's relation to another culture (e.g., Father Latour to Mexican and Indian cultures). The gradual accumulation of details and familiarity with the environment represents Father Latour's strengthened connection and sense of home in New Mexico, so such things as the descriptions of the mesa country must be understood as being seen and remembered through his eyes.

What is the importance of storytelling in this story?

The novel would read very differently if it only told the events of Father Latour's life from an outside perspective; we would, for example, probably not hear so many of the stories of the priests, martyrs, and criminals in New Mexico. Especially since Father Latour is entering a foreign land and society, it is especially important for him to learn the history of a place whose history is not written in any European history books. Moreover, the very practice of storytelling allows his to form strong affective bonds with the Mexicans and Indians he meets; later on, it allows him to draw together a group of French priests-in-training and to prepare them likewise for service in New Mexico.

What is the story's attitude towards historical change, especially the disappearance of the native Mexican and Indian cultures?

Father Latour and Father Vaillant's arrival in the New Mexico to establish their apostolic vicariate, which eventually becomes a diocese, comes right after the United States acquires the New Mexico Territory from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. Though the railroads only go as far as Ohio at this time, they continue to expand West throughout the nineteenth century along with immense waves of American settlers. Willa Cather, through the character of Bishop Latour and his encounters with Mexicans and Indians, expresses her sympathy for the poverty of the Mexicans and the persecution against the Indians. However, there is also a sense that change is inevitable and that only those who come into the fold of the Catholic Church and American power will be able to flourish, or even survive at all, in the coming years.

How are the non-Europeans and non-Americans depicted in the story? How does this influence our overall perception of this fictional world?

In the harsh New Mexican environment, characters, especially foreigners, must trust and depend upon others in order to survive and flourish. Mexican and Indian characters—such as Padre Martinez, Padre Lucero, Eusabio, and Manuelito—are all given plenty of time from the patient and inquisitive Father Latour to voice their views on their cultural practices, the fates of their peoples, and the influence of American expansionism. They themselves are described by the narrator with great specificity, so that they appear as fully rounded personalities as opposed to stereotyped images.