Spiritual Transformation in the novel Pouliuli

Early on a drizzly Saturday morning Faleasa Osovae . . . woke with a strange bitter taste in his mouth to find . . . that everything and everybody that he was used to and had enjoyed, and that till then had given meaning to his existence, now filled him with an almost unbearable feeling of revulsion---yes, that was the only word for it, revulsion (1).

This alienated feeling of revulsion might be easily understood in a man who had nothing in life, had no family or friends, or who had accomplished nothing life, but the exact opposite is true for Faleasa. At 76 years old, he has lived a full and apparently satisfying life. He is the "titled head" of his land, the "most respected alii in the village," is the "faithful husband of a devoted Felefele" and the "stern but generous father of seven sons and five obedient daughters" (1). He is in remarkably good health for a man of his age. He "should" be enjoying his golden years in happiness and serenity, but instead he is confronted with th

. . .
at I now see as an insane existence. . . . If I had my life to live again I would not become a leader. And now all I want for the remaining years of my life is to be free (17). Of course, it is not easy to be the "only sane man" in a world of "insane" people. Being free costs a lot---both for Faleasa and for everybody around him. In other words, Faleasa may indeed be living spiritually for the first time in his life, but that does not mean that such a change makes life easier for him or for anybody else. Wendt takes us back to Faleasa's childhood, to several scenes in which Faleasa is, in a sense, prepared for what will happen to him at the age of 76. In one such scene the young Faleasa first makes friends with Laaumatua, who is club-footed. Laaumatua kills a pig, and the two boys cook and eat it. Faleasa's father, a leader in the village, demands a confession. The boys lie, and, as a result apparently, Faleasa falls very ill. His father believes the boy has lied, and Faleasa finally confesses. His father tells Faleasa: "It was that cripple, wasn't it? . . . I forbid you to ever see [Laaumatua) again. Hear me, I forbid you!" But Faleasa says "[Laaumatua] had nothing to do with it. . . . And he's not a cripple!" His father raise
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Faleasa Osovae, Faleasa Laaumatua, Wendt Faleasa's, Pouliuli Wendt, , Albert Wendt's, Laaumatua Hear, Hawaii Press, alienated feeling, opposite true, spiritual awakening, traditional values, life lived, life vanity, insane world, life madness, faleasa osovae, age 76,
Approximate Word count = 1376
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)