The Seven Storey Mountain Summary

10 questions on the main ideas. Each answer comes with a short explanation.

Take it one question at a time

1. Question 1

   Which of the following best describes Merton's initial academic interests and pursuits before his conversion?

   1. Theology and philosophy at a Catholic seminary.
   2. Literature and languages at Cambridge and Columbia.
   3. Science and engineering at a technical institute.
   4. Political science and economics at the London School of Economics.
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   B. Literature and languages at Cambridge and Columbia. Merton's early life was marked by a vibrant intellectual journey through secular universities, particularly Cambridge and Columbia, where he focused on literature and developed his writing skills before his spiritual awakening.

2. Question 2

   What significant event occurred in Merton's life that deeply influenced his spiritual search and eventual conversion to Catholicism?

   1. A pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
   2. His experience with communist ideology and social activism.
   3. The death of his brother, John Paul, during World War II.
   4. Receiving a prestigious literary award.
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   C. The death of his brother, John Paul, during World War II. The death of his brother, John Paul, had a profound impact on Merton, deepening his reflections on life, death, and the search for meaning, contributing significantly to his spiritual journey.

3. Question 3

   Which religious order did Thomas Merton ultimately join, as detailed in 'The Seven Storey Mountain'?

   1. Jesuits
   2. Franciscans
   3. Benedictines
   4. Trappists (Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance)
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   D. Trappists (Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance) Merton famously joined the Trappist order at the Abbey of Gethsemani, a demanding Catholic order known for its contemplative life, silence, and manual labor.

4. Question 4

   Merton describes his initial experience at the Abbey of Gethsemani as entering 'the four walls of my new freedom.' What does this paradoxical phrase imply about his monastic life?

   1. He found literal physical liberation from previous constraints.
   2. The strict discipline and enclosure paradoxically granted him spiritual and intellectual liberation.
   3. He was free to leave the monastery whenever he wished.
   4. It was a period of intense personal rebellion against the monastic rules.
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   B. The strict discipline and enclosure paradoxically granted him spiritual and intellectual liberation. The 'four walls of my new freedom' signifies that the strictures and enclosure of monastic life, far from being restrictive, provided Merton with the necessary framework and detachment to achieve a deeper spiritual and interior freedom he had sought.

5. Question 5

   Before his final decision to enter the Trappists, Merton considered joining another religious order. Which one was it?

   1. The Dominicans
   2. The Franciscans
   3. The Augustinians
   4. The Carthusians
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   B. The Franciscans Merton initially felt a strong call to the Franciscans, specifically the Friars Minor, and even made arrangements to join them before ultimately discerning his true vocation lay with the more rigorous contemplative life of the Trappists.

6. Question 6

   What primary argument does Merton present regarding the relationship between immersing oneself in the world and then withdrawing from it, as reflected in his own journey?

   1. Complete withdrawal from the world is only possible without any prior worldly experience.
   2. A full immersion in worldly experiences can paradoxically deepen one's understanding and appreciation for the spiritual life upon withdrawal.
   3. Worldly experience is a regrettable distraction that must be overcome and forgotten.
   4. Withdrawal from the world is a temporary phase before re-engaging with society.
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   B. A full immersion in worldly experiences can paradoxically deepen one's understanding and appreciation for the spiritual life upon withdrawal. Merton's autobiography details how his vibrant, often chaotic, worldly life provided a rich tapestry of experiences that, upon reflection and conversion, deepened his understanding of humanity and God, making his eventual withdrawal more profound, not less.

7. Question 7

   Merton's conversion was not a sudden event but a gradual process. Which of these played a crucial role in his intellectual and spiritual shift towards Catholicism?

   1. His studies of Eastern mysticism and Zen Buddhism.
   2. Reading Catholic mystics and philosophers like Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain.
   3. A series of miraculous visions and apparitions.
   4. His involvement in political protest movements.
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   B. Reading Catholic mystics and philosophers like Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain. Merton's intellectual journey towards Catholicism was significantly shaped by his encounters with Catholic philosophy and theology, particularly through authors like Gilson and Maritain, who helped him articulate his nascent spiritual longings.

8. Question 8

   What was Merton's professional role at Columbia University before his full conversion and entry into the monastery?

   1. A full professor of English Literature.
   2. A doctoral student and teaching assistant in English.
   3. An administrative staff member.
   4. A journalist for the university newspaper.
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   B. A doctoral student and teaching assistant in English. At Columbia, Merton was pursuing his graduate studies in English and working as a teaching assistant, a period where his intellectual and spiritual crises intensified before his conversion.

9. Question 9

   Which of the following best encapsulates the central 'peace' that Merton sought and eventually found at Gethsemani?

   1. Financial stability and freedom from worldly worries.
   2. A silent, contemplative union with God, detached from the distractions of the secular world.
   3. The absence of personal conflict with other monks.
   4. Fame and recognition as a spiritual writer.
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   B. A silent, contemplative union with God, detached from the distractions of the secular world. The core of Merton's search was for a profound spiritual peace, a union with God achieved through the contemplative life, silence, and detachment offered by the Trappist monastery, which he felt was absent in his previous worldly existence.

10. Question 10

    Merton describes his early life as marked by significant personal loneliness and a search for belonging. How does his eventual entry into the monastic community address this aspect of his character?

    1. The communal life eliminated his need for solitude.
    2. He found a new form of belonging within the spiritual family of the monastery, which paradoxically deepened his capacity for solitude with God.
    3. He merely exchanged one form of loneliness for another, more intense one.
    4. The structured environment suppressed any feelings of loneliness he might have had.
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    B. He found a new form of belonging within the spiritual family of the monastery, which paradoxically deepened his capacity for solitude with God. While monastic life emphasizes solitude, Merton found a deep sense of spiritual belonging and community among his fellow monks and in his relationship with God, which transformed his earlier feelings of alienation into a richer, more intentional solitude.