Essay Questions

Sin and salvation are explored in Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory. Show how these are brought out.

The attainment of salvation particularly after sin is a concept that is well brought out in this novel. For instance, the Whiskey Priest being a fallen figure of faith finds solace in repenting for his sins in the jungle after violating grossly both sacred and secular laws. Additionally, even the police officer is a fallen man of the word.

Show how the duality of existence is emphasized in this novel.

There are always two sides to the events happening in this novel. For instance, there is faith, sin and salvation, alcohol as the demon in the path of a priest who has to perform the rituals in which wine has to be offered are just examples that bring this particular aspect to light. In this work, the dualist view of the world is emphasized as darkness is brought out as the reason behind the quest for light and light a danger that compels one to leave the shelter of the shadows.

Bring out the dangers of excessive idealism as brought out in Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory.

Idealists as individuals tend to believe that the world could be a much better place than it really is now. In this work, the lieutenant is an idealist and, in many ways, brings out the dangers of the same. For instance, the lieutenant remains obsessed with the ways things could be to the extent that he remains bitter and largely dissatisfied with the way things are. Whilst he wants to help particularly the poor, his idea of starting over through erasing history and getting rid of all religions and their beliefs is simply impossible. In this way, his idealism becomes essentially dangerous.