finally got my laptop back so i was able to post up my previous 2 lit. analysis

Jacob Vargas

period 4

The Power and Glory

1)      The plot of the book is about a runaway “Whiskey” priest striving through many hardships but pushing on for what he believes in even if he has the law chasing him down. The story starts with the priest missing his boat to freedom. I say freedom because Catholicism has been outlawed in the state he was in, and we find this out when the story decides to introduce the lieutenant who hates the fact of religion being in his state so much he makes it his duty to hunt down this priest throughout the story. Its humorous how there is an outlaw named “The Gringo” who does so much wrong, yet the lieutenant decides to chase the man who only wants to do good. There are some significant characters in the book that signify important meanings. Padre Jose gives the story a sense of repeal, abandonment, and he sees himself as a coward since he abandoned his beliefs and priesthood for the states demands. Mestizo or “Judas the betrayer” who is only out to get the priest caught, but he really does emphasize the readers understanding of how powerful the will of the “whiskey” priest really is. The priest flees from the law town to town, knowing very well that every town he sets foot in is dangerous to not just him but the townsfolk. The priest eventually after town hopping and seeing Maria and Brigida (illegitimate daughter) meets Mestizo and they travel together, on their way to Carmen Mestizo falls ill and it gives the priest a chance to escape Judas so he returns back to the Capital city he was already at while Mestizo goes to Carmen. He searches for and finds a way to get some brandy and wine, but ends up getting seen with the Brandy by a state official and is chased until he gets caught at the house of Padre Jose. This is significant because after being taken to jail he has a significant talk that shows how the priest sees good even in the worst of people or situations. The woman scoffs him for it and says he should be dead. The next day he sees Mestizo in a cell but Mestizo doesn’t “snitch” him out just yet, he also comes face to face with the lieutenant for a second time but again the lieutenant doesn’t recognize him and lets him go. The priest now is completely exhausted from being on the run, but he presses on and eventually crosses a border to a neighboring state where religion is not outlawed. Things began to look up for him but a couple days later Mestizo shows up and says the gringo has been shot and wants the priest to bless him. This is KEY, The priest actually accepts to go help the fugitive criminal, fully aware that he is walking into his deathbed, after all he’s been through to escape he still finds it his duty to proceed with Mestizo. After Gringo refuses to have his confessions heard the lieutenant catches the priest and they have a long important conversation, and he takes him into custody. The priest is executed and the boy who was mentioned in the beginning saw the whiskey priest as a hero, and when a man knocks on his door seeking shelter (after mentioning he is a priest) the boy welcomes him in.

2)      I would say the theme of the book is to keep going and press on for what you believe in. The priest went through so much, he had to leave the people he cared for most, fight through literal fatigue, live everyday in fear, go through so many doubtful moments, even be reduced to eat the few bites of meat on a dog bone and yet still in the end stayed true to what he was suppose to. To go through all of that havoc and still walk into your deathbed just to fulfill your duty is a very powerful message. When he could have just as easily been like Padre Jose and quit priesthood he refused, because it wasn’t of his conscience to let him do so. Graham Greene obviously wanted to display the powerful message of perseverance that can relate to anybodies life.

3)      The narrators tone is somewhat of a means of respect and credibility towards the priest. Then again who wouldn’t after all the priest goes through. We can see this respect time and time again by the priests reactions to some of the things he does, like for example when he shares the wine that he needs for mass with the man who got it for him and the man drinks it, the narrator definitely through some of the diction used expresses that he respects the priest for not really doing anything about it. When the priest and the lieutenant have that conversation after dealing with gringo and they both seem to believe that the world is a corrupt place, and that it's difficult to be truly happy unless you are some kind of saint. That showed a lot of credibility to the priest because that’s what he wanted to be yet he knew he couldn’t, but he still tried. There are many more parts in the book that express the authors tone, but the most important is probably in the end when the boy opens the door for the man. Through the authors tone and purpose of the boys actions we can see the acceptance now that the boy has due to his credibility and respect to the whiskey priest who he saw as a martyr and a hero.

4)      Setting- The setting is vital to the book, wherever the priest goes he takes the threat with him. Mexico was a very modernly civilized place at the time the story takes place. It helps the reader understand the background and why all of this was happening to the priest. Like in the chace scene in Capital city, things like that probably happened all the time in relations to catching people with alchohol. Indirect and direct Characterization- This is also key in the book, by the actions of others and the priest we can get a good grip on the way people look. Also there is a lot of direct characterization with the priest, he often disguises himself, which is a reason the leiutanent does not recognize him 2 times. It describes how his facial features change as time goes on and indirectly states that the exhaustion and fatigue have greatly influenced how he looks. Plot Structure- The books plot structure is very basic I would say the climax is when the priest walks into his deathtrap and has the conversation with the leuitenant and all the priests hardships before were all rising action to that very moment where the priest finally has to confront his conflict. Then falling action towards his death but leaves his mark in influence. Foreshadowing- There isn’t a lot of foreshadowing but when the priest calls Mestizo “Judas” upon meeting him (implying that he is the betrayer) deffinately foreshadows mestizo being the one to turn in the priest in the end. Also the happy girl in the beginning not knowing why she is happy I believe foreshadowed unease. Symbolism- there is a lot of symbolism in the book but the most important is alchohol, the priest constantly needs wine for mass, but has whiskey as well. I believe this symbolized how he felt unworthy of his past.