Wendell Berry's Pray Without Ceasing

In Wendell Berry’s “Pray Without Ceasing”, there are many characters described by grandmother Margaret that would be a positive model for the way we might live our lives. Many have role model worthy qualities and characteristics about them, but the one that stands out the most to me is Martha Elizabeth Coulter. Martha Elizabeth is the daughter of Thad Coulter, the antagonist of the story. She stands out to me because of her love, patience, thoughtfulness, determination, and her ability to forgive. These great characteristics are shown in a couple different parts of the story.
Martha Elizabeth shows her love and patience when she first goes to retrieve her drunken father from Ben Feltner’s house. She doesn’t ask Thad to get in the wagon and come home, she tenderly leads him to it and helps steady him as he climbs up. Margaret tells Andy that she remembers very clearly how gentle Martha Elizabeth was with her father that day. Thad felt it a relief “to climb into the wagon under the pressure of her hand on his arm”. (Berry, 21) This shows the power of Marth Elizabeth’s patient love, it calmed her father and he felt at rest in her presence.

Once Martha Elizabeth gets Thad home she shows her thoughtfulness.

He begins unhitching the team pulling the carriage but, again, Martha Elizabeth gently takes hold of his arm. She begins to draw him toward the house and voices her concern that he should eat and then get some rest. Thad becomes agitated and pulls away but his daughter is persistent and tries again to lead him to the house. He pushes her and she falls, Thad then threatens to punish her if she doesn’t do as he says. Martha Elizabeth does as her father says but she stands in the kitchen door watching him, this clearly shows just how worried she is about her father and his

actions.
Martha Elizabeth’s determination and love go hand in hand. After Thad has shot Ben Feltner he goes on the run. He rides his mule to a watering hole a short distance from the town. He then ties it up and begins the rest of his adventure on foot. As he is walking it is described that he could feel his daughter nearing him. A while later, Thad looked behind him and saw Martha Elizabeth following him on foot. He had already expected she would follow him which shows that he recognized her determination to watch over and care for him. When he gets to another town called Hargrave, Thad goes to the sheriff and turns himself in. Shortly after, Martha Elizabeth walks in and asks the sheriff to see her father. He says she must come back tomorrow. So she sits outside of the jail and patiently waits until she can see her father.
Martha Elizabeth’s final characteristic that I find admirable is her ability to forgive. When the sheriff lets her in to see her father, he hides his face in shame, but Martha Elizabeth forgave him for what he had done. Her love for him over powered her thoughts on the horrible crime he had committed. Thought Thad couldn’t forgive himself for killing his best friend, Martha Elizabeth did. She still continued to care for him up until he killed himself.