Vocation and time in Rumer Godden’s In This House of Brede

Rumer Godden’s 1969 novel, In This House of Brede, transcends linear time in its account of a divinely inspired vocation. As Brede relates the events surrounding a monastery of Roman Catholic nuns, the novel’s blending of past, present, and future—along with an indeterminate beginning and open-ended conclusion—reflects the connection between eternity and temporality experienced in a religious vocation. Drawing upon the narratological theories of 20th-century philosopher Paul Ricoeur, this article argues that Brede’s time-transcending structure creates a realistic and captivating narrative that invites readers to engage in the action of the novel as its story of Christian vocation unfolds.