The Gates Ajar facts for kids
Title page of first edition
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| Author | Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward |
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| Illustrator | Jessie Curtis (1870 edition only) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | inspirational fiction |
| Publisher | Fields, Osgood & Co. [Boston, MA] |
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Publication date
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1868 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 248 pp (first edition) |
The Gates Ajar is a popular religious novel written in 1868 by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. It became one of the best-selling religious books of the 1800s. By 1900, 80,000 copies were sold in America, and 100,000 in England. Phelps also wrote two follow-up books, Beyond the Gates (1883) and The Gates Between (1887). These three books are sometimes called her "Spiritualist novels."
Contents
About the Book
The story of The Gates Ajar is told like a diary. It follows the main character, Mary Cabot. Mary is very sad because her brother, Royal, has died. Most of the book is a conversation between Mary and her aunt about what happens after people die.
The novel describes heaven as being much like Earth, but even better. Unlike some older religious ideas, Phelps's heaven has "spiritual bodies." People there live in houses, have families, and do many activities. This idea was not completely new, but Phelps made it very popular.
What Happens in the Story
Mary Cabot lives in Homer, Massachusetts. She has just learned that her brother, Royal, was killed in the American Civil War. Mary loved her brother very much. Their parents had also passed away. Mary feels very lonely and sad. She cannot find comfort from her friends or even her church leaders. She starts to lose her religious faith and feels hopeless.
Then, her aunt Winifred Forceythe arrives from Kansas with her daughter, Faith. Winifred is a widow, meaning her husband has died. Through their talks, Winifred shares a hopeful picture of heaven. She slowly helps Mary get her faith back. Later, Winifred Forceythe also dies. Mary then becomes the guardian for her cousin, Faith. Mary finds new meaning in her life and feels joyful again.
How the Book Was Written
Elizabeth Phelps started writing The Gates Ajar during the last year of the American Civil War. She was inspired by the deaths of her mother, stepmother, and her fiancé. Her fiancé was killed in a big battle called the Battle of Antietam. Phelps later said that the book came from a special, divine inspiration. She felt like an angel told her to write it.
She spent two years working on the book in her father's attic. Phelps felt that women had a small role during the war. So, she wrote the book especially for women readers. She later wrote that her book aimed to comfort "the women,–the helpless, outnumbering, unconsulted women." Even the famous poet Emily Dickinson found the book helpful for her own thoughts about the afterlife.
The book was published in November 1868 by Fields, Osgood, and Company. The publisher, James T. Fields, told Phelps that her book was selling very well. He sent her $600 as an initial payment.
The Gates Ajar mixes different writing styles. It includes parts that feel like a sermon, a diary, and a sentimental story. It also uses allegory, which means characters and events stand for deeper ideas. For example, Mary's journey in the book can represent a person's path to finding faith. Royal's death can be seen as a symbol of sacrifice.
Phelps wrote two more books with similar themes: Beyond the Gates (1883) and The Gates Between (1887). These books do not continue the story or characters of The Gates Ajar.
The Book's Impact
The Gates Ajar was very popular because it met a great need for many readers. In America, this need was linked to the difficulties of the Civil War. But the book also helped people who were worried about new scientific ideas. These ideas sometimes made people doubt traditional religious beliefs. The Gates Ajar offered comfort in simple Christian terms. It reassured those who wondered about life after death.
The book was so famous that it inspired other works. Some authors wrote parodies, which are funny imitations. Others wrote "knock-offs," which were similar books trying to be as popular. For example, an older book called Future Life was reissued as The Gates Wide Open. The famous writer Mark Twain even said his short story "Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven" was a satire of The Gates Ajar.
The book's imagery also inspired real-life creations. In 1894, a beautiful "Gates Ajar" floral staircase was built at Como Park in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a popular spot for photos, especially for weddings. Similar "Gates Ajar" displays were also found in other parks.
The book's ideas even appeared in television. In 1959, the actor Don Wilson played a character in an episode of Death Valley Days. His character promoted a false religious idea based on The Gates Ajar.
Many songs were also written using ideas from The Gates Ajar.
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"How the Gates Came Ajar," Sheet music by Helen Bostwick & Eastburn, 1869.
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"Little Clo from Gates Ajar," Sheet music by C. A. White, 1870. Courtesy Boston Public Library.
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Gates Ajar Floral Arrangements
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By the early 1880s, florists started creating "Gates Ajar" flower arrangements. These were often used at funerals. They were beautiful and detailed tributes. For example, one arrangement for a funeral in Portland, Maine was three feet long. It had seven pillars made of different flowers like camellias, pinks, pansies, and white roses. The "gates" were made of delicate plants.
Churches liked the symbolism of these arrangements. When a newsman and Sunday school teacher named Benjamin Lewis died, his church sent a "floral representation of 'Gates Ajar.'"
In 1881, when President James A. Garfield was assassinated, people across the nation were very sad. They sent many beautiful flower displays. A Boston newspaper noted a "beautiful representation of the gates ajar" made of rosebuds. Today, "Gates Ajar" funeral bouquets are still available and are considered a traditional way to show respect.
