The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright
"The Shepherd of the Hills" by Harold Bell Wright is a novel set in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, portraying the challenges faced by settlers on the American frontier. The story centers around the fictional community of Mutton Hollow, highlighting themes of Christian fellowship, redemption, and the value of a simple life. The arrival of a stranger named Daniel Howitt, who becomes the shepherd of the community, serves as a catalyst for transformation among the residents. As Howitt integrates into the community, he educates a young woman named Sammy Lane, who begins to appreciate her roots over the allure of city life.
The narrative also explores deep emotional struggles, particularly through Old Matt, a grieving father haunted by the loss of his daughter. The interconnected pasts of Howitt and Old Matt reveal a complex web of secrets and guilt, culminating in a journey toward forgiveness and healing. Additionally, the book emphasizes themes of atonement and the spiritual journey of its characters, suggesting that true peace is found in embracing simplicity and community. The novel's popularity has had a lasting impact, notably contributing to the tourism boom in the Ozarks, particularly in Branson, Missouri.
The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright
First published: 1907
Edition(s) used:The Shepherd of the Hills. Gretna, La.: Pelican, 1992
Genre(s): Novel
Subgenre(s): Morality tales
Core issue(s): Atonement; redemption; trust in God
Principal characters
Daniel Howitt , the Shepherd of the HillsGrant “Old Matt” Matthews , a prosperous farmerYoung Matt , Grant’s sonAunt Mollie , Grant’s wifeSammy Lane , a young woman engaged to Ollie StewartJim Lane , Sammy’s father and acquaintance of Wash GibbsWash Gibbs , the town bully and former leader of the BaldknobbersPreachin’ Bill , a ferry operator and philosopherPete , Grant’s and Daniel’s grandson
Overview
Harold Bell Wright’s The Shepherd of the Hills is a straightforward story of the wilderness and the difficulties ordinary people faced on the frontier. Wright set his work in the Ozark Mountains of south-central Missouri, basing his characters on people he had met during several visits to the region. The atmosphere and story line are also drawn from his experiences. This includes the Christian fellowship exhibited when a stranger arrives in the fictional town of Mutton Hollow.
Mutton Hollow is the type of backwoods society that was part of the American frontier. The fight for survival draws families together as they battle against nature, poverty, and ruffians. Yet when a well-spoken stranger by the name of Daniel Howitt appears one day, he is welcomed and allowed to stay at the home of the prosperous Grant Matthews. Grant, or Old Matt as he is known, is mourning the death of his daughter fifteen years earlier. She fell in love with a young artist who then left her. Depressed, she died after giving birth to their son, Pete. Unknown to Old Matt, Howitt is the young artist’s father, mourning the disappearance of his son and searching for the family he had abandoned in the hills. However, even with these secrets swirling around him, within a short time Howitt becomes a member of the community, taking a job as the shepherd at Old Matt’s farm and becoming known as the Shepherd of the Hills.
As the Shepherd becomes part of Mutton Hollow, he begins to change the people who live there. He becomes the wise elder who provides a voice for those who suffer silently. He provides Sammy Lane with an education in both reading and speaking properly as she prepares for her life outside the hollow with her fiancé, Ollie Stewart. However, the Shepherd’s efforts have an unexpected effect on Sammy: The girl is no longer dazzled by the excitement of city life. Her education has opened her eyes to the world, and she realizes that she is less interested in leaving the hollow than before. Sammy’s physical distance from Ollie creates an emotional distance between them, and they find that they are incompatible. Sammy realizes the simple life is more natural for her. She is assaulted by Wash Gibbs, the town ruffian and leader of the Baldknobbers, a band of outlaws who terrorized the hollow years earlier. When Young Matt, Old Matt’s son, comes to her rescue, Sammy realizes that he is the type of man she wants to marry, and she splits with Ollie.
