Musings of a Mentor

Dec. 20, 2006

Brandon Hamilton

Posted in Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

As in life, I found several types of love in the story The Bridge of San Luis Rey written by Thornton Wilder. Parent to child love was illustrated through the relationship of Dona Maria and her daughter, Dona Clara. This was a bad love because Dona Clara did not love her mother, but her mother loved her more than anything, even herself. Another bad family relationship was shown between Camila and her son Don Jamie. Camila did not know how to be a mother. The parent-child relationship between Camila and Uncle Pio was a good love because he loved her and took care of her.
    Physical love was shown between Camila and the Viceroy; and Camila and the Matador. Both of these relationships were only physical, Camila was interested in only what she could get from her lovers. She did not understand that true love is giving not always receiving.
    Uncle Pio and Camila’s relationship also demonstrated mentor to student love. This was a good one because she felt comfortable discussing her life with him. Camila knew in her heart that Uncle Pio was a good role model. There should have been a mentor to student relationship between Dona Maria and Pepita but there wasn’t because Dona Maria was too wrapped up in her own world and didn’t know Pepita was with her most of the time.    Towards the end of their stories Pepita was Dona Maria’s mentor, when Pepita taught Dona Maria about real love and courage. Pepita’s real mentor was the Mother Superior. It was she who Pepita truly learned from and could talk to.
    Throughout the whole book, the love of Yahweh shines bright. It was Brother Juniper’s love of Yahweh, and his need to “prove” that love, that led him to investigate the lives of the five people who died when the San Luis Rey Bridge fell. The Abbess showed her love of Yahweh by dedicating her life to the needs of those less fortunate. Uncle Pio’s life was an earthly example of Yahweh’s total unconditional love of man. Dona Maria after being shown how to love by Pepita wrote her Corinthian letter, which showed Yahweh’s love regardless. After the tragedy, Camila joined the convent and became a true servant of Yahweh.
    Love is one of the most important aspects of human relationships. This story illustrated that Yahweh’s love is the source of all love. Man takes this love and expresses it in many simple and complex ways. Wilder has shown us different ways that people express love, both good and bad, it is up to us to learn how to love like Yahweh.

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