The Way

The character that I chose is the main character of this film, a California doctor named Tom Avery. The journey that Tom goes on puts him on many of Father Martin’s paths to God. His son dies while trying to complete the Camino de Santiago. Avery is an upper class man enjoying a life of luxury, seemingly cutoff from the rest of society. The sudden death of his young son shatters his world image, along with his faith. When Tom goes to church and is asked by the priest to join him in prayer, he questions him. His lack of faith in God due to the traumatic, while not abnormal, puts him directly on the Path of Disbelief. 

Tom’s dangerous journey puts him directly on the Path of Exploration. This is indicative of a typical relationship with God, with the many ups and downs he goes through. By no means is this an easy journey, as not everyone is successful making this journey. Along the way he meets a lot of new people, from many different backgrounds than him. All of this is representative of an explorative relationship with God. Everyone he meets including, Jack, Joost, and Sarah come from completely different backgrounds all looking for different results from the pilgrimage. This is similar to how everyone wants something different from their relationship with God. Tom leaving his comfort zone and having a positive mindset on this journey with his new friends shows he is on the Path of Exploration.

When Tom finally reaches Santiago de Compostela, his pilgrimage is over. He has finished the journey in Daniel’s name and presents his ashes to James’s casket, as well as requesting Daniel’s name be on the completion certificate rather than his. Rather than going home as Tom might have done if the true power of God had not affected him on this trip, he decided to continue the pilgrimage to Muxia. While still dedicated to his son and his religious aspirations, Tom is continuing his own religious dreams, but this time on his own and for himself. Through this action, Tom shows he is on the Path of Belief.