"The Power and the Glory"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Graham Greene's novel, "The Power and the Glory", which is set in Mexico and features as the protagonist a fugitive priest who drinks substantial volumes of whiskey. It discusses how Greene was likely implying, through his characters and his gift for narrative, that the power and the glory of God always affects the actions and values of His children, the human community, even in times of political repression, in times of poverty, and despair and murder, such as was the case in Mexico.

From the Paper:

"This novel, published in 1940, deals with a time when there was severe religious persecution in Mexico, following the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The Catholic Church was being attacked by then Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles through a basic ban on all religion. The governor of the state of Tabasco, Tomas Garrido Canabal, is a brutal persecutor of Catholics. Canabal does not believe in God, and he detests liquor, which sets up a well-defined conflict when Green's protagonist, the "Whiskey Priest," tries to continue carrying out some priestly duties in Tabasco. The immediate pursuer of the Whiskey Priest is an unnamed Lieutenant, accompanied by Red Shirts, who chase the priest in a symbolic depiction of government chasing and trying to destroy the Church."

More papers on "The Power and the Glory":

• Book Review # 71176 : "The Power and the Glory"
• Analytical Essay # 37085 : "'The Power And The Glory'."
• Book Review # 44386 : "The Power and the Glory": A Literary Review"
• Book Review # 68964 : "Personal History in "The Power and the Glory"

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