There’s not much allegorical fiction being written these days. Theo of Golden makes me want a lot more of it–at least more of it written by Allan Levi. Published in 2023 but somehow I only heard of the novel a month ago from a pastor friend named Steve. The story is about an octogenarian named Theo who mysteriously arrives in the town of Golden and proceeds to–incredibly–get to know perfect strangers! He uses the gift of hand drawn portraits as the mechanism in this quest and along the way offers a winsome example of kindness in action.
Before I go too far, I should probably address the notion of “christian fiction.” If you look it up on Goodreads that category shows up next to the title (along with others) but I wouldn’t call it that. I’d call it literature that happens to have a Christian lead character. The novel never comes across as preachy or prosletizing–instead it’s the rare novel centered around a genuinely good person trying to bring happiness to people’s lives. That he goes about it with such introspection is part of the novel’s power. Theo reflects after giving the first portrait: "I confess that at first I did it hoping to make someone else happy. Now I fear my reasons are almost entirely selfish. I do it because it brings me such happiness. This of course is what true kindness reaps–a self reinforcing circle of virtue.
Later in the novel, Theo asks a homeless woman named Ellen: “Could you tell me about the happiest day of your life?” This question immediately brought me back to David Brooks’ life changing book How to Know a Person where he focuses in one section on the types of questions one can ask to grow deeper in relationships. Having read both of these books I can’t think of a better graduation present (other than money) to give the young men and women in your life.
Ultimately, Theo is about how to truly see the people around us. And it turns out that ‘seeing’ people can be uncomfortable, fraught with peril, awkwardness, and turmoil–but also beautiful and life-giving and life changing. Because everyone wants to be ‘seen’ by others in deep and raw ways but very few are willing to slow down enough to allow it to happen. As one character named Kendrick opines “God gave us faces so we can see each other better.” Specifically, God made our faces in his own image so we could seek and see him.
Lastly, a plug for someone who is embracing his inner Theo and slowing down to see others–his instagram handle is @contagiouspoetry and he’s my younger brother Patrick–check him out.
Key Quotes
34
“he would take only what she offered”
Context: Theo gifts his first portrait to Minette. She provides a guarded summary of her life.
My Reflection: Theo acts as an archetype for God, showing deep wonder toward the individual.
118
“Ask an artist what it takes to make good art and you’re almost sure to get an autobiography in response.”
Context: Theo asks Asher for a definition of "good art".
My Reflection: A humorous look at the artist's inherent subjectivity and ego.
123
"How is it, Theo wondered, that a piece of paper... is suddenly transformed by placing it in four bits of wood beneath a pane of glass? What does it mean that we place permanent boundaries around transient moments?"
Context: Theo muses on "The Frame" and the human desire to freeze "minute particulars." References the idea of being "fearfully and wonderfully made."
127
"I'm certain that some of the people see themselves clearly for the first time when they look at your drawings of them."
Context: Theo observes that art functions as a mirror for the soul, allowing subjects to see their true potential.
127
"I confess that at first I did it hoping to make someone else happy. Now I fear my reasons are almost entirely selfish. I do it because it brings such happiness to me."
Context: Theo admits his motivation has shifted from altruistic duty to personal joy, reinforcing his "wonder" as a source of personal vitality.
146
“Could you tell me about the happiest day of your life?”
Context: Theo speaks with Ellen, a homeless woman.
My Reflection: An incredible, dignity-restoring question to ask when getting to know someone.
194
"...to read with either was to drink from a chalice of gold”
Context: Highlighting the sacred, elevated nature of reading or perceiving things through a specific, refined lens.
198
Reference to Bach’s "The Art of Fugue"
Context: A musical nod to interlocking, complex, yet perfectly designed patterns. It serves as a structural metaphor for how individual human stories weave together under a grand design.
207
“The little nameless unremembered acts of kindness in love”
Context: A direct quotation from William Wordsworth's poem Tintern Abbey. It reinforces the book’s ongoing emphasis on the immense value found in quiet, unglamorous, everyday grace.
213
Sadness as "the universal affliction."
Context: Levi identifies sadness not as an anomaly, but as a baseline human condition that connects every character in the book. We are all sad because we’re missing something and until we find it…
255
“If you’re not sure what you gotta do you gotta choose one or the other. I always say go to the mercy Way you make a mistake. Make it for mercy, bad mercy don’t hurt nearly like bad justice.”
Context: A core moral thesis statement for the novel. Erring on the side of grace is explicitly elevated above rigid legalism, noting that the fallout of "bad mercy" is far more salvageable than the cruelty of "bad justice."
258
Kendrick talks about looking at someone’s face and releasing them—really seeing them.
Context: Relational liberation happens through focused, intentional attention. True sight requires letting go of preconceptions to see the person as they are.
259
“God gave us faces so we can see each other better. I used to not look at people’s faces so much but I’m learning.”
Context: A raw realization about human connection. The face is the primary canvas of divine communication, bridging the gap between isolation and community.
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