Religious Devotion
The central conflict in Jerusalem is the dissension between the Hellgumists and the rest of the village, as religious devotion leads characters to commit acts seemingly contrary to their values. As characters struggle to find meaning in their lives in a changing world, they are forced to confront existential questions and find comfort in their beliefs.
Before John Hellgum's arrival, the village enjoyed a tightly-knit religious community where individuals' cultural and superstitious practices were respected. However, fearing the sectarianism resulting from religious revivals, Storm opens a meeting house to discuss theology, creating an egalitarian environment that briefly creates greater religious engagement and community. When John Hellgum arrives, he spreads an exclusive version of Christianity and attempts to gain converts by performing "miraculous" healings. Since the community is left without a strong leader after Big Ingmar's death, many fall prey to Hellgum's vision and become highly devout followers willing to overlook Hellgum's failings and disconnect from unconverted family members. In fact, the most devoted of his followers choose to abandon their homes and move to Jerusalem to join a commune.
Blinded by the needs of their own community and the potential harm of their mass exodus, the devoted sell their farms to corporations and use the funds to finance their travels, despite knowing that the corporations will inevitably damage the natural environment and the community's social fabric. Most notably, Karin places Ingmar Farm up for auction rather than selling it to her younger brother, though she worked for years to protect her brother and maintain the farm through difficult financial times. Similarly, Gertrude abandons her hopes of marriage to Ingmar even after she finds the money to save their relationship because she converts to Hellgum's version of Christianity. Thus, religious devotion is used as both a form of community creation and community destruction.
Sacrifice and Loss
Throughout the text, characters struggle to find meaning in the midst of great personal loss and sacrifice. Book One: The Ingmarssons establishes this theme. A man of secure finances and a privileged social position, Ingmar Ingmarsson experiences a great loss after his depressed wife, Brita, kills their child. Ingmar reckons with this traumatic loss, considering remarrying and establishing himself in his village. However, he instead decides to undertake the tremendous personal sacrifice of forgiving Brita. This decision cements his leadership in the community and informs his later decision to sacrifice his life to rescue children from a flood. Villagers cite Ingmar's selfless sacrifice and life of loss as evidence of his moral superiority; thus, within the context of the novel, sacrifice and loss are considered essential trials that a leader must undergo.
By contrast, Hellgum demands personal sacrifice from his followers without himself undertaking any personal sacrifices or enduring the consequences of loss. He first demands his followers disconnect from their unconverted families. Even when exiled from the town, he suffers few consequences for this loss and maintains his devoted following, even from a distance. Later, he requests that his followers leave their homeland for Jerusalem, a massive and unnecessary sacrifice. This choice destroys many lives and families, most notably the Ingmarssons and the Storms. Because Karin chooses to auction the farm rather than sell it to her brother, she sacrifices her family's history and livelihood, indirectly ending Gertrude and Ingmar's relationship. Thus, the text argues that self-serving sacrifices cause destruction and disharmony, whereas selfless sacrifices create community and strength.
Legacy
Throughout the novel, characters, especially the Ingmarssons, attempt to live up to their legacy during changing times and values. Repeatedly, the Ingmarssons are described as being "such a good family" despite their relative poverty and poor education. Because the family goes back for generations, the villagers believe they "must know what was pleasing to our Lord" and "begged them to rule over the parish," soliciting the Ingmarsson patriarch's opinion on practically every matter. The pressure of this legacy continues well after Big Ingmar's death. Strong Ingmar uses Big Ingmar as a point of comparison for Ingmar and Hellgum, and the villagers anxiously await for young Ingmar to make a name for himself. Many villagers (most vocally Strong Ingmar) point out that Hellgum is able to exploit the townsfolk because, without an Ingmar leader, the community is vulnerable.
The concept of legacy is connected symbolically with Ingmar Farm. After Big Ingmar's tragic death and before Ingmar assumes his position of established authority, Ingmar Farm is constantly threatened. First, Karin's first husband nearly bankrupts the farm with his addictions, prompting Karin to send young Ingmar away to live with the Storms. There, Ingmar prioritizes himself and his future, willing to cede control of the farm to another. However, at Strong Ingmar's prompting, Ingmar comes to believe that the fate of Ingmar Farm, his legacy, is inextricably tied to the town's future. Thus, Inmgar makes strategic business choices and postpones his marriage to reclaim the farm. Ultimately, Ingmar chooses his legacy over his personal happiness, marrying a wealthy woman to keep the farm under his ownership.
Thus, the novel argues that legacy is more sacred than personal beliefs or desires. This argument is underscored in the chapter "Hök Matts Ericsson." Matts Ericsson is one of the first villagers to splinter from mainstream Christianity and becomes one of Hellgum's most devoted followers. However, he cannot sign his name on the deed to sell his farm and travel to Jerusalem, as he determines that his legacy, created by his own labor, is more important than his religious beliefs or even staying with his beloved son.
