The Pillars of the Earth

“Building was an intriguing business, especially with someone like Tom, who was able to explain what he was doing,” thinks Philip, as his relationship to Tom grows (433). When we describe law and culture, we often use architectural terms. For instance, it is axiomatic to say that the Magna Carta was a “bedrock” of constitutional law, or that Leonardo da Vinci was the “pinnacle” of Renaissance style. Both are metaphors taken from architecture.

Follett does not skimp on the architectural details in his novel, and the half-century struggle to build the Kingsbridge church mirrors the political compromises made to erect it. The construction begins in a quaint and humble style as directed by Tom Builder, who understands that thick walls and arched doorways lend stability to a structure. As the narrative becomes more complex, however, so does the building. When Jack tours the continent of Europe, he becomes familiar with a style that would be named Gothic by observers of a later age. Gothic buildings feature a more complex, ribbed internal structure, and consequently could be built taller, and with a lighter profile. The existence of stained glass was made possible by this lighter construction, which allowed more light into the interior of the building. In this way, Follett suggests, written laws and business receipts, though invisible to the illiterate, may act as a stronger frame for human happiness than brute force.