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sean_kennelly 's review for:
The Power and the Glory
by Graham Greene
The Power and The Glory revolves around a fascinating period of time that I was completely unaware of, when Catholicism was essentially outlawed in Mexico during the 1920s and 1930s. In the state of Tabasco, priests have either been exiled or shot, have run away to neighbouring states, or have been forced to renounce their faith and break their celibate vows by taking wife. Our unnamed protagonist is a "whisky priest", supposedly the last one left living on the run. Throughout the book he travels across the state, and through him we meet many different and interesting Mexican and indigenous characters, some of which are sympathetic to his cause. However, not all are. For one thing, he is something of a vagrant, bringing the church into disrepute with his alcoholism. He also brings great danger to their lives, and risks their safety with his continued presence.
He is being pursued by a police lieutenant, zealously bent on wiping out the last of the church. One of the brilliant moral dimensions of this book (I'll get back to some others later) is the parallels between the two men. Neither is unthinking or unkind in their staunch belief that they are doing what is best for the people of Mexico, despite their diametrically opposed views. The lieutenant is brutal, capturing and executing hostages where he knows the priest has been. But he is full of love and compassion for the children he knows he is improving the world for. Likewise, the priest is aware that his presence is causing great suffering to his flock. He could simply run away to the much more lenient neighbouring state; however as a catholic he is not adverse to suffering, and in fact glorifies it. People are dying for him, but as far as he is concerned it serves only to cleanse them and assure their acceptance to heaven.
Not that he is not conflicted over his actions. He faltered years before, breaking his celibacy and conceiving a child. And worst of all, having met his daughter he cannot find it in himself to repent for his sin. "He couldn't say to himself that he wished his sin had never existed, because the sin seemed to him now so unimportant and he loved the fruit of it." And without another priest to confess to he finds himself tortured by his failings. All the while he tries to uphold the faith of others, hearing their confessions and holding mass, while feeling unworthy of his now lowly office.
I'm just scratching the surface of the moral complexity of this book. Greene has found the perfect setting to set up and oppose moral viewpoints and have them clash. Each scene serves as a memorable set-piece for lofty and challenging ideas. This is my third Graham Greene book and I can hardly believe how different it was from Brighton Rock and Our Man In Havana. I will certainly keep reading his work.
I got this in a charity shop in Sidmouth.
He is being pursued by a police lieutenant, zealously bent on wiping out the last of the church. One of the brilliant moral dimensions of this book (I'll get back to some others later) is the parallels between the two men. Neither is unthinking or unkind in their staunch belief that they are doing what is best for the people of Mexico, despite their diametrically opposed views. The lieutenant is brutal, capturing and executing hostages where he knows the priest has been. But he is full of love and compassion for the children he knows he is improving the world for. Likewise, the priest is aware that his presence is causing great suffering to his flock. He could simply run away to the much more lenient neighbouring state; however as a catholic he is not adverse to suffering, and in fact glorifies it. People are dying for him, but as far as he is concerned it serves only to cleanse them and assure their acceptance to heaven.
Not that he is not conflicted over his actions. He faltered years before, breaking his celibacy and conceiving a child. And worst of all, having met his daughter he cannot find it in himself to repent for his sin. "He couldn't say to himself that he wished his sin had never existed, because the sin seemed to him now so unimportant and he loved the fruit of it." And without another priest to confess to he finds himself tortured by his failings. All the while he tries to uphold the faith of others, hearing their confessions and holding mass, while feeling unworthy of his now lowly office.
I'm just scratching the surface of the moral complexity of this book. Greene has found the perfect setting to set up and oppose moral viewpoints and have them clash. Each scene serves as a memorable set-piece for lofty and challenging ideas. This is my third Graham Greene book and I can hardly believe how different it was from Brighton Rock and Our Man In Havana. I will certainly keep reading his work.
I got this in a charity shop in Sidmouth.