Nicholas Carter J. Kesler English Comp 1101 Argumentative Essay “Pride Cometh Before the Fall” In Erin McGraw’s short story, “Ax of the Apostles” Father Murray is a priest and also a gluttonous, proud, bombasticliar. Of the three of the seven deadly sins that Father Murray portrays, the one viewed as most horrific is his immense sense of pride. Father Murray’s pride is one of the causes of his great gluttony he is too proud to accept help and too proud to realize that he does have a problem binge eating. “‘It’s just a matter of will power,’ Father Murray said. ‘To the greater glory of God’…Out of pure discipline he had created a whole new body, and so he rejoiced in his creation.” (McGraw 38) This quote taken from the story can be argued as Father Murray actually praising God, thanking him for His help in Father Murray miraculously gaining self-control and losing weight. Father Murray is being sarcastic and thanking himself, rather than God, although he does not come out and say it. Towards the end of the story the reader, can almost see the irony that Father Murray loses all self control and will power to keep his weight off and eat healthy, almost as if God is taking some sort of revenge upon the Father. “‘You weren’t listening to him. Every need is a need,’ Father Murray said… ‘If you’re hungry and you remember that children in Colombia are starving, do you feel any less hungry?’” (McGraw 45) In this quote Father Murray’s pride is presented as arrogance more so than pride. During this part of the story Father Murray is standing up for Quinn’s actions, protecting Quinn’s motives from the harshness of Andreson’s criticisms, but even though the Father is standing up for his student he is still being arrogant and bombastic. Father Murray’s pride is evident in his speech to Andreson and the other men due to an almost need he has to embarrass the men, especially Andreson. In my own opinion I feel that there is some type of underlying tension between Andreson...