In chapter four, Graham Greene describes the priest in two very different, yet very alike situations. When he finds the wounded dog in the abandoned house, a very animalistic side of him is exposed. On the other hand, when he is with the mother and the dead child, a more compassionate, caring side is shown. Both sides are vital in any person; without an animalistic side covering the basic needs like eating and sleeping, survival would be impossible while the more compassionate and loving side is very important too.
When the priest finds the starving dog, he covers his own basic needs before the dog's. Survival in mind, he takes the bone for himself and eats the scraps sticking to it. "Hope is an instinct only the reasoning human mind can kill." p 141 Even though the dog was slowing dying it didn't give up hope. The indian woman didn't give up hope either, even when the little boy died. The sugar cube placed by his head was a small symbol of hope for a miracle, although the priest ate it to try to satisfy his animalistic needs again. His caring side was exposed in the second situation; worry for the indian woman made him turn around to check if she was still by the dead baby. The priest's actions in both situations help us see a few different sides of human nature that are needed for survival.
This is a good, fundemental response. I would like to see more in depth reasoning, and use of text information.
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