Eating humble pie is pretty much the prerequisite of every good choice, deed, or thought in The Pilgrim's Progress. At the top of the story, Christian is totally unable to help himself by himself. This seems to represent the idea that it's necessary to be humble if you want to be converted.
In Bunyan's mind, you've got to admit that you're lost without Christ before you can be saved. As is frequently repeated, characters can either choose to be first or be last—to be self-interested, self-willed, and powerful now, or be humble and glorified later. The choice, good pilgrims, is yours.
Questions About Humilty
- What are the factors that cause and prevent the attitude of humility in The Pilgrim's Progress?
- Of all the religious types Bunyan could have used, how does the pilgrim represent his notion of humility?
- Are there places in the story where Christian, in a sense, forgets to be humble? What causes him to get a fat head and how does Bunyan warn against this?
- He may be humble, but Christian also knows his mind and how to argue… particularly as the story progresses. How does humility relate to intellectual strength and success in Bunyan's worldview?
Chew on This
Not all authorities are created equal… and no man can serve two masters in The Pilgrim's Progress. Throughout the story, Bunyan's creation of two opposing powers (Christ and Satan) emphasizes the inevitability and exclusivity of allegiance.
Throughout Bunyan's allegory, images of nature, both horrible and majestic, are used to impress on Christian the extent of God's power.