Well, Silence
definitely has a different feel from any of the other novels we have read this
semester. I really like how Endo intertwines both fictional plot/characters and
history, making the story all the more compelling. The novel begins with a
brief background on the “Christian” situation in Japan, but from the start
readers are exposed to the confusion that the Church is facing with regard to
Japan. This confusion is caused by lack of communication, which has been
non-existent following the mystery of Ferreira’s disappearance. Enter Sebastian
Rodrigues, Francisco Garrpe and Juan de Santa Marta, three young priests
determined to find their mentor (Ferreira) and continue the work those before
them have started.
I know this was mentioned in class, but Silence definitely
has a lot in common with The Power and
the Glory. Kichijiro appears to resemble the half-caste man, the priests
identify him as a potential Judas from the very beginning. So far, Kichijiro
has fulfilled all of his duties and is making quite a case for being a good
Christian (despite denying his association with Christianity until on Japanese
soil), but the novel is still young. I’m not quite sure how I feel about Kichijiro.
He wants power in the Christian community the priests are building in Goto, but
has shown in the past that when put under pressure he will deny his faith. Is
it fair to assume this is still the case? I’m not sure, but for some reason I’m
not about to nominate Kichijiro for Jiisama.
As for the priests (the two that made the journey), I see
them as “innocent” versions of the whiskey priest. Innocent, because they
really don’t yet know what they’ve gotten themselves into; it’s one thing to
think about spreading the good news in a hostile nation, but quite another to
actually face persecution. The priests have very good luck in the beginning,
which builds up their confidence, but (as we see in the last bit of reading)
reality sets back in when the presence of the guards reminds them of the very
real danger.
A part I found interesting and slightly confusing was the
scene where the Sebastian gives the peasants of Goto the beads of his rosary.
He makes the comment that, “I supposed it is not a bad thing that the Japanese
Christians should reverence such things; but somehow their whole attitude makes
me uneasy. I keep asking myself if there is not some error in their outlook”
(45). What is troubling Sebastian about the Japanese Christian’s desire for and
reaction to his gift?
At one point Sebastian questions the reasoning behind this
trip to Japan, which in a way relates to his very vocation. In this part I saw
a parallel to the whiskey priest as Sebastian states, “We priests are in some
ways a sad group of men. Born into the world to render service to mankind,
there is no one more wretchedly alone than the priest who does not measure up
to his task” (19). This is a little off-topic, but isn’t this the exact problem
that the whiskey priest faced? He found himself so unworthy of his task that
whiskey priest felt completely deserted. If he couldn’t live up to his
vocation, the priest felt he wasn’t serving people and as a result felt
unworthy of God (heaven, etc). (I know we had a big debate on the topic of the
priest’s humbleness etc. so I will leave this at that) However in relation to Silence, I think the priests are afraid
that they will not “measure up” to the task at hand. Maybe this is one of the
reasons they feel called to find out the fate of their much loved and respected
teacher, Ferreira. This man shaped and encouraged their faith as Christians and
eventually priests, making his (Ferreira’s) apostasy that much more devastating.
If Ferreira couldn’t live up to his calling, what does that say for those he
taught?
When I read your comparison of Kichijiro to the half-caste, it was almost like an ah-ha! moment. I couldn't figure out why he seemed so familiar and now I can see why, so thank you for generating that revelation! Also, like you mentioned and we discussed in class, there are many parallels to "The Power and the Glory." Once such quote that stuck out as an obvious parallel was, "But Christ did not die for the good and beautiful. It is easy enough to die for the good and beautiful; the hard thing to die is for the miserable and corrupt" (38) in the concept of suffering. In both novels, a Catholic understanding of suffering is emphasized in that it is not inherently evil because it glorifies Christ's death.
ReplyDeleteGood observation Paige. That's definitely a great parallel.
DeleteGreat post Alex! You've pulled out some of the best passages from this section of the reading and made some great connections with the Graham Greene novel.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right to focus on the quote from p. 45 as a key point, where Rodrigues questions the depth of the Japanese people's faith. I wonder if he is thinking about the parable of the seed and the sower from the Gospels, and the idea that some believers who are converted quickly often don't really have deep roots in their faith, it remains on the surface, and then withers under trial and hardships. Keep this in mind as we read further in the novel - (and especially as Rodrigues's own faith gets tested, quite severely...)
This is a totally separate comment, dealing with the beginning of the next section. I found the 1st big paragraph on pg. 55 to be piercingly painful, and very vivid commentary on Kichijiro's motives (which I think is really helpful for the reader). I'm not sure how you guys are, but I find myself constantly wavering between anger and frustration with him, and sympathy (and anger and frustration at Rodrigues for not being more understanding). I think Kichijiro's question is one that every person, of faith or not, has to ponder--reconciling the silence of God with the idea of a loving, ever-present, and active God.
ReplyDeletePg. 55:
"'Why has Deus Sama imposed this suffering upon us?' And then the resentment in those eyes that he turned upon me. 'Father,' he had said, 'what evil have we done?'
