Stewardship

While religion and faith are only occasionally mentioned in The Good Master, the novel's underlying theme is one closely tied to Christian theology. Just as Adam and Eve were supposedly given stewardship over the Garden of Eden, and man was given dominion over the Earth, Marton is responsible for the well-being of ranch and everything, man or beast, that resides within it. He not only provides for his own family, workers and livestock, but Marton also shows consideration for the people and animals who provide him no benefit, or worse, who cause him difficulty.

Fundamental to this idea of stewardship is the practice of magnanimity, a generosity of spirit that expects nothing in return beyond the knowledge that one has done right by his or her fellow man. This is demonstrated by several characters in the novel, primarily among the Nagy family, but including the shepherd Pista. The...