If no one in this world ever suffered, there would be no compassion. Suffering and pain give our actions so much more meaning. Take Martin Luther King, for example. If he hadn't died for his cause, he wouldn't of been so popular. Rosa Parks went to jail for standing up for what she believed. Both real people, who suffered for their beliefs, but eventually became heroes. In the novel The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene illustrates the importance of pain and suffering with his main character, the "whiskey priest".
Throughout the novel, the priest goes through so much just to do what he believes is the right thing. When he went back to hear the Gringos confession, he knew it was a trap. He knew he would get caught and brutally killed. But going to hear the confession was the right thing to do, so he went and suffered for his decision. All the suffering the priest went through gave alot more meaning to his actions. The priest had a love for his religion, a love for his people. "But I do know this -- that if there's ever a single man in this state damned, I'll be damned too...I wouldn't want it to be any different. I just want justice, that's all." (p 200) The priest really does care about his people, which is exactly why he goes through so much for them.
The priest knows the importance of suffering, but on the other hand the lieutenant does not. "Suffering is wrong." (p 176) He doesn't understand that without suffering there would be no hope. Hope for better things to come, hope for the future, the lieutenant just doesn't get it. If no one suffered or had pain, nobody would care about each other. "If you see somebody in pain, people like you reason and reason. You say -- pain's a good thing, perhaps he'll be better for it one day." (p 199) The thing is, pain does make you stronger. The lieutenant just doesn't get that.
Pain and suffering is vital to our existance. Without it, there would be no love, no hope, no compassion. All things that we absolutely need to live life fully. The priest is a very heroic character in the novel, when things got difficult, he never gave up hope. If only more people in the world were like him in this way, too often do we give up hope when we go through hard times. If only more people could see the bright side in pain and suffering, that things will get better. If only.
Really nice job. You were so worried apparnetly for nothing. This response works really well, and all the necessary components are there. What made you choose the isead of Martin Luther King, and Rosa Parks? It works fine, but I wouldn't abandon the idea we were working on in class. I think you are ready for the next level of writing.
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