A sudden drought threatens the hollow and its residents, destroying their crops, crippling their livestock, and bankrupting them. The community is on the edge of disintegration when the Shepherd receives a mysterious gift of gold from his unbalanced grandson. Young Pete says that “God’s gold” has appeared to help the people of Mutton Hollow, but what the Shepherd does not know is that the gold comes from the much-discussed hidden mine in the hills. The gift proves to be an attempt at atonement by a mysterious stranger who wanders the woods.
The arrival of another stranger to the hollow reveals the Shepherd’s past to the people who live there. It is discovered that Howitt had been a reverend at a large Chicago church. A famous man well liked by his community and parishioners, Howitt had treated the religious tradition as a means for climbing the social and economic ladder rather than as a blessing through which to spread the word of God. His pride and joy had been his son, Howard, whose artistic talent had earned him great praise and fame. This talent was what had attracted Old Matt’s daughter to Howard. The young man’s fame had destroyed him, and he disappeared, leaving his father to believe he was dead. The reverend had left the church and fled to the hollow both to recover his spirituality and to atone for what his son had done. His life as the Shepherd leads him to rediscover his beliefs and to a contented life as he tosses away all of his worldly concerns and material needs.
At the climax of the book, Howitt discovers that his son, Howard, has been hiding in Mutton Hollow for years, living in the hidden gold mine. His son is the mysterious apparition that has appeared to residents of Mutton Hollow through the years. Over the years, Howard has been seeking redemption for his abandonment of Old Matt’s daughter and for her death. He has been spending his days in the mine looking at the painting of her that brought him so much delight and so much suffering. His quest for fame and fortune have ruined his life and turned him away from God and his father. His lonely vigil in the cave has served as punishment for his sins.
Wright’s portrayal of Christian charity and his paeans to the simple life made him one of the most popular authors of the early twentieth century. His first book, a series of sermons, was That Printer of Udell’s (1911). The book was a favorite of President Ronald Reagan, who read it as a boy but took its homilies to heart and made them a guide for his subsequent political career. The popularity of The Shepherd of the Hills sparked a tourist boom in the Ozark Mountains. During the 1950’s informal then formal outdoor renditions of the book were presented, drawing thousands of people to the nearby town of Branson. Now a major tourist destination, Branson is less likely to be identified with the book that built its development.
Christian Themes
The Shepherd of the Hills emphasizes the simple pleasant existence that places a person closer to God. Wright suggests that only by returning to a simpler existence can men such as Daniel Howitt find the peace of mind that is lacking in the complex society in which they live. Another continuing theme of the book is that of redemption of sins. After discovering what his son had wrought in the death of Old Matt’s daughter, Howitt remains in Mutton Hollow, trying to undo the harm by helping Sammy Hale. His teaching of Sammy opens her mind and may save her from the fate suffered by Old Matt’s daughter. Sammy also learns from the Shepherd to value a simple life. Her engagement to Ollie Stewart promises her wealth and freedom from the drudgery and ignorance that is Mutton Hollow. However, she finds that such a change in her life will pull her away from God and her roots. Sammy rejects what would have been an easier life for one dedicated to family, community, and God.
This willingness to put aside false dreams of material goods and sophistication is another of the book’s themes, as is forgiveness. Old Matt had spent fifteen years living with burning hatred for the boy he blamed for his daughter’s death. However, his close relationship with Daniel Howitt and the discovery of Howard Howitt in the mine forces him to forgive past acts and to understand that both men and their children have suffered.
Sources for Further Study
Ferre, John P. The Social Gospel for Millions: The Religious Bestsellers of Charles Sheldon, Charles Gordon, and Harold Bell Wright. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1998. Examines the religious context of three early twentieth century authors who published Christian works during that period.
Green, Brian. Shepherd of the Hills. New York: Emerald House Group, 2001. A literary analysis of The Shepherd of the Hills with emphasis on the religious content of the life lessons that Wright attempted to impart.
Tagg, Lawrence. Harold Bell Wright. Boise, Idaho: Boise State University Press, 1994. A biography of one of the most popular authors of the early twentieth century. The book details his life outside writing and discusses how his books became popular reading before World War II.