The Bridge of San Luis Rey, by Thornton Wilder, begins with its focus on a bridge in Peru spanning between Lima and Cuzco. This specific bridge was beautiful and thought to be indestructible. The bridge of San Luis Rey collapsed suddenly, taking five people down with it. This troubled the locals and caught the attention of an Italian monk, Brother Juniper. This man had dedicated his life to using science and reason to prove God’s justice. Brother Juniper said, “But this collapse of the bridge of San Luis Rey was a sheer act of God. It afforded a perfect laboratory. Here at last one could surprise His intentions in a pure state” (Wilder, pg. 5). Because the bridge was indestructible, the event could have only been God’s doing. Brother Juniper
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This girl was the Perichole, or Camila. Uncle Pio poured his life into teaching her, and she became an outstanding artist. As time went on, she pushed him away for a life of money, high status, and motherhood. Uncle Pio continued to stay in contact, but she refused. Eventually the Perichole became sick and got rid of everything that gave her status and secluded herself and her epileptic son away from society. Uncle Pio begged her to let him travel and teach her son, Don Jaime, which she allowed. When Uncle Pio left with Jaime for their travels, the bridge fell while they are crossing it to …show more content…
The five who died in the fall of the bridge of San Luis Rey were good people who undoubtedly loved others. They had done nothing to deserve being killed in the accident. The reason that they died, was so that their loved ones would be affected by the event and in turn, learn how to truly love. The Perichole suffered after she lost her son and Uncle Pio, but she found love and comfort by the abbess. She realized her wrongs with Uncle Pio. Clara also learned that she was mistaken to have rejected her mother as she did. When she met with the abbess, she saw that love was the true meaning all life. She had a change of heart. This theodicy related to Hick’s theodicy that we studied in the second section of class. Hick believed that evil existed so that people may become perfect beings. It was God’s intention that bad things happened in the world, so that our imperfect humans may evolve. The death of these people had a purpose: to allow the one’s left on Earth to become better people. They learned to love. Hick would have made the argument that this kind of “natural” evil was necessary for the improvement of Clara and the Perichole, possibly even the abbess as well. However, the question was also posed by Hick’s argument that evil does not happen directly to the person needing improvement, that it usually happens to others who will influence that person. This is seen in this book, because the evil of dying
This girl was the Perichole, or Camila. Uncle Pio poured his life into teaching her, and she became an outstanding artist. As time went on, she pushed him away for a life of money, high status, and motherhood. Uncle Pio continued to stay in contact, but she refused. Eventually the Perichole became sick and got rid of everything that gave her status and secluded herself and her epileptic son away from society. Uncle Pio begged her to let him travel and teach her son, Don Jaime, which she allowed. When Uncle Pio left with Jaime for their travels, the bridge fell while they are crossing it to …show more content…
The five who died in the fall of the bridge of San Luis Rey were good people who undoubtedly loved others. They had done nothing to deserve being killed in the accident. The reason that they died, was so that their loved ones would be affected by the event and in turn, learn how to truly love. The Perichole suffered after she lost her son and Uncle Pio, but she found love and comfort by the abbess. She realized her wrongs with Uncle Pio. Clara also learned that she was mistaken to have rejected her mother as she did. When she met with the abbess, she saw that love was the true meaning all life. She had a change of heart. This theodicy related to Hick’s theodicy that we studied in the second section of class. Hick believed that evil existed so that people may become perfect beings. It was God’s intention that bad things happened in the world, so that our imperfect humans may evolve. The death of these people had a purpose: to allow the one’s left on Earth to become better people. They learned to love. Hick would have made the argument that this kind of “natural” evil was necessary for the improvement of Clara and the Perichole, possibly even the abbess as well. However, the question was also posed by Hick’s argument that evil does not happen directly to the person needing improvement, that it usually happens to others who will influence that person. This is seen in this book, because the evil of dying