Good Vs. Evil in Brighton Rock   Nikhil Meka 12th Grade

The conflict between good and evil is a prevalent theme in literature. Graham Greene incorporates the conflict throughout the text of his novel Brighton Rock. In order to do this he uses two prominent characters, Ida Arnold and Pinkie Brown. Ida represents “good” and is portrayed as a woman with high morals and sensibility, whereas Pinkie represents “evil” and is portrayed as a merciless sociopath. Throughout the plot of Brighton Rock, the two characters continuously clash, which assists in setting up the theme of good versus evil. The characterizations of Ida and Pinkie, as well as the underlying themes of morality and malevolence, create the conflict between good and evil in Brighton Rock.

Early on in the novel, Pinkie accosts Hale on the street when he is talking to two girls. During his conversation with Hale and the girls, Pinkie is described as someone with “grey inhuman…eyes” (12) and a “serious dead voice” (13). These characteristics immediately put Pinkie in a negative light, as his eyes convey that he lacks qualities of compassion and mercy, and his voice reflects his lack of emotion and liveliness. Thus, Greene characterizes Pinkie as some sort of bestial creature, as he seems to not have typical human qualities....