Jayber Crow

“Magnanimous Despair alone / Could show me so divine a thing.”

An epigraph is a Modernist technique in which an author uses a portion of another piece of literature, such as a poem, to introduce the themes of the novel. This quote comes from Andrew Marvell’s poem “The Definition of Love.” Marvell was a Cavalier poet of the 17th century whose poetry focused on the brevity of life and the idea of carpe diem or “seize the day.” He is most famous for the line “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,” which emphasizes the idea that one must enjoy life while it is still possible. This line personifies the emotion of despair suggesting pain can be instructive. Berry, by using this quote, suggests this is a theme of the novel.

“Port William repaid watching. I was always on the lookout for what could be revealed. Sometimes nothing would be, but sometimes I beheld astonishing sights.”

Narrator Jayber Crow becomes an important lens through which the reader sees the town and its people. Jayber lives a quiet, humble life, never asking too much of those around him. However, he takes immense joy in watching his townsfolk go about their lives. This quote exemplifies the theme of how an ordinary life can still be extraordinary.