Solidarity
In The Power and the Glory, betrayal, companionship and the act of accusing is always very present when talking about the priest’s adventures. Through the pages we read how people are put between the wall and the spade and are forced to tell and confess what they know about the priest. Some people prefer to die or to be taken as hostages instead of telling the truth, but others accuse in order to safe their lives.
“You shouldn’t have told us Father, there are all sorts of murderers…’”Pg. 125. When the priest tells the other people that are in the cell with him they all wonder why he has told them the truth, many can go and tell the lieutenant who he really is. “He thought: that is when I shall be discovered – unless it’s earlier, for surely one of these people will betray me first. A long train of thought began, which lead him to announce after a while, ‘They are offering a reward for me. Five hundred, six hundred pesos, I’m not sure.’ He couldn’t urge any man to inform against him – that would be tempting him to sin – but after the same time if there were an informer here, there was no reason why the wretched creature should be bilked of his reward.” Pg. 128. The priest begins to think on how if there is a reward, people in the cell will blame on him and that will be the end for him. But this does not happen, the people in jail are also criminals and have solidarity an companionship towards the priest. “‘Nobody here,’ a voice said, ‘wants their blood money.’ Again he was touched by an extraordinary affection. He was just one criminal among the herd of criminals…He had a sense of companionship which he had never experienced in the old days when pious people came kissing his black cotton glove.” Pg. 128. Companionship and solidarity become an important aspect for the priest. He is saved from death because the other criminals know what it is like.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Power and the Glory Blog # 6
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
This quote has been used throughout time to give advice when people are in trouble or have the need to succeed. This quote or phrase of advice can have in some cases good consequences but in others people can have negative consequences. By the way, this can benefit people but it is still a bad thing to do, this is an act of hypocrisy towards the enemy. In my opinion this advice is two phased and can prejudice as well as benefit someone. Throughout the book we have seen how the priest is in trouble, he has been chased for a long time now and he can’t trust nobody. In any minute he can be discovered and accused by some one in the various towns he has visited.
During the journey to Carmen, the priest meets a “mestizo” that wants to accompany him to Carmen. The priest who does not trust anyone tells him he does not want any company, the priest believes everyone is his enemy. “‘I didn’t need a guide,’ he protested mildly” Pg. 89. But after seeing that the “mestizo” won’t leave him alone, the priest then realizes it is better to have his enemy close and tell him the truth. “A voice said ‘You are the priest, aren’t you?’ ‘Yes.’ It was as if they had climbed out of their opposing trenches and met to fraternize among the wires in No Man’s Land. He remembered stories of the European war- how during the last years men had sometimes met on an impulse between the lines.” Pg. 100. The priest then confesses to his company that he is the priest the lieutenant has been looking for. The priest thinks the “mestizo” is his enemy and that is why he tells him, he thinks it is better to keep him close.
Even though the priest thought of keeping his enemy close it wasn’t any good for him. Enemies are enemies, and therefore as soon as they both arrived to Carmen the “mestizo” blamed on the priest. ‘Oh, he hasn’t any real chance. Unless he gets over the border. We’ve got a man who knows him. Spoke to him, spent a night with him.” Pg. 114. The enemy accuses the priest and in this case, the phrase of advice was no good to the priest. The lieutenant now knows where the priest is and has no where to go except the border.
This quote has been used throughout time to give advice when people are in trouble or have the need to succeed. This quote or phrase of advice can have in some cases good consequences but in others people can have negative consequences. By the way, this can benefit people but it is still a bad thing to do, this is an act of hypocrisy towards the enemy. In my opinion this advice is two phased and can prejudice as well as benefit someone. Throughout the book we have seen how the priest is in trouble, he has been chased for a long time now and he can’t trust nobody. In any minute he can be discovered and accused by some one in the various towns he has visited.
