CH 14: Holy Orders of the Olives Backstory

There’s a lot going on in this seemingly leisurely chapter. The function of the chapter was to provide some resolution to the cliff hanger of the previous chapter (Remember the Sea), as well as a few other threads. I believe this is the only time in the novel that the reader gets immediate answers to questions raised in the previous chapter. Note, however, McGhee has to wait 34 years for that same resolution, at least for part of it.

Tipaza, Algeria

The chapter is full of symbolism and references. The olive garden is biblical and provides the setting for the title. I'm not sure it's exactly Gethsemane, but it did seem an appropriate place for ordination. The fishing story is a mashup of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Melville’s Moby Dick. McGhee’s adventure is entirely comedic as compared to either of those works, reflecting his general sideways relationship to the canon and his own career as a writer.

The Holy Orders of the title (which, oddly, no one has asked me about yet) has to do with the Catholic sacrament which ordains new priests into the priesthood. The priesthood in question here is that of the published writer, and the authority for doing so is The New Yorker. Again, it takes a somewhat comedic view of such authentication, though it remains a significant milestone for McGhee. The clothesline where the letter was hung harkens back to the Kite chapter and their contention over recognition.

As for Kate and McGhee, it seemed reasonable and compassionate to let the reader know that McGhee and Kate do eventually get back together. One thing that isn’t clear from this chapter is when that reunion happened. You’ll learn that in a later chapter.