The mule suddenly sat down under the priest. It was not an unnatural thing to do, for they had been travelling through the forest for nearly twelve hours. They had been going west, but news of soldiers met them there and they had turned east; the Red Shirts were active in that direction, so they had tacked north, wading through the swamps, diving into the mahogany darkness. Now they were both tired out and the mule simply sat down. The priest scrambled off and began to laugh. He was feeling happy. It is one of the strange discoveries a man can make that life, however you lead it, contains moments of exhilaration; there are always comparisons which can be made with worse times: even in danger and misery the pendulum swings.A great book on so many levels--excellent writing, an exciting story, intriguing thoughts to ponder, fascinating characters, a unique place setting, human weaknesses and strengths, revolution and inner peace. This is considered to be Graham Greene's masterpiece and after reading it, I understand why.
The story takes place in rural Southern Mexico in the 1930s. Greene lets us see the dignity and humanity of the poor and downcast. Telling the story of a priest hunted by revolutionaries opposed to the church, the author takes us on a wild adventure. Much of the focus in on the relationship of priests with the people. How strange it feels to read about illicit sexual acts of priests being accepted as common experiences in the 1930s.
Greene's writing shows us a raw and uncensored life of a priest, both loved and despised by the people. The inner conflicts of the priest are gently woven into the story as we follow a long and bizarre journey.
1 comment:
I agree, this is Greene's masterwork. He was one of the rare writers that employed a fairly simplistic writing style that made the reader truely appreciate the story and its characters without pretense.
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