I suppose I should simply cast from my mind these meaningless words of the coward; yet why does his plaintive voice pierce my breast with all the pain of a sharp needle? Why has Our Lord imposed this torture and this persecution on poor Japanese peasants? No, Kichijiro was trying to express something different, something even more sickening. The silence of God. Already twenty years have passed since the persecution broke out; the black soil of Japan has been filled with the lament of so many Christians; the red blood of priests has flowed profusely; the walls of the churches have fallen down; and in the face of the terrible and merciless sacrifice offered up to Him, God has remained silent. This was the problem that lay behind the plaintive question of Kichijiro."
Good point, Paige, about the comparison between the half-caste and Kichijiro. And the similarities between Silence and The Power and the Glory don't stop there. In addition to the theme of redemptive suffering you pointed out, both books feature priest protagonists hunted by a state murderously-hostile to Christianity. Both involve betrayal by Judas characters for money. And both include other priests that have either fled out of fear or apostatized out of weakness.
ReplyDeleteOne significant difference that strikes me, at least thus far, is that Rodrigues and his companion seem to have far fewer flaws than the "whiskey priest." It'll be interesting to see if this continues to be the case as the novel progresses...
I love the parallel you drew between the whiskey priests and these priests with the comment about loneliness. And the comment about Ferreira. I think that is why priests can be so lonely sometimes. They feel like they have to set a perfect example for the lay people or else those people won't want anything to do with the faith. Plus, they carry the burden of pretty much everyone's sins. Having to listen to them in confession and not being able to tell anyone...
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point, Katy. To add to your thoughts, I think Rodrigues' loneliness can ultimately be traced back to his inability to adequately perform his priestly duties due to the persecution. Yet paradoxically it is also this very commitment to service that pushes him to keep going despite the circumstances. On page 71, Rodrigues' dangerous decision to enter a foreign village is prompted by his humbling realization that
ReplyDelete"...it might well be that the poverty-stricken Christians were hungering for a priest to administer the Blessed Sacrament, hear their confessions and baptize their children. In this desert from which missionaries and priests had been expelled the only one who could give the water of life to this island tonight was myself."
If anything is going to hinder Rodrigues, it will be a loss of his priestly identity. He himself admits so a few pages back:
"Were I an ordinary Christian, not a priest, would I have fled in the same way? What kept me going now might be my self-respect and my priestly sense of duty." (p. 62)
I really like your description of Kichijiro and Judas, even though it is mentioned by the priest in the book. The way you described it makes it an even more powerful image than Rodrigues describes it himself. It is challenging to see truth from personal opinion in letter style novels, but it is evident that this Judas assumption is not just in Rodrigues' head. As we finished the novel, I really began to hate Kichijiro and would find myself becoming annoyed whenever he was in the plot. He is a great foil character to not exactly Rodrigues' whole character, bu at least his missionary aspects. Kichijiro, along with Judas, show the temptation of the Christlike character and how it can lead him in to trouble.
ReplyDeleteHey Alex, Great post! Yeah, I agree with you about the priests being "innocent versions" of the whisky priest. Do you remember the five basic stages of a relationship we talked about when discussing marriage and divorce in "brideshead"(infatuation, disillusionment, trying to change the other person, despair, and decision to love). I think Rodrigues and Garrpe are definitely in their infatuation phase in their relationship with God at the beginning of the novel.
ReplyDeleteIt might be interesting to use the five phases of relationship to help analyze the plot of these stories and trace the characters relationships with God and others.
Alex, about your question: "What is troubling Sebastian about the Japanese Christian’s desire for and reaction to his gift?"
ReplyDeleteRosaries and other sacramental are supposed to be reminders of faith. They aren't to be used as good luck charms or magic. Rodrigues is probably worried that the Japanese are regarding the objects like rosaries and crucifixes as such. Faith should be in God, not objects.
As we have learned in class, the Catholic faith is deeply rooted in the material and sensual not just the spiritual. This means misinformed or ignorant Catholics may be more prone to superstition. You can read the quote again, below. Hopefully, it makes more sense now.
“I supposed it is not a bad thing that the Japanese Christians should reverence such things; but somehow their whole attitude makes me uneasy. I keep asking myself if there is not some error in their outlook”
Thank tim, that really does help. I like the how you emphasize that the objects are just reminders of faith. This is a really clear way of explaining this. I'm wondering if this moment could have haunted Rodrigues later in the story when Ferreira was trying to convince him that the Japanese didn't truly know the Christian God.
DeleteThe comparisons to the Whisky Priest are numerous throughout, but I definitely agree that here they are innocent versions of him. They clearly do not lead the same style lives that the Whisky Priest does. As a man of questionable moral standing, the two priests here do not possess the same morals as the Whisky Priest. With his moral problems of drinking and fathering an illegitimate child, these priests are completely innocent and still men of God.
ReplyDelete