During the journey to Carmen, the priest meets a “mestizo” that wants to accompany him to Carmen. The priest who does not trust anyone tells him he does not want any company, the priest believes everyone is his enemy. “‘I didn’t need a guide,’ he protested mildly” Pg. 89. But after seeing that the “mestizo” won’t leave him alone, the priest then realizes it is better to have his enemy close and tell him the truth. “A voice said ‘You are the priest, aren’t you?’ ‘Yes.’ It was as if they had climbed out of their opposing trenches and met to fraternize among the wires in No Man’s Land. He remembered stories of the European war- how during the last years men had sometimes met on an impulse between the lines.” Pg. 100. The priest then confesses to his company that he is the priest the lieutenant has been looking for. The priest thinks the “mestizo” is his enemy and that is why he tells him, he thinks it is better to keep him close.
Even though the priest thought of keeping his enemy close it wasn’t any good for him. Enemies are enemies, and therefore as soon as they both arrived to Carmen the “mestizo” blamed on the priest. ‘Oh, he hasn’t any real chance. Unless he gets over the border. We’ve got a man who knows him. Spoke to him, spent a night with him.” Pg. 114. The enemy accuses the priest and in this case, the phrase of advice was no good to the priest. The lieutenant now knows where the priest is and has no where to go except the border.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Power and The Glory Blog # 5
Will the power overcome the glory?
When I started reading The Power and the Glory, I had always wanted to know why it has that title. Every time I had in the book in my hands I asked why it had the title, as soon I finished reading the first few pages I understood the title but I had a question about it. Will the power overcome the glory? I wondered if in this story the power would be so strong that it would take away the importance of the church and the glory itself. Throughout history, glory and church had always been in an important position where they took all the decisions and in some way controlled the people.
In The Power and The Glory, we can see how people realize that the church cant be the major power and we see how the new power overcomes the glory. This answered my question the power does overcome the glory. “The lieutenant said, ‘Is no one willing to help?’ They stood silent beside the decayed bandstand. He said, ‘You heard what happened in Concepcion. I took a hostage there…and when I found out this priest had been in the neighborhood I put the man against the nearest tree. …It’s much safer to speak now. Because I‘m going to take a hostage from here too. …This is your last chance.’” Pg. 76-77. In this passage, power (in this case the lieutenant) causes terror in the towns’ people; he threatens to get a hostage in order to know something about the priest. The lieutenant, overcomes the glory because, even though these towns’ people believe in church and in Christianity they are forced to leave their beliefs in order to stay alive. The lieutenant creates a huge terror amongst the people and they are forced to reject the glory; something in which they have believed all of their lives. Power overcomes the glory in a strong way, even Maria, the priest’s woman, is afraid of the lieutenant, “She said, ‘When you-know-what happened, I was proud. I thought the good days would come back. It’s not everyone who’s a priest’s woman. And the child…I thought you could do a lot for her. But you might as well be a thief for all good…’” Pg. 79. The power takes all the good things from the glory and makes it look as an evil organization and therefore cause the people to accept the power. This way the lieutenant can overcome the glory. The glory, the church and the traditions are being taken away from the major power. This answers my question; the power does overcome the glory.
When I started reading The Power and the Glory, I had always wanted to know why it has that title. Every time I had in the book in my hands I asked why it had the title, as soon I finished reading the first few pages I understood the title but I had a question about it. Will the power overcome the glory? I wondered if in this story the power would be so strong that it would take away the importance of the church and the glory itself. Throughout history, glory and church had always been in an important position where they took all the decisions and in some way controlled the people.
