I must say that the books we read were very interesting. Two I very much enjoyed. I was very impressed with My Name is Asher Lev and Uncle Tom's Cabin. There was such a strong faith connection in both of those novels. They were very good choices for this type of course. I say a strong connection between these books and continue to find ways to use them in my classroom. Besides the group writing, I thought the variety of writing was very good. It keep me thinking and allowed me to look at the novels in different ways. The blogs were good to read and respond to. The connections between the religions and the novels were good. Although the Jewish faith and Christianity are predominate in our world, I would have liked to read something that explored a religion that is less explored. I would not replace Asher Lev or UTC, but I would replace A Wrinkle in Time and The Power and the Glory. The Life of Pi is a good book that combines three religions, Hinduism, Muslim and Christianity. It is very long and can sometimes go on and on, but great for realizing the power and presents of god. I was very happy to be exposed to new literature that explored religious perspectives and would love to know the titles of other books that were not possible to include in the limitations of this class. The blogs and discussion boards were very effective in expressing ideas. I learned so much from everyone. Again, this would have been a great group to discuss the books with in person. I would say that this course met all the objectives from the syllabus.
Thanks to everyone for a great class!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory
Greene’s The Power and the Glory
Graham Greene’s novel The Power and the Glory represents people in a way that goes outside of the stereotypical box that we find most comfortable. The whiskey priest is the first example of breaking away from the stereotypes. A priest should be pious and hold himself to the highest standard. The whiskey priest admits that he falls short as an example for what the clergy should look like. He drinks too much and has had an affair, which produced a child. He admits that he is not worthy of the sacrifices that others are making for him. “Oh God, send them someone more worthwhile to suffer for. It seemed to him a damnable mockery that they should sacrifice themselves for a whiskey priest with a bastard child.” (Greene 135) The whiskey priest feels an enormous burden when his status changes from being a priest to being “the priest.” His image may be the only idea of a priest the people will ever have. The priest is someone who should be humble but is only able to be truly humble when he endures the hardships of life on the run. When he finally abandons his own will and sacrifices to serve the dying criminal, he becomes the priest that can be admired. The irony lies in the fact that no one but the unbelieving lieutenant is a witness to his elevated state. What the priest does not realize is the lasting impact he does have on those around him. The lieutenant is changed for having known and spent time with the priest. The criminals in the prison have risen to the occasion to protect him and thus are better for having known him. Mr. Trench is moved by his execution and vows to leave Mexico for good. I find comfort in the fact that we can be flawed characters, yet capable of greatness much like the whiskey priest. Another example of irony can be found in the pious woman in the jail. She is a woman of conviction but has no tolerance for the human condition. She criticizes the priest and her fellow prisoners. Her piety is only skin- deep. The true heroes of the prison are the other prisoners who try to understand the priest and will not turn him in for “blood money.”
Like Asher Lev felt the need to paint life as he willing saw it, no matter what the cost, Greene paint an image of a priest that prone to humane frailty and weakness. It is not the pretty picture of the priest, but perhaps a true picture. The theme that greatness can come from the most flawed human being. When we take our struggles and hardships and allow them to help us to greatness, we are capable of many Christ-like acts. Uncle Tom was definitely the most perfect of our protagonist and his perfect nature was heightened through his sufferings. The whiskey priest needed his sufferings to make him a more perfect version.
Graham Greene’s novel The Power and the Glory represents people in a way that goes outside of the stereotypical box that we find most comfortable. The whiskey priest is the first example of breaking away from the stereotypes. A priest should be pious and hold himself to the highest standard. The whiskey priest admits that he falls short as an example for what the clergy should look like. He drinks too much and has had an affair, which produced a child. He admits that he is not worthy of the sacrifices that others are making for him. “Oh God, send them someone more worthwhile to suffer for. It seemed to him a damnable mockery that they should sacrifice themselves for a whiskey priest with a bastard child.” (Greene 135) The whiskey priest feels an enormous burden when his status changes from being a priest to being “the priest.” His image may be the only idea of a priest the people will ever have. The priest is someone who should be humble but is only able to be truly humble when he endures the hardships of life on the run. When he finally abandons his own will and sacrifices to serve the dying criminal, he becomes the priest that can be admired. The irony lies in the fact that no one but the unbelieving lieutenant is a witness to his elevated state. What the priest does not realize is the lasting impact he does have on those around him. The lieutenant is changed for having known and spent time with the priest. The criminals in the prison have risen to the occasion to protect him and thus are better for having known him. Mr. Trench is moved by his execution and vows to leave Mexico for good. I find comfort in the fact that we can be flawed characters, yet capable of greatness much like the whiskey priest. Another example of irony can be found in the pious woman in the jail. She is a woman of conviction but has no tolerance for the human condition. She criticizes the priest and her fellow prisoners. Her piety is only skin- deep. The true heroes of the prison are the other prisoners who try to understand the priest and will not turn him in for “blood money.”
Like Asher Lev felt the need to paint life as he willing saw it, no matter what the cost, Greene paint an image of a priest that prone to humane frailty and weakness. It is not the pretty picture of the priest, but perhaps a true picture. The theme that greatness can come from the most flawed human being. When we take our struggles and hardships and allow them to help us to greatness, we are capable of many Christ-like acts. Uncle Tom was definitely the most perfect of our protagonist and his perfect nature was heightened through his sufferings. The whiskey priest needed his sufferings to make him a more perfect version.
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