Plot Summary
Joseph then marries a school-teacher from Monterey named Elizabeth. Upon returning to the farm from the wedding, they find that the youngest brother, Benjy, an alcoholic, had been stabbed and killed by Juanito when he discovered him seducing his wife. When they meet later that night at the sacred rock, Juanito asks Joseph to kill him in revenge for his brother, but Joseph refuses. Joseph wants to pass it off as an accident, and for him to stay, but Juanito flees the farm, promising to return once the guilt has passed.
For a time, the farm prospers, and Elizabeth bears a child. Joseph's brother, Burton, a devout Christian, becomes increasingly concerned with Joseph's late night 'talks' with the tree. The farm is then the site of a New Year's fiesta, and Burton decides to leave the farm after seeing the 'pagan' activities. After he leaves, the remaining brothers discover that Burton had girdled the tree to kill it. In the following rainless winter everything begins to die as a severe drought sets in.
One day, Joseph and Elizabeth visit the glade. Elizabeth decides to climb on the mossy rock, when she falls and breaks her neck, dying instantly. Soon thereafter, Joseph and Thomas decide to drive the cattle out to San Joaquin to find green pastures. At the last minute, Joseph decides to stay, then lives by the rock and watches the stream dry up. Juanito returns and convinces Joseph to visit the town's priest to enlist his help in breaking the drought. The priest refuses to pray for rain, saying that his concern is the salvation of human souls.
Joseph returns to the rock to find the stream dry. When trying to saddle his horse, he frightens the animal and receives a cut on the arm from a saddle buckle. Joseph then climbs to the top of the rock and slits his wrists, watching the blood run into the moss. As he sacrifices himself to some mysterious higher power, he feels the rain begin to fall down.
Read more about this topic: To A God Unknown
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