Father Gabriel is one of the monks at the monastery in South Dakota where Jude grew up. He and the other monks physically, sexually, and emotionally abused Jude, instilling in Jude a sense of internalized shame and worthlessness that he carries with him for the rest of his life. The mistreatment Jude experiences at the monastery causes Jude to lash out and misbehave, and he starts to steal things. When he’s caught stealing Father Gabriel’s silver lighter, Father Gabriel takes Jude to his office, rubs oil on Jude’s hand, and then lights it on fire to punish him. As an adult, Jude recreates this act of punishment, only this time he does it to himself. The novel explicitly notes that Father Gabriel and Brother Peter sexually abuse Jude, though they’re not the only monks to do so.
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Father Gabriel Character Timeline in A Little Life
The timeline below shows where the character Father Gabriel appears in A Little Life. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 2: The Postman: Chapter 1
...unknown. Brother Michael thinks nobody would take him because he was from a poor town. Father Gabriel suggests that it was God’s will for Jude to end up there. When Jude would...
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Jude is finally caught the day he takes Father Gabriel ’s silver lighter off his desk. Jude shoves the lighter down his pants and leaves...
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One day, Jude is in his room with Father Gabriel and Brother Peter. He’s trying to be as quiet as possible, since he’s learned that...
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Part 4: The Axiom of Equality: Chapter 3
...just outside. Brother Luke explains that Jude is “going to do what [he] did with Father Gabriel ” and the other brothers. Hearing this fills Jude with fear, and he instinctively backs...
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