The Power and the Glory

Compare and contrast the lieutenant and the whisky priest. How are they similar and different? How do their beliefs coincide and diverge? Support your observations by citing the text.

What is the mestizo’s role in the story? Do his actions constitute a betrayal, or are they justifiable? Cite the text to support your views.

How is the authority of the Church similar to or different from the authority wielded by the government? Examine this question from the perspectives of the whisky priest, the lieutenant, the mestizo, and the villagers, all of whom likely experience this authority in different ways.

Is the whisky priest a martyr? Why or why not? Are any of the other characters portrayed as martyrs? What is the importance of redemption in the novel? Cite the text to support your views.

How does the whisky priest get his name? What is the significance of alcohol in the book? Reference passages from the text in forming a response.

How does duty influence the whisky priest’s actions? The lieutenant’s actions? Padre José’s actions? Cite the text to support your observations.

Why is it important to the whisky priest to preserve the memory of the Church? Conversely, why is it important for the lieutenant for the memory of the Church to be erased? Reference passages from the text in forming a response.

How does pain function in the novel? Why is the whisky priest so concerned about pain rather than about death? Cite the text in your response.