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Suffering in “Silence” Endo Shusaku
Zelun Kang
History has sad stories that are rich in people suffering because of their race, religion, or status in society. These stories are found in many books and affect the victims’ perception of their abusers. The text documents the story of Sebastian Rodrigues, who set out to Japan in 1697 as a young Jewish priest. Sebastian sets out with two other priests to learn more about Christovao Ferreira. The latter is a respected theologian and missionary who received criticism because of apostasy. The final paper will look at different ways that the characters face and what causes their pain. This paper looks at Christian persecution and suffering in Japan according to the text.
In the story, most Christians lived under heavy persecution and were tortured into apostasy. Many Christians in Japan were tortured and humiliated because of their faith and belief in God, which Ferreira believed to be wrong. Ferreira begins the story by suggesting that apostasy was a wrong move toward Christians. Forcing people into apostasy does not simply refer to the failure of a person but humiliating defeat for the faith and the whole of Europe (Endo, 1966, p. 6). In the beginning, some priests also wonder whether the priest is still alive in Japan or has succumbed to torture.
The story explores the idea of torture and suffering, which will be explained in the final paper of this course. The story’s theme of suffering is apparent as it demonstrates how Christians in Japan are tortured because of their faith and belief in God. In addition, the paper will look at how different texts studied in this course portray the idea of suffering and how people try to escape their situation. The final paper will also try looking at different races and people, such as the Jews who were persecuted for their faith, and how it resonates and relates with the text chosen for the final paper.
References
Endo, S. (1966).
Silence. Taplinger Publishing Company