Shusaku Endo has done an excellent job of creating a captivating work of literature that puts his readers into the story. The readers are able to connect with the characters as well as place themselves into the situations. One character development I found particularly interesting was that of Sebastian Rodrigues. There was this back and forth struggle of trusting God’s plan and “Is it worth it?” that I see in many people today, including myself. In the first chapter of Endo’s Silence, Juan de Santa Marta is in poor health. Everyday Rodrigues and Garrpe pray that he will improve very soon, but Marta makes no progress. Rodrigues reacts saying, “Yet God bestows upon a man a fate better than human knowledge could possibly think of or devise.” It can be seen that the men have faith in God and that whatever he has in store is ultimately greater than that of Rodrigues and Garrpe. In chapter four, however, this principle of his is questioned. Rodrigues does not believe God would send them for no reason, but he struggles to see God in the situation. He states once again, “For everything the Lord does is for our good.” With the silence of God, Rodrigues has doubts, but he still believes in God. He has gone from steady faith to doubts and questions, and Endo’s audience can see and feel how his experiences in Japan are changing him. He starts considering what the world would be like if God was not real; Many Christians will have been tortured or made martyrs for a higher power that does not exist. “If he does not exist, how absurd the whole thing becomes,” He says. Later, when Rodrigues witnesses Juan/Chokichi martyred, he feels like God is ignoring the suffering of his people. His doubt and worry is getting stronger as he fails to understand why this is God’s plan, and yet he still believes and is fighting to have faith. I am interested to see what he concludes and the future decisions he makes throughout the last few chapters.
I commented on Rachel Gregson and Jacob Clabo's post.
I commented on Rachel Gregson and Jacob Clabo's post.
Comments
Honestly, after a certain point, I felt as if the book had already ended. The story just became so sad and hopeless that it felt as though there was nothing left. I'm really interested to see if some light can be brought back.