By Jaci Morrell · Contributing Writer
Students and faculty gathered in the Breen Student Union Monday evening to commemorate the late American author Wendell Berry.
Berry, author of over 50 books of poetry, fiction and nonfiction, died in his Kentucky home on Aug. 31. He received many awards and honors for his work, including the National Humanities Medal and T.S. Eliot Prize. Berry’s writing dealt with the complicated ideas of environmentalism, community and religion. His depiction and exploration of the relationship between his Christian faith and way of life likely drew the admiration of many readers at Grove City College.
The Grove City Literary Society (GCLS) and The Fugitives organized the memorial service and worked with the Department of English to celebrate Berry’s life and work. Several students and professors read selections from Berry’s poems, essays and novels and shared their experiences with the writer and his work.
In addition to Berry’s writing, many also praised Berry as a person. Jeffrey Bilbro, a professor and prominent critic of Berry’s writings, said it is rare for an admirable writer to also be an admirable man.
“(Berry) was appreciated across political (…) and religious lines,” Bilbro said. “No one else provokes such radical life changes.”
Several other speakers echoed this idea, emphasizing Berry’s work had caused dramatic change in their lives. Calliope Leech, a junior who took Bilbro’s class dedicated to studying Berry’s work, spoke at the event. She said that reading Berry in this class helped her “make sense of life” and that his writing showed the “potential for restoration” in the world. After the end of the class, she wrote a thank-you note to Berry and received a reply from the author in January, which she read aloud to attendees.
Several professors also spoke and read at the memorial. Joshua Mayo, the English department chair, read a poem he wrote and dedicated to Berry, remarking on the impact the poet had on his life.
Jason Edwards, a professor of education and humanities, described Berry as a “remarkable man” and referred to himself as a “student of Wendell Berry.”
Professor of English Andrew Harvey, who was called “the original Wendell Berry fan” at the event, recounted his experience meeting the poet in person and called him “a wise grandfather who you wish was your grandfather.”
However, Berry’s admirers were not limited to the college. Hannah Bilbro, 11, recited Berry’s poem “Like Snow” for those present and said she “liked (Berry’s) style.”