In The Power and The Glory, we can see how people realize that the church cant be the major power and we see how the new power overcomes the glory. This answered my question the power does overcome the glory. “The lieutenant said, ‘Is no one willing to help?’ They stood silent beside the decayed bandstand. He said, ‘You heard what happened in Concepcion. I took a hostage there…and when I found out this priest had been in the neighborhood I put the man against the nearest tree. …It’s much safer to speak now. Because I‘m going to take a hostage from here too. …This is your last chance.’” Pg. 76-77. In this passage, power (in this case the lieutenant) causes terror in the towns’ people; he threatens to get a hostage in order to know something about the priest. The lieutenant, overcomes the glory because, even though these towns’ people believe in church and in Christianity they are forced to leave their beliefs in order to stay alive. The lieutenant creates a huge terror amongst the people and they are forced to reject the glory; something in which they have believed all of their lives. Power overcomes the glory in a strong way, even Maria, the priest’s woman, is afraid of the lieutenant, “She said, ‘When you-know-what happened, I was proud. I thought the good days would come back. It’s not everyone who’s a priest’s woman. And the child…I thought you could do a lot for her. But you might as well be a thief for all good…’” Pg. 79. The power takes all the good things from the glory and makes it look as an evil organization and therefore cause the people to accept the power. This way the lieutenant can overcome the glory. The glory, the church and the traditions are being taken away from the major power. This answers my question; the power does overcome the glory.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Video Clip
This videoclip is the final scene of The Fugitive. This film was inspired in the book The Power and the Glory and it was directed by John Ford. This video clip shows how a new priest comes into town and the importance of christanity. It relates to the book because it was inspired by it an d beacuse it shows the arrival of a new priest maybe after the capture of the old priest.
http://http//es.youtube.com/watch?v=hinI_ZrMw-0
http://http//es.youtube.com/watch?v=hinI_ZrMw-0
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
OP-ED "A Swiflty Melting Plantet"
Demonstrative:
- "THE Arctic ice cap melted this summer at a shocking pace, disappearing at a far higher rate than predicted by even the most pessimistic experts in global warming. But we shouldn’t be shocked, because scientists have long known that major features of earth’s interlinked climate system of air and water can change abruptly."
- "This type of feedback in our global climate could determine humankind’s future prosperity and even survival."
Deliberative:
- "When warming becomes its own cause, we might not be able to stop extremely harmful climate change no matter how much we cut our greenhouse gas emissions."
- " In response to the new dangers of climate change, we need a similar mobilization — of mothers, of students and of everyone with a stake in the future — now."
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Power and the Glory Blog # 4
Changes Through Time
Why are people so afraid of the "major power"? It is amazing to see how people's point of view change through manipulation and bribe. Through out the book The Power and the Glory, Greene has demostrated how important religion is to the townspeople and how they are loyal to their faith. This in a way, shows the reader that once christianity had been an important power in Mexico.
With the search of the priest done by the Leuitenant, people in the different villages start to change their views towards religion and demostrate a great fear to the major power, in this case the Leuitenant. "It wasn't hte welcome he had expected..."Pg. 62. Before, these people waited for the priest's visit and recieved him with great joy but due to the fear that the Leuitenant has caused he is not welcome anymore in any of the nearby villages. " 'What's the matter with you all? ' he asked. ' Why should you be afraid?' ' Haven't you heard...?' 'Heard?' 'They are taking hostages now -from all the villages where they think you've been. And if people don't tell... somebody is shot... and then they take another hostage. It happened in Concepción.' "Pg. 63. It is amazing to see how one can change its loyalty to religion only because they want to live, because they are afraid to die. This is manupulation from the Leuitenant, only because he wants to capture the priest and this is the only way he can do it. He involves the townspeople in a problem that is not theirs and manipulates them only for his good.
Why are people so afraid of the "major power"? It is amazing to see how people's point of view change through manipulation and bribe. Through out the book The Power and the Glory, Greene has demostrated how important religion is to the townspeople and how they are loyal to their faith. This in a way, shows the reader that once christianity had been an important power in Mexico.
With the search of the priest done by the Leuitenant, people in the different villages start to change their views towards religion and demostrate a great fear to the major power, in this case the Leuitenant. "It wasn't hte welcome he had expected..."Pg. 62. Before, these people waited for the priest's visit and recieved him with great joy but due to the fear that the Leuitenant has caused he is not welcome anymore in any of the nearby villages. " 'What's the matter with you all? ' he asked. ' Why should you be afraid?' ' Haven't you heard...?' 'Heard?' 'They are taking hostages now -from all the villages where they think you've been. And if people don't tell... somebody is shot... and then they take another hostage. It happened in Concepción.' "Pg. 63. It is amazing to see how one can change its loyalty to religion only because they want to live, because they are afraid to die. This is manupulation from the Leuitenant, only because he wants to capture the priest and this is the only way he can do it. He involves the townspeople in a problem that is not theirs and manipulates them only for his good.
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