![]() ![]() For him, it becomes only a matter of time before God strikes.įrank’s struggle with sin and atonement provides an excellent study on ways Mormons come to terms with what they would call “the natural man,” which the Book of Mormon calls “an enemy to God” (Mosiah 4:30). Frank, however, feels very much alone in his struggles with the flesh, especially after he begins sleeping with the daughter of his Lutheran employer. Of course, throughout the novel we realize that Frank is not alone most of the Mormons in this novel see redemption as a trade-off, a deal cut with God: righteous living for salvation. ![]() Frank, in a sense, is obsessed with sin, particularly sexual sin-not only the committing of it, which he feels he has an overwhelming propensity for, but also God’s faithful tallying of it. As the title suggests, Frank is a backslider from Mormonism early on, he is described as “ fellow who belonged to the true church and who believed in God but wished he didn’t” (7). Windham, the main character of the novel, is on the run from Jesus, who serves as a kind of antagonist throughout most of the novel. ![]() If I had to compare it to the works of any mainstream American writer, I would lump it with those of Flannery O’Connor, particularly Wise Blood. The Backslider is frequently listed as one of the best literary Mormon novels. ![]()
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