Christina SchiavoneEnglish II2/16/14

Compare and Contrast: Padre Jose and Mr.Tench

In the novel "The Power and Glory" the focus is on they way other people see

religion and how they react to it. Some people don't hide it anyway it threatens their

life but others deny religion to stay safe within Mexico. Two characters in the

book react in almost the same way except for a few things they determine them

apart. Those characters are Padre Jose and Mr.Tench. While padre Jose and

Mr.Tench personalities and decision-making are similar, they are different when it

comes to control and religion.

Mr. Tench is a man of little words. He focuses on drinking and getting back to

England. He shows no guilt, barley shows any emotion at all except for anger. It

seems as if he will not be happy with himself and his life until he leaves Mexico he

has changed his way and his life being there and all he really wants is to go home

(England). A depressed and lonely man with no real goals in life but staying alive

perfectly describes Padre Jose. After taking away what people looked at as the norm

and changing the laws/rules of being a priest he lost many followers and Amy hope

of being liked. Although he is still a priest no one wants his presence near him or

her.

One thing that they obviously have in common is being lazy. They don't have any

drive to help other or do anything to really help them. As long as they keep

themselves safe and away from harms way they are succeeding in life. When it

comes to helping people in need both of them struggle. In chapter one the small

asked for a doctor to see his dying mother and Mr.Tench responds by saying "Too

far." Mr.Tench said," Go away. Find someone else."(Pg. 16) he shows no empathy for

that little boy. In the next few chapters you see Padre Jose trying to care but not

putting in the effort he needs to put in to get the respect he wants and needs. He

took the easy way out and stop fighting for his believes he married and is now

controlled by his wife.

Both characters struggle a lot when it comes to respect. Padre Jose is affected by

it much more than Mr.Tench but still relates to him in the way people view them. "

There was no respect anywhere left for him in his home, in his town, in this whole

abandoned star." (Pg. 30) Waking up and day and night knowing that then world is

against you is a horrendous feeling and that's what Padre Jose feels everyday. Padre

lost so much respect when he changed the ways and traditions of being a priest. No

one looks at him as that Holy Father anymore, just as a useless man that can no

longer help him or her. Mr. Tench on the other hand has no respect towards others

and that being so people have no respect towards him.

Religion plays a huge role through out the whole novel. Many characters believe

that religion will save them others given up on it and some never believed in it to

begin with. Mr. Tench doesn't show must interest in religion, if anything he just uses

it to gain a little hope. "When they sacked the church. It didn't feel right- a dentist

room without some stained glass." (Pg. 13) the man had asked where he had gotten

the windows and his response was that. No empathy for the people affected by the

church being sacked or even sorrow for the church itself. Religion means nothing to

him unless it helps him get back to England. Padre Jose on the other hand is still

religious. He is a priest no matter what rules in the church he has broken. He still

tries to help other and still prays for help but his passion is fading because of how

Mexico feels towards him. Overall these two unique characters show many different

and similar attributes. They may not be from the same place or even speak the same

language but they are a like in many ways.