Otherness And Stereotyping In Padre Jose Cristo, By John Green

700 Words3 Pages

Moreover, Greene contrasts the priest to the character of Padre Jose Plus p.96 in the conc sentence The second figure that has the equal focus is the "lieutenant". He represents the tyrannical authorities who just want to get rid of any religious element. He is full of hatred towards all priests. However, his hatred has led him to metaphorical blindness. The lieutenant has not been able to identify the wanted priest though he has met him two times, as the latter looks like an ordinary man, and his hands are very dry because of the difficulties he has gone through during his journey. This goes back to the fact that he has a specific stereotypical image about priests that they have soft hands due to their life of luxury and comfort. The theory of otherness and stereotyping is crystal clear in this novel. Stereotyping can be defined as the generalization of a …show more content…

This conflict is clarified from the very beginning of the novel; in its title. Nevertheless, they have some points of similarity and difference. Both characters are the same in experiencing a kind of regeneration and in their refusal of the Church's exploitation of people under the name of religion. On the contrary, they are distinct in how they react towards their goals and purposes in life. While the police officer knows exactly what he wants to and pursues his aim blindly, thvtttttge whisky priest does not even know what his purpose in this life is. Another point of difference lies in the priest's admission that he is a "bad priest", whereas the lieutenant does not confess his faults, being entirely confident in his righteousness. Hence, Greens mainly concentrates? On the interference of politics in the religious matters, aiming at taking control over it. He totally despises it, asserting that each one has to deal with specific affairs.