The Power and the Glory Blog # 7

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.