History Literature / ThePowerAndTheGlory

* TheSoCalledCoward: The priest reminds everyone, at every opportunity, that he's flawed and cowardly man.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by Creator/{{Graham Greene|Author}}, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico in the 1930s during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed by socialists. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state's police, who hunt him down, and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece. The book is the trope namer for the {{stock character}} of the booze-addled {{Whisky Priest}}.

* AllLovingHero: The priest aspires to be this, and criticizes himself harshly for not living up to this ideal. He feels a great deal of paternal affection for Brigitta, and he's deeply ashamed that he doesn't care as deeply for everyone else he meets.

* WorthyOpponent: Played with. The lieutenant is a brave and principled man, albeit a ruthless fanatic; the priest eventually comes to see him as a good one. The priest, a good man, is eventually seen by the lieutentant as a brave and principled one.

* MyCountryRightOrWrong: The lieutenant believes this. Played with, in the case of the priest: he becomes more and more aware of the flaws of the church, but remains ferociously loyal to what it is in spirit rather than what it is on earth.

* CorruptChurch: Playing with this is more or less the entire focus of the novel. The priest sacrifices everything to do his duty, yet charges poor people for baptisms in order to buy alcohol, is often drunk and [[spoiler: has a child]]. The saintly Bishop flees the country to preside over a cathedral in safety. The only other priest remaining, Father Jose, conforms to the demand to marry and abandons his vocation.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by Creator/GrahamGreene, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico in the 1930s during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed by socialists. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state's police, who hunt him down, and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece. The book is the trope namer for the {{stock character}} of the booze-addled {{Whisky Priest}}.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by Creator/GrahamGreene, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico in the 1930s during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed by socialists. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state's police, who hunt him down, and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece. The book is the trope namer for the {{stock character}} of the booze-addled {{Whiskey Priest}}.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by Creator/GrahamGreene, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece. The book is the trope namer for the {{stock character}} of the booze-addled {{Whiskey Priest}}.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by Creator/GrahamGreene, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece. The book is the trope namer for the {{stock character}} of the booze-addled {{WhiskeyPriest}}.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by Creator/GrahamGreene, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece.

* AntiHero: The whiskey priest, a vice-riddled, exhausted man who ends up becoming [[spoiler:a martyr and memetic hero]] by his sheer refusal to stop serving the Church.

* AntiVillain: The lieutenant, a WellIntentionedExtremist with a DarkAndTroubledPast.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: The lieutenant, trying to improve his country and its people, which he sees as in thrall to a CorruptChurch. In order to do this, he is happy to order the deaths of men he knows are perfectly innocent and randomly chosen in order to find one priest. Yet the priest believes he's a good man, as only a good man would give money to someone he thought was a worthless beggar.

* AntiHero: the whiskey priest.
* AntiVillain: the lieutenant.

* CorruptChurch: Playing with this is more or less the entire focus of the novel. The priest sacrifices everything to due his duty, yet charges poor people for baptisms in order to buy alcohol, is often drunk and [[spoiler: has a child]]. The saintly Bishop flees the country to preside over a cathedral in safety. The only other priest remaining, Father Jose, conforms to the demand to marry and abandons his vocation.

* HopeSpot: Three notable examples, though the entire novel is full of them. The priest's first failed escape. The priest buying wine and whiskey, only to have the latter drunk. And [[spoiler:the priest escaping over the border when it becomes clear that his presence is only putting others in danger. He then returns, knowing it's a trap, in order to do his duty.]] Throughout the novel, the priest is given the opportunity to escape, only each time something stops him.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Captain Fellows and his wife desert their plantation, and when they reappear, their daughter Coral is no longer with them. They're reluctant to talk about what happened, even among themselves, so Coral's fate remains a mystery.

Tropes include:

The novel was loosely adapted by Creator/JohnFord as ''The Fugitive'' (1947), starring Creator/HenryFonda. Greene hated the movie, but Ford liked it and ranks it among his best works.

* ChekhovsGun: The American convict; the priest baptising a (male) baby Birgitta whilst drunk.

* DecoyProtagonist: Tench the dentist.
* DirtyCop: The Chief of Police (unknowingly) drinks (illegal) alcohol with the priest. Also a larger theme: both the church and the state have corrupt practitioners.
* DownerEnding: From a certain perspective.
* HopeSpot: Three notable examples, though the entire novel is full of them. The priest's first failed escape. The priest buying wine and whiskey, only to have the latter drunk, and [[spoiler:The priest escaping over the border when it becomes clear that his presence is only putting others in danger. He then returns, knowing it's a trap, in order to do his duty.]] Throughout the novel, the priest is given the opportunity to escape, only each time something stops him.

* MyCountryRightOrWrong: The lieutenant belives this. Played with, in the case of the priest: he becomes more and more aware of the flaws of the church, but remains ferciously loyal to what it is in spirit above what it is on earth.
* NoNameGiven: Both the priest and the lieutenant.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: The lieutenant, trying to improve his country and its people, which he sees as in thrall to a CorruptChurch. In order to do this, he is happy to order the deaths of men he knows are perfectly innocent and randomly chosen in order to find one priest. Yet the priest believes he's a good man, as only a good man would give money to someone he thought was a worthless beggar.

The novel was loosely adapted by Creator/JohnFord as ''The Fugitive'' (1947), starring Creator/HenryFonda. Greene hated the movie.

''The Power and the Glory'' is a novel by GrahamGreene, published in 1940. It takes place in Mexico during the time when, in several states, religion (and priests) were outlawed. The hero is a nameless alcoholic priest who has decided, unlike most, to stay in Mexico as a fugitive from the state and a savior to the people. The novel is generally considered a literary masterpiece.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic: So. Much. Religious imagery. In keeping with the novel's theological perspective, everything has at least two meanings.