Juan Rulfos Pedro Paramo and Religion :: Juan Rulfo Pedro Paramo Essays

Juan Rulfo's Pedro Paramo and Religion    In the novel Pedro Paramo, Juan Rulfo uses religiousness as a characteristic that contrasts with the characters lack of moral codes and lack of faith normally attributed to religion. The people in the town of Comala are obsessed with the afterlife and prayer, and they even attend church regularly, but these are just habits that have lost their original meaning. Rulfo uses these symbolic activities to make the charactersÕ dichotomous nature more apparent. Father Renter'aÕs occupation, the town priest, demands integrity, purity, and the power to believe his own teachings. Father Renter'a might, at one time, have had those attributes but something changed him. The realization and consequences of his own conflictive nature haunt Renter'a, and the town subconsciously senses his anguish, thus shedding light on ComalaÕs religious and psychological condition. A question arises about Renter'aÕs disillusionment with religion: Did the townspeople make Renter'a cynical or did his doubts lead them astray? I think it was more of the former, and the catalyst in Renter'aÕs religious failing was just one man: Miguel Paramo. Miguel Paramo killed Father Renter'aÕs brother and raped Renter'aÕs niece Ana. These events were merely taken in stride with Renter'aÕs philosophy of Ã’never hate anyoneÓ but it was the death of Miguel that dashed Renter'aÕs religious beliefs. Father Renter'a performed the funeral ceremony and did not offer a final benediction partly for selfish reasons of revenge, using his pastoral robe as a barrier. Disregarding Renter'aÕs condescending remarks of Miguel, Pedro Paramo offered gold to the priest as restitution, or a bribe, and said, Ã’Weigh him and forgive him, as perhaps God has forgiven him.Ó At ParamoÕs defiance, Renter'a realized that his religious power was no longer effective or revered in Comala, because ParamoÕs gold was now the controlling force in the land. Crushed and depressed, Renter'a no longer felt worthy of his office; Ã’What has their faith won them? Heaven? Or the purification of their souls? And why purify their souls anyway, at the last momentÉÓ Renter'a had lost all faith in his religion and himself. As if he had failed a test, he says, Ã’Alright Lord, you win.Ó Father Renter'a represents the constant struggle a person has to maintain personal integrity against outside corruption and personal vices.