A few notes before we start:
Sorry it's late! Last week was a bit busy.
This novel is free to read on Project Gutenberg! Here is the link if you want to check it out.
When you think of animal fiction, what comes to mind? Call of the Wild? Watership Down? Animal Farm? These are all well-known and classic books (for good reasons) that have stamped their places in classic literature. An interesting observation to make is that these have more than animals in common. Each of these books are known for their serious tones and somewhat dark (however accurate) outlook of the world. And maybe that’s a fair approach to take, nature is pretty dark after all.
Enter The Song of the Cardinal.
Compared to the previously mentioned books, Gene Stratton-Porter’s novel is a ray of sunshine, an airy tone amidst heavy metal grunge. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has felt quite so wholesome all the way through without it getting boring. When writing happiness and wholesomeness, there’s only so much you can include without conflict. If you don’t add conflict, the story doesn't have the same power to hold the reader. Yet, wholesomeness is something everyone inherently craves whether they admit it or not. I tend to be one of the people who don’t admit it. Gritty (not too gritty) fiction appeals to me more than wholesome puffs for some reason. I found an exception here, however.
I would like to note that not all of Gene’s novels are so lighthearted. She has a wide range of works and was not afraid to delve into difficult and very real topics.
The novel follows a cardinal (referred to simply as “the Cardinal”) from birth to fatherhood. In a way, it’s a coming-of-age novel. We see the Cardinal’s parents as they prepare, and watch as the Cardinal grows and leaves the nest. Once he’s on his own, the story shifts gears a bit and becomes a romance.
There’s another side of this novel, one that adds a lot and communicates more directly with the reader. This other side is when the perspective switches to Abram and Maria, a farming couple within earshot of the Cardinal’s nest. They listen to and observe him and his family, and receive insight into their relationship through it.
Each of these perspectives, and the characters within them, work hand in hand to bring about not only a pleasing novel, but also a rich one. I’ll get into the details of each.
Transformation & Character Development... with birds?
Cardinals are pretty birds, males especially. A rich red body, tall plumage, dark eyes—they really stand out. In Gene’s novel, the Cardinal is several times as magnificent as any of the cardinals around. He’s bigger, louder, prettier, and stronger. He garners respect and awe from all the other birds, at least, in his mind. Some of the birds do admire his power, but I think he imagines a large portion of the praise he receives. The first half of the book follows the Cardinal as he grows and learns, all the while bursting out in self-praise. He does this so loudly and so proudly that, during mating season, none of the female cardinals seem to be interested in him (the truth of the matter is actually that he expects them to flock to him, rather than for him to find one and pursue her). Oblivious as to why females aren't lining up, he continues boasting, despite being single much longer than his peers. But eventually, after he moves to the Wabash River, he does find a special little lady. This is where the book really gets good.
Jumping to the female cardinal, she’s given a bit of backstory before meeting the Cardinal. She was the youngest and weakest of her nest, malnourished and pathetic ever since she hatched. To make matters worse, she seemed to be singled out by almost all of the dangerous wildlife and hunters around. By the time she came to the Wabash, she’d been attacked and frightened enough times to make her a very flighty creature. But when she heard the Cardinal’s proud song, she was captivated by it. Not enough to fly toward and adore him as the Cardinal hoped someone would. But enough to stay and listen a moment. In his attempt to kiss (gently peck) another female cardinal, he kissed this shy little cardinal. The Cardinal was chased out by all the other males for his forwardness, but the little cardinal followed to hear him sing again. By this time, the Cardinal was desperate and worn out. However, he kept singing and hoping a female would jump at his powerful notes. Then he caught sight of the shy cardinal. He tried desperately to woo her, but it only seemed to frighten her. Eventually, after he tried to get closer, she flew off. But he persisted, flying after her for several days and several miles. Eventually, when she was too tired to move, he was able to ease into her affections by feeding and nursing her back to health.
And so the strongest and most colorful cardinal was matched with the most damaged and pitiful one. He learned how to look to the needs of another, and she was able to open up and trust. If that’s not a beautiful romance story I don’t know what is.
