G. K. Chesterton used one of his characters to call another out and exclaimed, ‘“Then something snapped in your soul, and you let God’s thunderbolt fall’” (Chesterton 14). The author believed using another character to call the main character, Wilfred, out would change the way he acted. Wilfred tried to act different around others to make him a more liked person overall, but he was not that. In Chesterton’s Hammer of God, symbolism, foreshadowing, and setting work together to prove that outward appearances deceive.
Deception of outward images is shown through foreshadowing by using the actions of Wilfred, the priest, as he expresses his guilt. As Wilfred begins to realize what horrible deed he has done, his “face was turned away, but his bony hands turned blue and white” (Chesterton 1). This foreshadowing shows Wilfred’s guilt through his “bony hands turning blue” because he is afraid and tries to stay in the shadows of the investigation. He begins to worry and blindly shows his weakness. Wilfred had killed his brother, Norman, to be above him, but he took it to a further extent that ways not necessary. Wilfred was …show more content…
Wilfred contradicts himself throughout the story because he is a priest, but does not care for the God aspect of the church: “He seemed to live for nothing but his religion; but there were some who said...that it was a love of Gothic architecture rather than if God…” (Chesterton 1). Wilfred contradicts himself by being a priest, which means giving himself up for God is his first priority, but only to look at the architectural designs within the building. He tricks all these people into thinking he is religious, yet he is not true to his faith. Wilfred was two-faces by not being honest to those around him that looked up to him as a Christ figure. As Wilfred contradicts himself, it makes him a less liked person instead of a well liked
Deception of outward images is shown through foreshadowing by using the actions of Wilfred, the priest, as he expresses his guilt. As Wilfred begins to realize what horrible deed he has done, his “face was turned away, but his bony hands turned blue and white” (Chesterton 1). This foreshadowing shows Wilfred’s guilt through his “bony hands turning blue” because he is afraid and tries to stay in the shadows of the investigation. He begins to worry and blindly shows his weakness. Wilfred had killed his brother, Norman, to be above him, but he took it to a further extent that ways not necessary. Wilfred was …show more content…
Wilfred contradicts himself throughout the story because he is a priest, but does not care for the God aspect of the church: “He seemed to live for nothing but his religion; but there were some who said...that it was a love of Gothic architecture rather than if God…” (Chesterton 1). Wilfred contradicts himself by being a priest, which means giving himself up for God is his first priority, but only to look at the architectural designs within the building. He tricks all these people into thinking he is religious, yet he is not true to his faith. Wilfred was two-faces by not being honest to those around him that looked up to him as a Christ figure. As Wilfred contradicts himself, it makes him a less liked person instead of a well liked