Literal Meaning of Sebastian Rodrigues’ Decision Ego

33 of those who ignorant people is flowing again. ‟At least Garrpe was clean. But you..you.. You are the most weak willed. You don‟t deserve the name of “father”.‟ p.206 In this part, the novel shows that Rodrigues must choose whether or not he makes a sin against God, by apostate his faith, or against human morality. He wants to escape the Christians by making himself as a traitor, but in the deep of his heart he can do that because he is a priest. A priest must be the representation to preserve the faith despite must sentence to death. But in this case, the government also persecuted the peasant, who did not any mistakes. This situation makes Rodrigues feels confused to decide which resolution that he will choose. Furthermore, Rodrigues feels dilemma after he had been tortured and jailed under Inoue‟s order. In the jail, the interpreter begs Rodrigues to apostate his faith and save the life of Japanese Christians. The interpreter feels that his brother and sister must die in vain just to k eep their “stupid” faith. The interpreter tried to convince Rodrigues to forget his dreams and becoming a Buddhist. “Well father. How is it? Does no one come to help you? To your right and left are there nothing but voices of derision? And to thing that you came to this country for them; and yet not a single one feels that he needs you. You‟re useless fellow-- useless.” p.239 The main problem for Rodrigues is not about convert to Buddhism or not, but because of his title as a priest, whether he must be a warrior of faith or to save people by sacrifice himself and choose to apostate. This is a difficult situation for Rodrigues, especially when he knows that his former teacher, 34 Ferreira, who taught the ideality of a Catholic priest precisely leave his glorious faith. In the propaganda that was arranged by Inoue, Ferreira came to the front of Rodrigues and tells him about the situation. He tries to assure Rodrigues that a priest must watch and release people from sufferings, especially in persecution issue. Ferreira told Rodriguess that prayer does nothing to alleviate the sufferings, but actions do. He begs Rodrigues not to selfi sh but to think the people‟s life too. This is the quotes that Ferreira told to Rodrigues: “Certainly Christ would apostatized for them.... Christ would certainly apostatized to help men.” p. 257 Ferreira reminds Rodrigues that a priest must imitate Christ as a role of his life. In the persecution time, when the peasant will be the victims, Christ will forgive them who apostate Him, because the most important things is charity action, rather than the idealistic of faith. Ferreira said that he eventually apostatizes because of the silence of God, he always prays and begs to God to release him and the Christians, but there is no answer, so he decides to save the Chriatians by trample the fumie. In the day when Rodrigues was put to the jail, there are three unfortunate Christians are hanged and suspended in the pit. Behind their ears a small incision has been made, so the blood can slowly drip through the incision. They were moaning every night, and Rodrigues supposes that the sound is person‟s snoring. The official granted that if Rodrigues apostatize, those people will be released from the pit. 35 The day after the conversation with Ferreira, the fumie was brought in the front of Rodrigues. Rodrigues thinks the significance of Christ figure in his life, especially when he still young. In the other hand he remembered the Christians who are moaning in the pit. When he looked at the bronze Christ face, he hears the revelation „Trample Trample I more than anyone know the pain in your foot. Trample It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share men ‟s pain that I carried my cross.‟ p.259 In the end of Chapter 8, Rodrigues put his foot on the fumie, and the officials release the three Christians from the pit. After Rodrigues has apostatized his faith, Inoue give her a privilege to take over the land in Kobinatacho, Edo. Inoue also gives Rodrigues a house and wife of a recently deceased man. He will take over the dead man‟s name; Okada Sanemon p.283 Rodrigues action shows that he has a difficult choice to choose. In the deep of his heart, he still wants to be a priest. Apostasy is a shame for him, because of his decision Rodrigues automatically being expelled from the Catholic Church, the dearest institution in his life. Harjana 1991 states that human action is dealing with life and social conditions p.85. By this action, Rodrigues choose to save the human‟s life rather than stand on the ideal standard of becoming a good Christian.