stakes.”(p.84, the little Monk, Galileo)This reflects the feelings of the common folk. The little monk tried to show Galileo that his findings would disrupt the everyday life of the peasants, and that although they are the poor and weak, they are made to feel part of something bigger. They are working away, but they play their part in the world, no matter how small. Just waiting for what lies after all their hard work; Heaven. So Galileo discloses this information he has, and is then forced to recant. By doing so, the metaphysical order is still intact, but he ruins his daughter’s life, Andrea loses faith and respect in his teacher, and the little monk abandons physics for the church. “I, Galileo Galilei, Teacher of Mathematics and Physics, do hereby publicly renounce my teaching that the earth moves. I forswear this teaching with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith and detest and curse this and all other errors and heresies repugnant to the Holy Scriptures.” (p.114, town crier, Galileo)“The mountain did turn to water.” (p.114, Andrea, Galileo)“I can’t look at him. Tell him to go away.” (p.114, Andrea, Galileo)Galileo was just doing what he believed in, much like William Wallace, but it made it worse for everyone including himself. He never could have known it would end like this, but he did not save his reputation, he gave in to the majority. Wallace did not. He kept on fighting and came out a hero. Galileo gave in to the powers that be, lost everyone’s respect, and came out a coward. He lived the rest of his life on house arrest, not being able to continue his life work....
