Introduction
In this novel, In His Steps, Charles Monroe Sheldon shows the readers how different people perceive the city of Raymond. The shabby man sees the city’s residents as hypocritical liars who pretend to be good people. Norman wants to perceive people as truly interested in Christianity, who are innocent and religious. Maxwell fights for his concept of “good,” trying to destroy all the evil in Raymond and make it a better place.
Main body
The first character to explore is the one without any name, the shabby stranger. This person is extremely honest and hates when people lie, especially to themselves. He is astonished that citizens are self-centered: “a lot of awful troubles in the world wouldn’t exist if all the people who sing such songs went and lived them out” (Sheldon 6). He accuses people who visit the church of hypocrisy and states that the problems have to be solved directly, so singing and praying will not help.
The next character to discover is Edward Norman, a local newspaper editor. Due to his job, he claims that the city lacks a good Christian newspaper. The man is confident in himself and his idea: “there are over twenty thousand church members in this city. If half of them will stand by the news, its life is assured” (Sheldon 80). However, after its release, the paper is not becoming popular: Norman was wrong; the real picture did not meet his expectations.
The last character to explore is Maxwell, a religious man who fights against any manifestations of evil. He states that selling and buying alcohol and tobacco are human enemies. He wants to see Raymond as a city of pure and innocent people. He has dissonance: “It does not seem possible that this is a city full of Christian disciples” (Sheldon 40). Unfortunately, his hopes become alleviated when he sees the accurate picture; however, he does not give up and continues fighting.
Conclusion
In conclusion, every character sees the city of Raymond from a subjective perspective. The shabby man considers the city’s residents as hypocritical liars who pretend to be good people. Norman wants to perceive people as genuinely interested in Christianity, who are innocent and religious. Maxwell fights for his concept of “good,” trying to destroy all the evil in Raymond and make it a better place.
Work Cited
Sheldon, Charles. “In His Steps.” Chicago Advance, 1899. p. 1-284.