What’s even more beautiful is the effect it has on an older (human) couple living near their nest. Abram and Maria are gentle farmers who live simply and honestly. We don’t get much of a look at their lives before coming to the area, but I got the impression that they’ve had their fair share of struggles with the land. We’re introduced to Abram first, and he’s likable from the start. Kind, wise, and most accepting of the Cardinal and his mate. He gives them small treats from time to time and comes out to watch and listen to them. Maria, however, is a little more hesitant to invest time in a pair of cardinals.
“Maria said nothing more; but she mentally decided she had no time to fool with a bird, when there were housekeeping and spring sewing to do.”
She disapproves of the way her husband is constantly distracted by the birds, as well as his persistent attempts to persuade her to go and listen to them with him. But a small part of her does want to see the birds, and she eventually yields.
“It seemed to the little woman, hesitating in the doorway, as if all nature had entered into a conspiracy to lure her from her work, and just then, clear and imperious, arose the demand of the Cardinal: “Come here! Come here!”
Blank amazement filled her face. “As I’m a livin’ woman!” she gasped. “He’s changed his song! That’s what Abram meant by me bein’ invited. He’s askin’ folks to see his mate. I’m goin’.”
After her curiosity is stirred, her relationship with Abram changes. No more do they quarrel, and Maria doesn’t seem so uptight about work and Abram’s time spent watching the birds. Instead, the two seem to rekindle their love as they check in on the Cardinal's family. Of course, the birds aren’t entirely responsible for the strengthening of their marriage, but it’s touching to see the two relationships side by side.
Giving Meaning to the Meaningless
Whether you're a nature enthusiast or leave the house as little as possible (guilty), I think we can agree that nature is powerful. There’s just something about it that speaks to us. Whether it’s rain, sun, or snow, there’s always an emotion that comes with the weather. Same with animals. If you study them long enough, you’ll notice that they have distinct “personalities,” if you will. Each animal, if you give it a bit of observation, makes you feel something. One of the most fascinating things about this is that each of us can interpret these animal personalities differently. For example, ravens are often seen as harbingers of ill-luck or death, or are simply “dirty birds.” But, a large number of people (myself included) get a sense of wisdom and power from them. It’s strange because the bird is, well, just the bird. It isn’t trying to personify either of these, it just is what it is. So the individual inspiration we receive depends somewhat on our own emotions, experiences, outlooks, and many other unique traits. The point of this tangent? The Song of the Cardinal is Gene’s perception of the birds and animals she’s observed. It is based on herself as much as it is the birds. Just like any story represents a bit of the author, this novel says a few things about Gene.
This kind of impression (placing personal meaning onto something) is very common in literature and even in the reader’s understanding of literature. Any character, object, or imaginable thing can have a myriad of different meanings to each individual. This also means that there are more often than not multiple "meanings" in a work of fiction. If everyone understands things differently, the majority of us will come to different conclusions about the work's purpose. If we ask the author, we may gain some insight. Or we may just be disappointed.
I’m reminded of Hemingway’s answer to a question posed by an interviewer on the topic. The man asked if Hemingway’s novels had symbolism in them and if he would explain some. Hemingway—critically acclaimed for symbolism—responds with:
“I suppose there are symbols since critics keep finding them. If you do not mind I dislike talking about them and being questioned about them. It is hard enough to write books and stories without being asked to explain them as well. Also it deprives the explainers of work. If five or six or more good explainers can keep going why should I interfere with them? Read anything I write for the pleasure of reading it. Whatever else you find will be the measure of what you brought to the reading.”
In like manner, the Cardinal’s personality is not how a cardinal is. It is how she believes or wants it to be. In essence, then, we often give things more meaning than they have. This can be really exciting in writing, and even more so in reading. It can feel like a great big puzzle to uncover what the author is trying to say, even if they might not be trying to say anything at all. They could be describing a blue door, meaning to do nothing other than point out its details. But one reader could connect it to the mortality of man. Impression immortalizes literature.
Conservation & the Appreciation of Nature
Seeing as the novel is about birds, and given Gene’s conservation involvement, we can expect there to be some inclusion of the topic of hunting for sport. And oh my, does Gene write about it. But, it is not in a violently condescending way—sort of.
