The Bystanders (The Power and the Glory pg.48-60).

“There were few people about; it was too hot. If only, he though, we had a proper photograph – he wanted to know the features of his enemy. A swarm of children had the plaza to themselves. They were playing some obscure and intricate game from bench to bench.”

It is amazing to see how many children get brainwashed and used during wars or revolutions. In this chapter of The Power and the Glory I have learned that people who live in poor areas are extremely naïve. What do I mean with poor areas? I mean places were children have to work instead of going to school. I mean places were grown ups boss children around all the time. Sadness, is the word I can use to describe what I feel when I read about children living in terrible conditions. Feeling this made me realize education is indispensable in life.

In The Power and the Glory the lieutenant is walking around a plaza and a bottle smashes at his feet. He then starts talking to these children who are playing around. He talks to them about how they are all in the same side, for they are not “gringos”. He then shows them his gun, and they all seem to be amazed and excited. “ ‘Did you throw that bottle?’ The heavy brown eyes stared sullenly back at him. ‘What were you doing?’ ‘It was a bomb.’ ‘Where you throwing it at me?’ ‘No.’ ‘What then?’ ‘A gringo.’ The lieutenant smiles- an awkward movement of the lips.” This quotation clearly explains how the lieutenant takes advantage of what had just happened and tries to brainwash the children. These situations happen every day. In Colombia, for example, the guerrilla finds little kids running around all day. Their job is to convince these kids that to fight for their rights and freedom is not a bad thing to do. Soon, these children get completely brainwashed and end up either killing other people or participating on the illicit drug organizations.

Every child in the world deserves a chance to be someone. They deserve a chance to learn. They deserve the opportunity to have a better future that the ones their parents might have. This can only happen throughout education. Hopefully, on the next couple of years everyone in the world learns to read and write, and hopefully everyone gets the chance to work and get to be better people.