Vultures
These scavenger birds make their first appearance right at the start of the novel, indifferently eye-balling Mr. Tench. He's a curiosity, but not yet carrion. There must be carrion around, however,...
Decay
Not too many folks in The Power and the Glory have pearly white teeth, but there's more than enough rot to go around. The dentist Mr Tench observes death in the "carious mouth" of the priest (1.1.7...
Converted Churches
The lieutenant aspires to create a place where no memories of the Church remain, but signs of the old religion persist despite his best efforts. What did he expect? To just erase the Church from so...
Jail Cells
Busted for carrying a bottle of brandy and unable to pay the fine, the priest ends up in a crowded jail cell. Feeling a strange companionship with his fellow prisoners, he tells the others there th...
Alcohol
Like most of the imagery in The Power and the Glory, alcohol has opposing meanings that are actually complementary. Like yin and yang. Bert and Ernie. Biggie and Tupac. On the one hand, alcohol is...
Children
Children are our future, the saying goes. If so, the future doesn't look too bright for the Church. Most of the children we meet in the novel have no memories of a time before the persecution. The...