The heart of the matter, By Graham Greene. "The Sinner is often the saint", In what ways does Greene explore this paradox with reference to Scobie?

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Asli Colak

The heart of the matter, By Graham Greene. “The Sinner is often the saint”, In what ways does Greene explore this paradox with reference to Scobie?

        The conflicts surrounding moral responsibility are outlined in Graham Greene’s 1948 novel, The Heart of the Matter.  The story outlines the plight of a man of principle who is unable to fulfill his responsibilities to himself, his wife, and God.  Scobie, an upright assistant commissioner for the police, has little promise of improvement facing life with a small income, few friends, and a malcontent wife.  As he becomes further trapped in his situation, he must choose between upholding religious and moral values or following his heart.  Scobie’s futile attempts to please everyone lead to damnation of his soul and his inevitable suicide.

        Scobie’s initial character changed a great deal to become the man at the end of the story.  As a police officer, Scobie demonstrated complete obedience to the laws he served under, and this attitude was carried over into other aspects of his life.  He was a man dictated by rule, so he defined his life by his responsibilities.  He felt he controlled the happiness of his wife, Louise, and it was his duty to love her.  In religion, he followed all the Catholic values and procedures, which he adopted for Louise.  At this stage of Scobie’s progression, seen in the beginning of the novel, he is only corrupted by the lack of love in his life because of the loss of his daughter.  This event marked the beginning of the decomposition of his healthy marriage to a dry relationship.  The absence of his pure love for his daughter caused Scobie to become more focused on his duties.

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        Scobie’s stern structure for living is shaken up as he progresses towards his demise.  His faith in his religion starts to seem as though he is simply fulfilling the requirements of another duty.  He acknowledges the fact that he does not love Louise, and she similarly recognizes this fact.  This allows her to manipulate Scobie’s guilt to get the things she wants.  Her demands to go to South Africa are only within reason if Major Scobie borrows money from Yusef, a Syrian merchant well known to the police for accusations of diamond smuggling.  Scobie’s feels responsible to keep his wife ...

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