The Devil and Miss Prym
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| The Devil and Miss Prym | |
| Author | Paulo Coelho |
|---|---|
| Original title | O Demônio e a srta Prym |
| Country | Brazil |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publication date | 2000 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Pages | 224 pp (Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-007-11605-5 |
The Devil and Miss Prym (O Demônio e a srta Prym) is a novel by Paulo Coelho.
The book tries to find an answer to a question that arises in the human mind at times of distress, rejection or betrayal. Put simply, the question is "Are people bad?".
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
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- The climax comes when every one of the villagers have a rifle pointed towards the old, unconscious Berta. There is a twist ending.
- A shepherd named Santiago, is mentioned. This is probably an allusion to Paulo Coelho's, "The Alchemist".
[edit] Characters
[edit] The Devil or The Stranger
A wealthy, affectionate father, lost his family (wife and daughters) due to a terrorist-business transaction gone wrong. He would like to understand what happened to his family in the hands of the terrorist. He would like to know what was going on in the minds of the terrorists -did they feel pity and thought of letting the hostages go since their war had nothing to do with his family. He arrived in Viscos (a small peaceful village) by chance just like how the terrorist took his family as hostage. In that place he buried his gold and sought the answer to his question, "When good and evil are pitted together, there is a fraction of a second when good might prevail."
[edit] Miss Prym
Young Miss Prym and Old (Widow) Berta are the most important characters he meets in the village. The stranger tries to use Miss Prym as an instrument to provoke the villagers to commit a murder and so prove that mankind is evil. The Devil offers to leave the gold bars with the villagers if they commit murder. Miss Prym can be considered the angel, resisting the devil and fighting against him to save the villagers from making a terrible mistake. At the same time she thinks about taking the gold herself and run away to the city.
[edit] Old Berta
Old Berta was widowed years ago due to her husband's hunting accident. Although her husband died long ago, she believes to be always in his company. He taught her to understand the language of nature - and most importantly, to take signs. Old Berta would sit everyday on her porch, which made the other villagers to consider her a witch.
The villagers decide to sacrifice Old Berta's life in exchange of the stranger's gold bars and agree to put up a fountain in her memory in exchange of her sacrifice.
[edit] Major themes
The book is deep in meaning; It teaches one to believe in nature but also makes one responsible for actions happening around them. It makes one realise, most of what is already known, but never realised. The book has become a big hit in the international market[citation needed].
