Author’s Note: I am part of a new literature group with three gentlemen in my class reading the novel The Power and the Glory. However, I am finding that reading the novel is a real struggle for me. The first
three chapters continually made me frustrated at the negative viewpoints of
society and their own life. My goals for
this piece are to share my frustration and to give a glimpse of how I view life.
“…that he really felt the correct emotions of love and joy
and grief and hate. He had always been a
good man at zero hour.” In Captain Fellows’ eyes, life is not all about what’s
wrong in society. Instead, he sees life
through a positive lens believing that each person can find can find good in
their individual circumstances. In my life, I do not live a life of sadness
assuming the worst in every situation. I do not exhibit a sense of negativity
through the interactions of life. I do
not have a dystopic vision of the world where everyone lives in constant fear. The belief that life serves no purpose other
than to adhere to the failures of our human race is morally wrong.
Every person suffers through trials and tribulations; it is
up to the individual to determine how to grow and develop to serve a greater
purpose. Why would someone continue to
live a life if they are unhappy? Each
person has control over the direction of their life, and if a character is
unhappy and is unable to change, it is no fault but their own. The author exemplifies the struggles of the
time while setting the background on Padre Jose with how unhappy he is by
selling out and following the policy of the government, on the lieutenant and
how he is consistently petulant and irritable, or on the whiskey priest
battling the internal fight of good and evil.
Living a life of such negativity is the antithesis of my
viewpoint on the world. In my vision,
everyone has power to succeed, to change, and to improve their life. No matter the circumstances or the struggles,
believing that everything can be viewed as an opportunity for change makes life
more fulfilling. Perseverating on the
failures or the problems that society delivers will only weaken one’s conviction.
While I understand that some, including the characters in
this story, would see my vision as a form of utopia, I cannot fathom living
such a dark, dreary life. Each person has
control over their existential experiences.
By consistently focusing on maintaining a positive aura, even through
the difficult times, life’s vision will come to fruition.
