A Common Priest
The story ironically refers to clergymen, and to representatives of religion in common. The author describes one of the priests as “becoming aged, was a very good clergyman, beloved by his neighbors. What added most to the respect that was paid him, was, that among all his clerical neighbors, he was the only one that could walk to his bed after supper.” The words show that there are many priests who do not live the way they preach.
Selfishness
The author scoffs at and criticizes French who have too much self-confidence and pride. When the abbots decided to baptize the Huron, they understood that “it was necessary to instruct him, and this appeared difficult; for the Abbé of St. Yves supposed that a man who was not born in France, could not be endowed with common sense.” But in further events “a tall robust Indian of twenty-two” showed much more sense.
Simple-Minded
The prior Kerkabon gave the Huron the New Testament to read. The Huron showed such simple-mindedness and childish reasoning, “devouring it with great pleasure; but not knowing at what time, or in what country all the adventures related in this book had happened, he did not in the least doubt that the scene of action had been in Lower Britany; and he swore, that he would cut off Caiphas and Pontius Pilate's ears, if ever he met those scoundrels.”
