Monsignor Quixote

Father Quixote is presented at the beginning of Greene’s novel as a model priest. He is humble, honorable and loving, in contrast to his superior, the Bishop. Father Quixote’s religi

In some ways, it is shown that even if faith is an illusion, it is an illusion that can be maintained. Even though Greene is seriously questioning the Christian faith, he reaches no definite conclusion about belief or disbelief, but rather expresses his opinions through a proxy, Father Leopoldo. He expresses a logical path to faith, through much thought. The character of Leopoldo exemplifies this method of forming a personal belief system in that he has dedicated his life to being a Trappist monk and therefore subject only to his own thoughts. The last chapter is a summation of the story. Professor Pilbeam represents the reader, on a journey for knowledge, and Leopoldo the guide or teacher. Father Leopoldo didn’t directly point to what Greene wanted the reader to see as concrete; he merely offered some advice on how to see it. The position taken by Greene is an ingenious one, with regards to faith. He could easily have substituted an Anarchist and a Muslim in for Father Quixote and Sancho for all the difference it would have made, the message is the same. Whatever faith that is found, or isn’t found, it doesn’t matter, there will be a belief. Atheists believe there is no God, Jews believe there is. Communists believe in each other, Capitalists believe in themselves alone. The point Greene has so cleverly made is that we just need to believe, which we do anyway, be it in an illusion like Father Quixote’s ‘las

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