There is an incident toward the end where a young man is passing through the property carrying a gun. Naturally, Abram and Maria assume he’s out to do some hunting. They are fine with this, so long as he doesn’t hurt the cardinals. The young man says that’s on his way to visit a sick friend and was wondering if he could shoot a squirrel for supper should he come across one. Abram willingly obliges, happy that he never had the intention of shooting for sport. But, after bidding him goodbye, Abram gets a sick feeling. A gunshot is soon heard, and Maria rings a large bell at the house (their way of signaling that a hunter is on the premise). If you can't tell, they've grown pretty attached to the cardinal family at this point. Abram rides over to the cardinals to find the young man standing there with his gun, waiting for the Cardinal. Although he tried, the young man didn’t hit him. This is an incredibly good thing for him, because Abram is red with anger. But, instead of act violently or just force the young man off his property, Abram talks with him. I can’t quote everything he says, simply because he says so much (10 pages worth), but I’ll share one of his statements:
“To my mind, ain’t no better way to love an’ worship God, ‘an to protect an’ ‘preciate these fine gifts He’s given for our joy an’ use. Worshipin’ that bird’s a kind o’ religion with me. Getting the beauty from the sky, an’ the trees, an’ the grass, an’ the water ‘at God made, is nothin’ but doin’ Him homage. Whole earth’s a sanctuary. You can worship from sky above to grass under foot.”
The other ten pages are similar to this paragraph: deep, personal, and full of zeal. In the end, they have a massive effect on the young man. He’s hit so hard that he gives up hunting:
“If you can stop, for the love of mercy do it!” cried the hunter. His face was a sickly white, his temples wet with sweat, and his body trembling. “I can’t endure any more. I don’t suppose you think I’ve any human instincts at all; but I have a few, and I see the way to arouse more. You probably won’t believe me, but I’ll never kill another innocent harmless thing; and I will never lie again so long as I live.”
It may seem a bit overboard, but a lot of what Abram says is pretty rich stuff. I know the cardinal family are just birds, but Abram’s talking about the appreciation of beauty, particularly in reflecting God’s beauty. The way he and Maria look at the cardinals is the way I think we should look at nature as well. It was created to point us back to God, to display His handiwork, and remind us who we serve. It only makes sense that we should have a desire to protect and observe it. Further, it makes sense that he would be a little upset when someone would try to destroy it simply because he could. I don’t think that’s extreme or putting animal life above human rights. That's just kindness and good stewardship.
I think this climax gives good insight to Gene’s heart on the subject. For a large portion of her life, Gene wrote in an effort to conserve nature. She was also on several conservationist groups that pushed for the preservation and protection of swamps and wildlife. Yet, in what seems to be the perfect opportunity to really dig out on the “enemy” of conservationists, Gene answers with a philosophical discussion. Think about it, if we place Gene in Abram’s shoes—which was a situation she was no doubt frequently in—we see an opportunity to do whatever she wants to someone who opposes her beliefs. Some writers would make something horrible happen to their enemies, for that oh-so-childish “author’s revenge.” But not Gene. No, instead, she tries to get them to see why she believes what she believes, which is the most admirable thing a person can do when it comes to conflict. After all, hatred only breeds hatred. And while the young hunter’s “conversion” is fictional (and maybe optimistic on Gene’s part), I think she also uses it to reach the fact that each human has a connection to nature. The young hunter confessed that he did have what he called human instincts, which we can translate as emotions. Each human being has some sort of an emotional connection to nature. Hunting doesn’t nullify that.
I’ll admit that this book has made me think more critically about animals (birds especially). When I take walks, I now find myself asking where a bird is going. Maybe it’s going to look for a mate, or maybe it’s returning to the nest. I’ve found that these kinds of simple curiosities can be very influential in finding pleasure in the world we’re in. If we can stop and enjoy the chirping of a cardinal, we just may lose sight of our troubles, if only for a moment.
CONCLUSION
On the surface, The Song of the Cardinal is a pleasant and wholesome read. It’s light enough for any age, and yet has some messages that older audiences can appreciate and take away. If you love birds, don’t mind them, or don’t like them, I recommend reading this book. If you fall into the last category, Gene might just change your mind.
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