Heinlein Examines The Hereafter
Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert Heinlein
Robert Heinlein never shirked from writing about big issues facing man. He cloaked most of his early work in space or other fantastic settings, but the morality of middle America rings as true in his words as the bell at a church across the VFW Hall on Main Street. Heinlein's basic premise of a universal human condition became more palatable to readers through energetic space operas and good old fashioned science kicked up a notch along the theoretical spectrum.
No More Spacesuits. Let's Write About Heaven and Hell
JOB: A Comedy of Justice relies on none of the latter method of storytelling. This is Heinlein's purest attempt at fancy and attempts the grandiose task of a relatively modern retelling of the classic Bible story about the universe's most hard luck character, a non-offensive Christian minister named Alex Hergensheimer who works as a fundraiser for a Protestant sect that does not exist in our world, but mixes a bit of fundamentalism with a sprinkling of moderate beliefs thrown in. People do not talk in tongues or lay on hands, but the fundamentalist elements are present.
This story's conflict rests on supernatural forces, God and Satan, shifting Alex from world to parallel world. Heinlein makes effective use of the subtle differences found in parallel universe stories, a theme he returns to in The Number of the Beast. Alex and his companion Marga lose virtually everything when they automatically transit between worlds. A once proud pillar of the community, Alex is reduced to washing dishes for meals and other obstacles. This conflict echoes a standard Heinlein theme of self-sufficiency that resonates throughout many of his stories.
While Heinlein's protagonists cope with the supernatural pitfalls of being pawns in a cosmic chess match, the author explores a number of themes related to religion and man's place in the universe including the Christian belief of a Day of Judgment. Despite the heady and thought-provoking issues, Heinlein's core concept evolves into the triumph of love between a man and a woman trumping the bigger issues addressed. Even when Alex is recognized as a saint in heaven and is reunited with his first wife, he insists that he be reunited with Marga, his companion on the journey through parallel worlds. "Better an eternity in hell than life without Marga," is Alex's mantra, and he tangles with no less an authority than Saint Peter over the free will that will allow him to seek out the woman he now considers his wife and soulmate.
The style is reminiscent of much of Heinlein's later work. The ensemble cast of The Number of the Beast is missing, but Alex's optimistic self-sufficiency, the presence of strong female characters that are simultaneously independent and loyal and the extraordinary settings are all hallmarks of the final novels of Heinlein's career. This master of pacing quickly introduces sympathetic characters to ease readers into a fantastic journey that requires not only suspension of disbelief, but may challenge the reader's value system.
The Plot In Exactly One Hundred Words
On a cruise, Alex bets that he can walk across fire like the natives. He loses consciousness and is thrust into another man's existence. This man has none of Alex's values and has befriended his chambermaid, Marga. Alex is soon embroiled in the messy affairs the man left behind. After misadventures, including a shipwreck and earthquake, Alex and Marga learn they are not the victims of a Loki prank as Marga believed, but a test between God and Satan. The Day of Judgment occurs, and Alex is canonized in Heaven. But Marga is missing, and Alex leaves to find her.
What Works Well
The constantly shifting plot allows readers to enjoy Alex and Marga's adventures without getting bogged down in the higher conceptual spiritual issues. Meanwhile, Heinlein shows no hesitation in tackling descriptions of heaven and hell and the major denizens of each. Heinlein's logical scientific side creates descriptions that are more advanced than the fluffy clouds and clean suits of Heaven Can Wait and similar fare. This willingness to create fanciful settings from mysterious settings brings substantial enjoyment to the book's second half. Job also leaves enough room for those wishing to hold fast to dogma or values while still enjoying the story. And those who wish to examine their own beliefs are left with a pleasant, accessible story that puts the same human condition values on the afterlife that Heinlein used to explain space decades ago.
What Doesn't Work As Well
Some of Alex's attributes are very enjoyable, but there seems to be little explanation for his optimism or self-sufficiency. He meets his goals by the end of the story, another Heinlein standard, but comes across as unsympathetic and selfish in doing so. That he showed selfless behavior in wanting to be with Marga and casting away Heaven is not in doubt. But Heinlein allows this minister who engaged in sacred marriage vows to escape his matrimonial bonds to simply further the plot and provide a comic foil. Alex is surely henpecked and has fallen in love with another woman. Heinlein might say that his character became more round and evolved. I say the whole thing was inconsistent.
The ending, like many of Heinelin's endings, is somewhat anti-climactic. Strong character-driven authors often exhibit this behavior. Once the tension is successfully resolved, there still must be a denouement, and that effort often appears to be tacked on.
The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All
As Heinlein aged, he turned his writing attention to medicine, spiritual issues and longevity. Job is a very talented man's look at what might await in the afterlife. Alex, like Heinlein would soon be, is a wary traveler in that afterlife who wants to ensure that the skills and talents he developed on Earth are applicable for eternity. Fantasy fiction fans will adore the story, as will those who want a touch of whimsy and speculation to enliven their fiction reading. The only category of readers who may not enjoy this book are the deeply religious who do not appreciate man creating God in his own image.
Five Things To Remember From This Review
1. One of Heinlein's later works that addresses the afterlife.
2. Less ensemble casting and none of the space travel that mark Heinlein's
earlier work.
3. Simple, accessible approach allows readers to invest a little or a
lot in the concepts.
4. A brave novel that attempts to describe Heaven, Hell and its inhabitants.
5. Most readers except those who do not enjoy religious fiction will enjoy
this look at Christian dogma from the man who created grokking.
