DIVINE SPIRITUALITY SACRED IMAGERY IN "RIDERS IN THE CHARIOT"

Patrick White's sixth novel, “Riders in the Chariot,” was published in the year 1961, after Voss and before The Solid Mandala. The novel is remarkable for its varied content, and once again White got the Miles Franklin Award for it. However, with the publication of this novel, White began to be seen as one of the great artists of Australia. It is set in White's imaginary Sydney, suburbs of Sarsaparilla, Barranugli and Paradise East. It is structured on a brilliant realization of the inner and outer lives of four "illuminates," which unintentionally aspire for sainthood. These characters are social outcasts, i.e. "burnt ones." As the title suggests these are the riders of a chariot sent by God himself. The use of these characters as protagonists of mystical themes is highly evocative. Mary Hare is a spinster, fond of nature; she was the owner of her father's dilapidated mansion, "Xanadu," and stayed there. She can be compared to Theodora Goodman of The Aunt's Story in the sense of her solitariness. Mordecai Himmelfarb, a Jewish refugee was a survivor of the Nazi camps. He is also called the "suffering Messiah" that was tortured in a mock crucifixion by workers of the factory where he was working. Ruth Godbold, alias Mrs.Godbold, was really a strong preacher as the name suggests, this unpretentious workingwoman resembles Jullia Fallon of The Living and the Dead. This novel seems to be different from Patrick White's other novels in the sense that it primarily deals with Jewish and Christian mysticism. White sometimes uses the world religion to describe his world view. God consider him is a "Divine Power, a creator" who has an influence on human beings if they are willing to be open to him. He was brought up, as he said, a half-hearted Anglican, and then renounced the faith. One day during a season of unending rain at Castle Hill, he fell flat on his back in the mud, and started cursing a God that he had convinced himself did not exist. It was the turning point in his life. He does sense a God, but cannot associate his faith with churches