Historical Criticism of The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene Graham Greene’s, The Power and the Glory, is a religious novel that shows the collision between religion and politics in a small state in Mexico during the 1930’s post revolution (“Facts of ‘The Power and the Glory” ‘by Wolters and Noordhoff, 1994). This struggle between the Church and the State is as a result of the five articles of the 1917 Constitution. Article 3 called for …showed first 75 words of 1925 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1925 total…duty as a priest, and as a human being. Greene also incorporates animals in this novel to represent symbolism. This use of animal imagery is used frequently throughout the story. These basic themes are used to equate to human nature. For example, the priest was equated to Jesus who rode a mule. In the novel, the priest rides a mule too. Vultures, which are birds that feed upon decaying flesh, were used to symbolize death.