Tradition and Change
The majority of the narrative takes place in the late 1800s during a period of rapid industrialization. Through intricate, intimate descriptions of pastoral scenery and local customs, the text characterizes the Swedish village as a romanticized, pre-industrial paradise on the brink of significant change. The local families maintain generations-long reputations, relationships, and non-mechanized trades. However, as the world around them grows more modern and mechanized, many villagers cling to their pre-industrial culture. Ironically, in an attempt to protect itself from modernity, the community invites massive social changes. First, Storm, the schoolmaster, attempts to fortify the community against new Christian sects by inviting open discussion in a "mission house," a choice the local parson rejects. Young Ingmar, to earn enough money to reclaim his farm and legacy, opens a water-powered sawmill, though his ancestors logged the forest using traditional means. Amid these cultural and social changes, the Hellgumists attempt to reclaim a romantic vision of the ancient past by uprooting themselves and moving to Jerusalem. However, this move brings further modernization and change to the village as outside corporations replace traditional farming with mechanized logging.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a central tenet of the Christian religion, and a significant motif throughout the text. Characters in Jerusalem untangle their feelings about forgiveness and examine the value of this virtue outside of religious obligation. Book One: The Ingmarssons introduces the theme clearly. Ingmar Ingmarsson struggles to forgive his wife, Brita, for murdering their firstborn child. He recognizes his role in driving Brita to this point by not officially marrying her, ignoring her symptoms of depression, and expecting her to assimilate into the unwelcome environment of his home. Ingmar chooses to forgive Brita, which is demonstrated and solidified when he retrieves her from prison and sits with her during a church service. Likewise, Brita forgives Ingmar for his neglect, offering to leave the country as penance for her misdeeds. Though Brita embraced Christianity in prison and Ingmar belongs to his local parish, their motivations for forgiveness are more complex. Brita's distance from Ingmar helps her realize her love and affection for him, and Ingmar understands that his duty as an Ingmarsson is to uphold his promises and forgive others. Ingmar later demonstrates this legacy-motivated forgiveness by gifting Tims Halvor a watch from his deathbed.
The Ingmarssons' version of forgiveness contrasts strongly with the Hellgumists' interpretation. The Hellgumists physically and socially distance themselves from non-believers and "heathens," which includes other Christians. Though at first, he tries to win converts by performing "miracles" and forgiving sins, Hellgum later preaches that those who do not accept his religion will be unforgiven and punished by God. Thus, Hellgum's version of forgiveness is a tool to gain influence and power. In a more complex example, Gertrude visits Ingmar on his wedding day to return his inheritance and verbally confirms that she forgives his betrayal. However, though Gertrude insists her visit is well-intentioned, she causes Ingmar great pain, as returning his inheritance earlier would have allowed them to marry. Thus, the text argues that, despite Christian teachings that forgiveness is essential, forgiveness is a complex act that can have healing or damaging consequences depending on the intentions of the parties involved.
Connection to Land and Community
Connection to land and community is one of the most prevalent themes in Jerusalem. The villagers take great pride in the natural beauty of their homeland, which is described in rich, vivid detail. The Ingmarssons live on a farm handed down through many generations and enjoy close relationships with the other village families. However, after Big Ingmar's death and Elof Ersson's addiction, the Ingmarssons scatter, and young Ingmar is sent to live with the Storms, sisters married and living in other villages or even abroad. Disconnected from their land, the Ingmarsson family dynamic evolves, and the community begins to change. Ingmar considers forsaking his farm, following an alternate career path, and marrying Gertrude. The once tightly knit church is divided when Storm opens a mission house, and Hellgum divides the community along sectarian lines. This division invites violence and destruction, and eventually, the Hellgumists make the painful choice to forsake their homeland and move to Jerusalem.
The sacrifice of connection to land and community is best exemplified through the actions of Hök Matts Ericsson and Ingmar Ingmarsson. Hök Matts Ericsson, one of the Hellgumists, initially agrees to sell his farm to fund his travels to Jerusalem. He is one of the original members with a strong, unyielding faith. However, as Hök Matts prepares to sign the bill of sale, he considers the years he toiled turning a rocky swamp into a profitable farm and his hopes for his son to one day continue his connection to the land. Going against all of his religious values, Hök Matts Ericsson refuses to sign the deed and instead spends the entire day of the Jerusalem departure tilling his land without a break, almost as a form of penance.
Similarly, Ingmar Ingmarsson forsakes Gertrude and his own happiness to reclaim the farm, which is his heritage and legacy. He believes losing the farm will destroy the community and forfeit his family's respected position. Thus, in the narrative, connecting with the land is a spiritual experience requiring sacrifice, in much the same way Hellgum requires sacrifice from his followers.
Finally, the novel concludes with a poignant depiction of the emigrant experiences. As the Hellgumists leave for Jerusalem, they emotionally admire the natural world around them, mourning their departure by singing hymns "to the blue hills of their homeland, to the silvery waters of the river, to the waving trees." Though the Hellgumists sowed discord in their community, nearly the entire village sees them off, promising them a place to return to. Thus, the connection to land and community transcends the villagers' class and religious divisions, making this connection the most potent force in the characters' lives and narrative arcs.
Unity and Division
At its core, Jerusalem is a story about unity and division. Ironically, as the characters attempt to create harmony in their relationships and community, they further divide themselves. Prior to Hellgum's arrival, Storm, the schoolmaster, inadvertently cracked the community's unity by opening a mission house, hoping to create greater harmony and fortify the believers against heretical Christian sects. Like Hellgum, Storm takes a hardline stance on Christian morality after a traumatic event, forbidding dancing. He also disengages with his fellow believers after they testify during meetings. Storm's actions create cracks in the community that Hellgum later exploits.
John Hellgum's religion and its entry into the village is the clearest example of this. Hellgum, a factory worker, was imprisoned for a theft he claims he did not commit, believing the other factory workers took advantage of his Christian beliefs. From this experience, Hellgum believes that all Christian people must unite, ideally under Hellgum's interpretation of Christianity. However, Hellgum's legalistic ideas and cult of personality divide the village along unprecedentedly vicious lines. When Hellgum attempts to unite with his followers in Jerusalem, hoping to create a utopian Christian community, the town divides even further; the Ingmarsson family crumbles as Karin and Halvor auction the farm, forcing Ingmar to marry a woman he does not love.
