The Strength of God

Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg Ohio is full of imagery and allusions, particularly allusions to the bible. There is a strong religious thread running throughout the book, and this is begun from the opening chapter in which the “Book of the Grotesque” describes the nature of truth. One particularly strong example of this connection is seen in “The Strength of God”, which tells the story of Reverend Curtis Hartman. Struggling to preach passionate sermons and at odds with his faith, Reverend Hartman experiences a revelation as he watches Kate Swift from a cracked church window. While the religious references fill this chapter, one particular part of the chapter raise an interesting question of interpretation. In the conclusion of the chapter, Reverend Hartman says, holding up a bleeding fist to George Willard,  "I am delivered. Have no fear… I smashed the glass of the window…Now it will have to be wholly replaced. The strength of God was in me and I broke it with my fist." While the quote can be interpreted a number of ways depending on who is reading it, there are two significant and contrasting interpretations that stood out to me.           

Struggling to find a renewed faith and religious fervor throughout the chapter, the first interpretation of this quote suggests that Reverend Hartman has achieved this feat. The character of Reverend Hartman we see throughout the chapter is inherently weak, although he keeps pushing and fighting to be an impressive speaker and seen as an authority when it comes to God and the Christian faith—or in other words to be powerful. He keeps fighting this weakness and pushing to be powerful, until he comes to a revelation of faith after seeing Kate Swift in the window who bore “the message of truth”, in this case that truth representing God. The chapter concludes with his statement that, “ the strength of God” was in him and that he “broke it” with his fist.  While breaking the window that had  a stained glass image of a boy in the presence of Christ, could easily be interpreted as breaking one’s faith and denouncing this “truth”, the interpretation that after exploration seemed most fitting to me was quite different. After looking deeper into the idea of God’s strength and the possible connections that Reverend Hartman’s journey might hold, the verse of 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 was one that seemed to connect the puzzle.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong,” the verse reads and boasts a strong connection to the Reverend’s final statements in the chapter.  The premise of the scripture is that humans do not need to be powerful like God, but in their weaknesses they are supported by the power of a loving God. The entire chapter, reverend Hartman struggles with his weaknesses, trying desperately to be powerful like God; however his realization that the window must be wholly replaced and that he had broken the strength of God within him marks an acceptance of the religious truth told in this verse. He had before relied on himself, but breaking the window was breaking free. The window would have to be replaced, just as God’s power would replace his fear and weakness, as in weakness his power is made perfect.