The Inevitable Void

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The Inevitable Void

In Albert Wendt's novel "Leaves of the Banyan Tree," the author traces the lives of three generations of Tauilopepe men. Each man is faced with a changing society consuming his every move. The novel's setting is located in Western Somoa during a time of mass conflict in replacing the old traditions with new ones brought on when paplagi European views came into their lives. The challenges of colonialism on this society cause each of these men to react to this traumatic culture change differently. Tauilopepe, Pepe, and Galupo each have the illusion of power within them based on their own unique moral standards. Each man's behaviors, attitudes towards power, and ambitions for the future show how they are all obsessed with competition and a strong desire to gain as much power as they can.

Early in the novel, Tauilopepe is the head of an aiga and an important chief whose prestige and power shows through his behavior. He takes great pride in providing the basic elements of living for his family. Though, soon after, materialistic greed consumes Tauilopepe causing a perversion in his family system. His behavior is now geared toward setting his own laws on how his family shall live. His actions have become motivated on papalagi standards, and are not of the traditional Somoan ways anymore. Even the church has become a place where money equals power. Tauilopepe's corrupt behavior now shows when he is given the opportunity to preach in church. Instead of teaching on God's love for this community, he uses his newfound power to preach on `God, Money, and Success.' Tauilopepe's sermon has direct consequences on this village. The village spends all of its resources in building a new church so that Tauilopepe can be ...

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...ve the illusion of power based on their unique moral standards throughout the novel, but in the end the darkness holds all the power. Each man's behaviors, attitudes towards power, and their ambitions for the future allow them to be obsessed with competition along with their strong desires to gain as much power as possible. The novels concludes on an invitation for the reader to identify which character was worthy enough for our affections based on their moral standards. Tauilopepe is considered a villain until he loses his illusion of power, but gains self-confidence that brings him closer to mankind. Pepe is considered a rebel until he loses his power of persuasion, but gains peace of mind. Now with Galupo, we are left in the dark for so long that he is a very mysterious man. In turn, he gains the illusion of power but loses the environment that engulfs his soul.

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